Denny Hamlin Tears ACL Playing Basketball But Still Expects to Race on Saturday

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. (AP) – NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin expects to race Saturday night at Richmond with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee.

Hamlin suffered the injury while playing basketball Tuesday night.  He will require surgery to repair the ACL following the season.

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver had an MRI on Wednesday morning and was given clearance to continue racing through the remainder of the season, which includes the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship.

Hamlin has one win this season and has reeled off three straight top-five finishes. He raced during the 2010 season following a torn ACL in his left knee.

JGR driver Kyle Busch missed the first 11 races of the season with a broken right leg and a fractured left foot after a wreck at Daytona.

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