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Monday, June 11
Hamilton: Toughest race of his life
By Jack Arute
ESPN.com

Davey Hamilton lies in Indianapolis Methodist hospital facing a mind numbing number of surgeries as doctors try to put his legs back together. He suffered severe injuries to both of his legs and feet when his car hit the fence exiting Turn 2 in the Indy Racing Northern Light Series' Casino Magic 500 at the Texas Motor Speedway.

For Hamilton, the Indy Racing League was the bridge to his dreams. Forty-eight times Hamilton climbed aboard his car and searched for his first career win. Three times -- once in '98 at Atlanta and twice in '99 (Pikes Peak and Texas) -- he came tantalizingly close to winning his first Indy Car race. Instead of a win, Hamilton's claim to fame was his Cal Ripken-like achievement that saw him start every IRL sanctioned event since the League started in 1996.

His streak is over. Instead of scraping up a ride to keep the streak alive or hunting for sponsorship dollars to help out his friend Sam Schmidt, Hamilton now faces months of painful reconstruction and physical therapy just to enjoy walking again.

His injuries include damage to bones, muscles and blood vessels, and circulation to his feet, according to Dr. Henry Bock, director of medical services for the Indy Racing League.

Davey Hamilton loves the Indy Racing League. At each race he parks his silver motorhome adjacent to the IRL pit area and zips around on his mini bike. His support for Tony George's open wheel organization includes organizing and supervising the Supermodified Racing League, a western based supermodified series that Hamilton hopes will feed the IRL with future racers.

He promotes freestyle motocross exhibitions and competitions as well. You see, Davey Hamilton likes living life to the fullest. He surrounds himself with people and things that make him smile. Quick with a quip, Hamilton is seldom seen in a bad mood. Regardless of the way he's running, Davey holds court and soaks up every moment.

There is no public persona to Davey Hamilton. He is what you see.

Growing up in Idaho, he followed his dad Ken to area short tracks and by 1979 was winning both Rookie of the Year honors and the six-cylinder championship at Firebird Raceway in Boise.

Supers were next. By the late '80's Hamilton went on a five-year tear that saw him capture Supermodified driving titles every year. USAC was his next playground. Midegts and Silver Crown cars whetted his appetite for the Indy 500.

When he first arrived at the famed Brickyard, Hamilton hooked up with AJ Foyt. Foyt let Hamilton scrub and polish wheels. For a couple of '500's Hamilton was one of Foyt's vent men on AJ's over the wall pit crew.

Foyt fielded Hamilton's first IRL entires. Together they came close to winning both the IRL championship and the Indy 500 in 1997.

Though they parted company in '98, Hamilton and Foyt remain close firends. I think some of it is because Foyt sees a lot of "hisself" in Davey.

This season, Hamilton helped Schmidt return to the IRL as a car owner. Schmidt was paralyzed in a testing crash early last year and lived in the same area of Las Vegas that Hamilton did until recently when he returned to Idaho and took up residence in Eagle, Idaho.

Wednsday, June 13, is Davey Hamilton's 39th birthday. Before the start of the Texas race, there were plans to celebrate Davey's close encounter with impending middle age. Now, instead, family and friends pray and gather at this bedside, hoping that he will fully recover from the injuries he sustained Saturday night.

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	Hamilton listed in stable condition