Kasey Kahne Has Surgery To Repair Torn Meniscus; Expected To Be Ready For Daytona Speedweeks

Kasey Kahne underwent outpatient surgery on his left knee Friday, but his Hendrick Motorsports team says he'll be ready for the 2012 NASCAR season and the Daytona 500.

Kahne had an MRI on Thursday after experiencing swelling in his knee, the results of which revealed a torn meniscus. Doctors immediately scheduled a procedure for Friday, which was a partial medial meniscus removal.

Friday's operation was the third separate knee surgery in a little more than a year for Kahne, and the fourth overall.

After the 2010 season, Kahne had surgery in both knees to repair a condition called "plica syndrome," which results in the buildup of tissue.

Then, in April of last year, Kahne required more surgery after tearing the meniscus in his right knee. He was able to race at Richmond the week after his operation, where he finished third.

Friday's surgery was to repair the meniscus in his left knee, so Kahne has now had two surgeries on each knee in the past 15 months.

Hendrick Motorsports says Kahne will be ready for all Daytona Speedweeks activities – which begin on Friday – and it has no plans to have a backup driver on standby.