NASCAR Camping World Truck Series driver John Wes Townley was sent to a local hospital for further evaluation after hitting the wall hard in ARCA Racing Series qualifying on Friday. During his ARCA qualifying run at the 2.5-mile Pocono Raceway, Townley made hard contact with the wall as he exited the Tunnel Turn before slowing on the track. After the incident, Townley was transported for further evaluation. As a result, Townley’s NASCAR Camping World Truck Series team sat out Friday’s final practice session as it awaited word on their driver’s condition. Townley was seventh in Friday’s opening Camping World Truck Series practice session at Pocono.(Fox Sports)(8-1-2014)
UPDATE: Athenian Motorsports posted a statement on Twitter regarding Townley. ‘John Wes Townley was released from the hospital in good health. As a precaution, he’ll be held out of competition for a week.’ No further information was released regarding who may drive the #05 truck in Pocono.(Twitter)(8-1-2014)
UPDATE 2: John Wes Townley was treated and released from a Pennsylvania hospital Saturday afternoon after an accident during ARCA Racing Series qualifying at Pocono Raceway. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Clint Bowyer has been named as his replacement in the #05 Zaxby’s Athenian Motorsports Toyota Tundra for the running of the Pocono Mountains 150 Camping World Truck Series race Saturday afternoon. Townley is in good health but will sit out of competition for seven days as a precautionary measure. The Watkinsville, GA driver will be be medically reevaluated in Charlotte early next week and hopes to compete at Berlin Speedway in the ARCA Series next Saturday.(Athenian Motorsports)(8-2-2014)
UPDATE 3: John Wes Townley will sit out the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Michigan International Speedway this weekend after an accident at Pocono Raceway on August 1, 2014. 2003 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series champion and current Sprint Cup Series driver, Travis Kvapil, will drive the #05 Zaxby’s Toyota Tundra in Michigan on Saturday. ‘It is really hard sitting out and watching someone else drive your truck,’ John Wes Townley said. ‘I am hoping to be back behind the wheel of the #05 Zaxby’s truck Wednesday at Bristol.’ Kvapil has two wins, three top-five and four top-10 finishes in four Camping World Truck Series starts on the 2-mile Brooklyn, Michigan race track.(Athenian Motorsports)(8-12-2014)
UPDATE 4: After a nineteen day hiatus from racing, John Wes Townley will make his return in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Wednesday, August 20, 2014. Townley was injured in ARCA Racing qualifying at Pocono Raceway on August 1, 2014 and has not raced since. NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver, Clint Bowyer piloted the #05 Zaxby’s Toyota for Townley at Pocono with Travis Kvapil driving the Athenian Motorsports entry in Michigan.(Athenian Motorsports)
