Denny Hamlin ready to go after crash

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KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Denny Hamlin said he feels "100 percent" a day after a jarring practice-session accident at Kansas Speedway caused some dizziness.

"Today waking up, I was good to go," Hamlin said Friday afternoon after practice. "I feel 100 percent. I thought I was good yesterday and got better every hour. Now it's just business as usual for the weekend."

Hamlin took a heavy impact into the wall when his No. 11 Toyota spun up the track in practice Thursday. He admitted he was dizzy afterward and said he "got his bell rung."

Doctors examined Hamlin in the infield care center, but also asked him to come back about an hour later to examine him again. He was cleared to race.

Hamlin is a top contender for the Sprint Cup championship, ranking third in the standings, 15 points behind leader Brad Keselowski. He qualified ninth at 190.718 mph for Sunday's race.

Hamlin's crash came in an extra practice on the new racing surface at Kansas, the same place where Dale Earnhardt Jr. suffered a concussion in a crash during a testing session in August.

Earnhardt is sitting out his second consecutive race after doctors advised him to rest after another hard crash at Talladega on Oct. 7.

Hamlin said he understands a driver might hesitate to admit a possible concussion if he was in contention for the championship.

"No doubt about it," Hamlin said. "You would do whatever it took to stay in the car in a championship battle. But the one thing you can't hide is the signs you're not right.

"You can say you're good, but if you don't pass the tests, (doctors) aren't going to let you in the car. The competitor in you fires all cylinders, but if you're not right, you're not right."

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Terry Blount | email

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• Senior writer for ESPN.com
• 25 years for Texas newspapers
• Member of Texas Motorsports Hall of Fame