Race drivers show their mettle every time they go out on the track. But as Marty Smith writes, Bobby Hamilton’s battle with cancer requires a different kind of courage. An excerpt: Bobby Hamilton stood anxiously on pit road at Atlanta Motor Speedway a couple weeks back, set to strap into the #18 Dodge truck for the final time for the foreseeable future, when Mark Martin strode by with a message. “Kick its ass,” Martin said. “I will,” Hamilton nodded. “See ya later,” Martin said. With that, he was gone. “I’ll probably never talk to Mark Martin again, but [that shows] Mark cares,” Hamilton said. “That’s just how we [drivers] are.” Hamilton has cancer. It forced him from the seat. The very thought of it terrifies his colleagues. Drivers are apt to ignore such things. For the rest of Marty’s article please visit: (nascar.com)(4-7-2006)
