Denny Hamlin said surgery to repair his injured left knee “has to be done” regardless of where he ranked in points, but said he was optimistic that he’d be “100 percent” by the time the Chase rolls around – if he makes it.
Hamlin: Surgery Was Unavoidable; Casey Mears Will Be Relief Driver
Hamlin will have surgery on Monday to repair the torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, which he said has buckled several times and caused the knee to sustain further damage.
He plans to make every start and, if necessary, turn over driving duties to relief driver Casey Mears.
But Hamlin added, “If they can just pry me in that seat, they’ll have a tough time prying me out.”
Hamlin said it would be a relief to finally have the surgery (he injured the knee in January but planned to go the entire season before undergoing the necessary repairs) and to know that every day following the surgery would get better instead of worse.
Having the surgery Monday will allow him to race at Phoenix, he believes, and just “take his lumps” the first week with pain. Hamlin said he hasn’t been on any prescription pain medication because he didn’t want to become reliant on it, per NASCAR’s drug policy.
Are his Chase hopes over? If they are, Hamlin says it won’t be because of the knee injury.
“It’s not going to change our goals,” he said. “If we don’t get in [the Chase], then it has to do with a lot of performance over the year, not just [the first few races after the surgery].”
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