RELATED: Hamlin undergoes successful knee surgery
Just two weeks until the 2016 Sprint Cup Series season kicks off at Daytona International Speedway and Denny Hamlin is ready to power through the pain to earn his first Daytona 500 win.
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver underwent successful surgery at the end of the 2015 season to repair his anterior cruciate ligament, which he tore while playing basketball, and seems to be recovering swimmingly.
“Even in the last week, (my knee) has been quite a bit better,” Hamlin said during a teleconference on Wednesday. “The biggest thing is my range of motion hasn’t been very good. … I think it’s amazing how far we’ve gotten in rehab to getting this thing better. I’m very confident that in two weeks it’s going to be a non-issue on track.”
Despite his range of motion issue, the Toyota driver is still confident in his upcoming start in the “Great American Race.” When asked about when he hopes to claim his first Daytona 500 win, his response: “It’s coming.”
Hamlin’s best finish of 10 starts in the Daytona 500 was second-place in 2014. JGR teammates Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards are still seeking their first Daytona 500 victories, as well.