Hamlin Cleared to Test, Race After Hard Kentucky Hit

Despite clouting the wall at Kentucky Speedway during the Quaker State 400, Denny Hamlin has been cleared to drive at Daytona next week, according to ESPN and wire service reports.

Hamlin was cleared Monday by doctors who performed tests to see whether the Joe Gibbs Racing driver suffered a concussion.

When Hamlin crashed, most thought of the hit at Auto Club Speedway that sidelined him for four races earlier this season.

But, fortunately, the impact on lap 147, while severe and enough to shake the Virginia driver up, his back was fine. Team owner Joe Gibbs visited Hamlin in the infield care center after the wreck. Hamlin was released shortly thereafter. 

"I think our cars are so safe, and to show you, in 22 years, we've only had one person miss a race, and that was Denny, when he had the problem earlier this year," Gibbs told the NASCAR Wire Service. "So to be quite truthful, I didn't see it, so I was just going back, and I didn't realize he hit that hard. And so when I got back there (to the garage), he said, 'Man, I've got a headache, like you wouldn't believe.' And he banged his knee on the inside (of the car). Then we went to the care center, and right away, he said, "I started feeling better and better and better." 

There were questions as to whether Hamlin, whose Chase chances are diminishing by the week, planned to continue driving or sit to heal up.

The answer shouldn't surprise you.

"Definitely have to proceed on," Hamlin said after the race. "I have a test in Indy tomorrow that we're going to do to try to get better and get to performing better. Really today it was the best performance for us in a while. Hopefully at least something to build off of even though we don't have a good finish.

"I felt pretty good about the way we were racing today. We were with the right track position, we could run with everybody except for maybe the 48 (Jimmie Johnson). We're just going to try to win races and that's what my job is for the rest of the year is to try to win and do the best I can for my sponsors and my team. Really the biggest thing I was pushing for was to get my team into the Chase. Had an opportunity owner's points-wise to get into the Chase and this is obviously another hit."

Asked how hard the hit was, Hamlin quantified it.

"It's very similar to Kansas of last year during the test day of the race weekend. Flat right side hit, especially, you are picking up a lot of speed off of (turn) four here. For me, it didn't go down slowly like the tire did the first time -- this one just blew out solid and quick. Obviously, when I lost steering I hit flat. I would rather hit head-on anywhere than flat up against the wall on these walls."