Hamlin released from hospital

Oct 6, 2008 - 3:58 PM TALLADEGA, Alabama (Ticker) -- Denny Hamlin was released from the hospital Monday, after spending the night following a hard wreck during the NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Talladega Superspeedway.

Hamlin was held overnight at the UAB Medical Center for further evaluation after a blown tire led to a hard crash during the Amp Energy 500, the fourth race of NASCAR's "Chase for the Championship."

Hamlin, who was silent on the radio for several moments after the crash, was alert and awake when he was transported to the Birmingham hospital, but was complaining of a headache and ankle pain as he was taken from the racetrack on a stretcher.

"The tire went down and it was quite a shot," Joe Gibbs Racing president J.D. Gibbs said Sunday. "He's got a little headache, so they're just going to watch him. It was a scary deal, but it's at least nice that he's alert and with it."

Hamlin is expected to be ready to race this weekend at Lowe's Motor Speedway.