Driver Hamilton dies at 49

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (Ticker) - Bobby Hamilton, the 2004 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series Championship, died on Sunday. He was 49.

Hamilton’s son, Bobby Hamilton Jr., confirmed his father’s death to the web site of the Tennessean.

The elder Hamilton missed most of the 2006 season after being diagnosed with cancer in March 2006.

He was a four-time winner on the NASCAR Cup Series, posting 67 top-10 finishes. Hamilton’s signature victory came at Alabama’s Talladega Superspeedway in April 2001.

In the first restrictor-plate race run after the death of the legendary Dale Earnhardt two months earlier, Hamilton prevailed and slumped to the ground after exiting his car. He required oxygen before he was able to conduct post-race interviews.