Denny Hamlin in Pain at Phoenix, Expects Relief Driver for Race

Sporting a grimace and a limp, Denny Hamlin soldiered around Phoenix International Raceway Friday in obvious pain a week after having ACL surgery on his left knee.

The pain was mildly tempered, however, by an impressive top-10 run in the No. 11 FedEx Toyota during NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice after running 70 laps. Hamlin left the rest of the driving duties during practice to Casey Mears, who will be standing by ready to relieve him in Saturday night's race should the pain prove too severe.

"There's so much different stuff that we're goiing to do tomorrow morning to help this thing," Hamlin said in an interview session with the media after practice. "I don't know how much better I'll feel, but I know as of today, there's no way I could do it,'' he said of driving the whole 375 laps (600 kilometers, or 375 miles) around the one-mile track.

"It's frustrating because your mind wants your leg to do one thing but your body won't do it," Hamlin said. "It won't do what I want it to do."

Hamlin qualified the car himself Friday, but wasn't as fast as he was in practice, and will start 26th.

"Not the lap we wanted considering how well this No. 11 FedEx Toyota practiced, but we were really loose and that's where we left time," Hamlin said after his effort. "We actually had a good lap going but I snapped loose there and that was enough to hurt us."

Hamlin is scheduled to have stitches removed and his knee drained Saturday morning and is hopeful that will help with his mobility. The awkward climb into and out of the race car appeared as problematic as driving it around the track, and he stood on a raised jack to help him get through the driver's window and into his seat.

Even if Mears drives most of the race in relief, Hamlin only has to start the race to receive the points earned for its finish.

As for pain medication, Hamlin refused to reveal what medication he is taking, telling reporters, "The stuff I take is up to me. No one else needs to know.''

NASCAR Spokesman Ramsey Poston explained to FanHouse on Friday that Hamlin's doctor must submit notification clearing him for competition. And any medication Hamlin is taking must be submitted to NASCAR's drug testing supervisor, Dr. David Black, who will determine what is permissible during a competition weekend.

Hamlin originally injured his knee this January in a pick-up basketball game and had hoped to put the surgery off until after the season. The pain, however, only worsened and he opted to have it March 31, two days after winning his first race of the season at Martinsville, Va.

According to the medical reference site, WebMD, whether you have the surgery immediately after the injury or a few weeks later "does not seem to affect recovery significantly.''

Typically the first priority after surgery is working on range of motion and strengthening the knee. Some elite athletes have returned to competition as soon as six weeks following surgery.

"I've done everything I was supposed to do and then some,'' Hamlin said of his initial rehabilitation work. "If it's not enough time (to recover), it's not enough time."