Hamlin to drive injured at Richmond.

Nextel Cup rookie Denny Hamlin will compete in this weekend's pair of races at the Richmond International Raceway with stitches in his left hand after a post-test competition between his #11 Joe Gibbs team went wrong at the Lowe's Motor Speedway.

At the end of the two-day test at the repaved 1.5-mile Lowe's oval, members of Hamlin's #11 team were competing against one another in a timed sprint around the team hauler when Hamlin decided to join in.

One lap around the rig later and Hamlin was nursing an injury that required a brief trip to a local hospital for stitches. However the cut won't prevent him from driving in Friday's Busch Series race and Saturday's Crown Royal 400 Nextel Cup event.

"The guys were having races around the hauler after the test," said Hamlin, who spun during the test but still wound up with the sixth fastest time from the 52 drivers in action. "I thought I'd try for the best lap of the night, and as I was running around the front of the truck, I caught my hand on a sharp piece of chrome. I got all stitched up and I'll be fine to race this weekend. By the way, I did finish first. Hopefully Coach Gibbs will be impressed that I can play 'hurt'."