Hamilton still in charge

Still in charge, Hamilton continues to fight cancer
Not a 'victim,' Bobby Hamilton Racing head in control of team
NASCAR.COM
December 21, 2006
11:21 AM EST (16:21 GMT)

Bobby Hamilton's ongoing fight against cancer has been a learning experience.

Hamilton, the 2004 Truck Series champion, announced in March that he was stepping away from the sport to battle neck cancer. Nine months later, it's an ongoing struggle -- but one that Hamilton refuses to lose.

Bobby Hamilton Jr. had one top-five and five top-10s driving his father's truck in 2006. Credit: Joe Robbins/Getty Images

SCHRADER TO 18
Ken Schrader will drive the No. 18 Dodge in the majority of the Truck Series races in 2007.

• Complete story, click here

In August, after extensive treatment from chemotherapy and radiation, Hamilton and his doctors were optimistic about the findings in his post-treatment CT Scan. However, microscopic cancer cells still remained in the right side of his neck.

Hamilton, who has won races in all three of NASCAR's national touring series, is continuing his chemotherapy treatment and has gone through several procedures to keep the cancer at bay.

"There are two things that I've truly learned from an unfortunate battle like this," Hamilton said. "One thing is that some people really go out of their way to sincerely support my battle.

"The flip side to that, unfortunately, is people really use the circumstances to say or write the story based on complete speculation and don't think about the repercussions it causes. Cancer is an ongoing battle, and once you are diagnosed you always live with the thought of the disease in your body. It is the worst thing you could ever imagine."

Hamilton, 49, began radiation and chemotherapy treatment at Vanderbilt Medical Center in Nashville, Tenn., after a tumor was removed from his neck on Feb. 8. He raced in the season's first three events, with a best finish of 14th at Atlanta, before turning over the wheel to his son, Bobby Hamilton Jr.

Hamilton Jr. earned the pole for the next race, at Martinsville, and finished 10th. His season-best finish was fourth in the season finale at Homestead. Hamilton Jr. ended the year 16th in points after six top-10 finishes, including one with team owner Bobby Dotter at Daytona in February.

"For those people who have truly supported me, my family, Fastenal, Dodge, NASCAR, all of Bobby Hamilton Racing and the genuine people who truly support my diagnosis and battle, thank you from the bottom of my heart for continuing to believe in me and my organization," Hamilton said in a team release Wednesday. "This battle is a private matter for me and I have done my best to share it at my own expense. So I don't think it is my place to even acknowledge the rest of the negative people who have played on my unfortunate circumstances."

http://www.nascar.com/2006/news/headlines/truck/12/21/bhamilton.cancer.experience/index.html

Hmmmm, nice to hear Bobby is still as feisty as ever, but I wonder who he's jabbing at here? Anyway, continued prayers to him in his fight.