Hamlin guts it out

Denny Hamlin is a tough hombre.

Nine days after having arthroscopic knee surgery the driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota ran his car Friday in practice and qualifying at Phoenix International Raceway.

He had an anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee repaired after he injured it in a pick-up basketball game in January.

"I don't know how far I will go," Hamlin said after driving about 70 laps during two practice sessions Friday. "It definitely aches quite a bit and the problem is range of motion. I can't get my knee bent far enough to put it on top of the (brake) pedal."

Doctors plan to remove the stitches from the surgery on Saturday morning and drain fluid from his knee. Hamlin had several ice treatments Friday, and even had an ice bag on his knee sitting in the cockpit while his crew worked on the car during the second practice session.

It’s doubtful he will be able to complete Saturday night’s Sprint Cup race and veteran Casey Mears will be on hand to spell Hamlin.

In NASCAR, a driver is credited with the points earned at the finish as long as he starts the race.

I don’t really like that. If a driver can’t run the whole race he doesn’t deserve any points.

For the first 26 races each driver should be able to throw out one race for the points standings. But over the last 10 in the Chase they should have to run an entire race to earn any points.

Barton 9th at Phoenix

Las Vegan Taylor Barton finished ninth in Thursday night’s

NASCAR Pro Series West event after qualifying 22nd in the race that started the Phoenix racing weekend.

Eric Holmes of Escalon, Calif., won.

Correction

The story on page 13C in Friday's Review-Journal incorrectly listed the engine builder for the top-three finishers in Saturday night's NASCAR All-American Racing Series race at Las Vegas Motor Speedway’s Bullring. The engines were built by Kell’s Auto.

Robert Ewing finished first, Jeff Connors was second and Nick Halen was third for the Ewing Bros. Racing team.