March 26, 2013
- Hamlin released from hospital UPDATE 3 – out about 6 weeks: #11-Denny Hamlin spent the night at a local hospital in the Fontana, Calif., area and was released on Monday to fly home to Charlotte, where Dr. Jerry Petty of Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates will evaluate him later in the week. Hamlin told reporters that it is too hard to say if he will be ready for the next Sprint Cup race as he walked out under his own power, according to one of his representatives. The Sprint Cup series has this weekend off, then resumes its schedule on April 7 at Martinsville Speedway. Dr. Petty declined to talk about Hamlin’s case or compression fractions in general until he has met with Hamlin.(ESPN.com)(3-26-2013)
UPDATE: Denny Hamlin walked out of Loma Linda University Medical Center on Monday night under his own power, one day after sustaining a fractured L1 vertebra in a crash at Auto Club Speedway. Hamlin, wearing a thick back brace under a gray sweatshirt, had difficulty breathing as he spoke to two reporters, including one from USA TODAY Sports, upon his release. Hamlin said he immediately knew “I was in big trouble” after he felt a pop in his back following a violent collision with the wall the result of a crash triggered by contact with rival Joey Logano as the two raced for the win on the final lap. “The position I was in, I couldn’t breathe at all,” Hamlin said. “I’m still having a hard time breathing. Literally, when I felt a pop, I couldn’t move at all and I knew I had to get flat to my back to be able to breathe again. That’s why I rushed out and just laid flat on the ground to start breathing again.” Hamlin, who was en route to fly home to North Carolina, said he had to be 100% straight no bending at all. Otherwise, he said, “I run out of breath.” Though it’s too early to tell whether Hamlin will miss any races, he seemed to understand there was a lengthy recovery in front of him. He tried to read up on the injury, he said, and nothing was very encouraging. Hamlin said he will meet with Dr. Jerry Petty near Charlotte on Wednesday or Thursday for further evaluation. “He’s going to spend tomorrow looking at scans to distinguish what the next step is,” Hamlin said. “We’re kind of leaving the analyzing for him on what to do either surgery-wise or just stick with a brace and let it heal itself. Either way, obviously, both of them take a lot of time.”(more at USA Today)
UPDATE2: Asked specifically Monday night if Logano had tried to call him, Hamlin said, “No. I’ve heard from pretty much all my peers which has been humbling to say the least. It makes me really happy and keeps your spirits up when you hear from all your peers and everything,” he added. “That part of it has been very encouraging.” So, does he view the incident as the product of hard racing or as a part of the rivalry between the two? “I think it’s a little bit of both if I had to characterize it,” he said. “I really went out of my way throughout the day to give the #22 (Logano) room in a lot of places. He raced me really hard for really the entire event and obviously other guys as well. But at the end I think he saw I was going to win and wasn’t going to let that happen.”(FoxSports)(3-26-2013)
UPDATE 3: Joe Gibbs Racing driver Denny Hamlin was evaluated today by Dr. Jerry Petty of Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associates after suffering an L1 Compression Fracture during an accident on the final lap of Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Auto Club 400 at Auto Club Speedway. Dr. Petty determined that Hamlin will not require surgery, but will need time to properly heal, which is estimated around six weeks time. Dr. Petty will make the determination when Hamlin will be able to return to racing this season. No decision has been made on a replacement driver for Hamlin during his absence from the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.(Joe Gibbs Racing)(3-26-2013)
- No penalties from Auto Club Speedway: Kerry Tharp, NASCAR Director of Communications, tweeted Tuesday, “NASCAR will issue no penalties from last weekend’s events at [Auto Club Speedway]”.(3-26-2013)
- Logano says he wasn’t trying to wreck Hamlin: #22-Joey Logano said he did not realize #11-Denny Hamlin was involved in a hard crash when he made televised comments suggesting the driver had it coming – nor did he mean to wreck his former teammate on the last lap of Sunday’s Auto Club 400. Logano told USA TODAY Sports by phone Monday that he had “no idea” Hamlin was hurt or even that he hit the wall hard when he told Fox: “He probably shouldn’t have done what he did last week (at Bristol), so that’s what he gets.”
“I just thought we were racing hard, you know?” Logano said Monday. “It happens. You don’t ever want anyone to get hurt; you don’t ever want anything to happen, especially to Denny. We were racing really hard there at the end of the race. I wish there was a SAFER barrier down there, and I wish I knew before I made any comments on TV also.” Logano insisted he was not trying to wreck Hamlin “in any way, shape or form.”(USA Today)(3-26-2013)
- Sadler to run Sprint Cup race in 2013: Elliot Sadler is scheduled to run at least one un-named NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race in 2013, running the #81 Alert Energy Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing. This new energy product, was recently introduced by the Wm. Wrigley Jr. Company. The scheme is purple, orange-and-yellow.(lionelnascarcollectables.com.(3-26-2013)
- Yarborough joins the South Carolina Hall of Fame: South Carolina Hall of Fame President Brad Dean described both men inducted Monday into the state Hall of Fame at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center as American heroes, one of whom flew in an airplane while the other flew in a stock car. World War II veteran William Farrow and NASCAR Hall of Famer William Caleb “Cale” Yarborough were the 84th and 85th inductees into the S.C. Hall of Fame. Yarborough was in Myrtle Beach on Monday for the induction ceremony. Before the formal festivities began, he talked to students from Myrtle Beach Middle School and cadets of the Junior ROTC from Horry County Schools. “Life’s victories don’t always go to the fastest or strongest man,” Yarborough told the more than 100 students who had some of their own questions for the racing legend. Yarborough admitted to getting a little nervous before races because of the tough job ahead. However, it all went out the window when that light turned green at the starting line. Yarborough’s racing career began in 1957. Over 31 years, he won 83 victories, which ranks fifth all-time. Yarborough won three consecutive Sprint Cup championships from 1976 to 1978, an achievement unmatched until 2008. In that three-year span, he was the victor in 28 races. He was the second NASCAR driver to appear on the cover of “Sports Illustrated,” and was inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame in 2012.(Myrtle Beach Sun News)(3-26-2013)
- Sad News – Nikki Park: Nikki passed away on Sunday, March 24 after a lengthy illness. She is survived by her husband Greg Park, the CFO at Stewart-Haas Racing; her father, Hal; brothers Frank (June) Knight and Neal R. (Connie) Knight; sister Crystal A. (Darven) Erickson; and nieces and nephews. There will be a celebration of life for Nikki Park from 5:00pm/et to 8:00pm/et on Wednesday, March 27 at James Funeral Home (details). The funeral will be held at 11:00am/et on Thursday, March 28 in the chapel of James Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Huntersville Oaks Resident Counsel Fund (memo line: Oak leaf for Nikki K. Park) 12019 Verehoff Dr., Huntersville, NC 28078.
- Efland, JD Motorsports part: Danny Efland posted on Facebook Tuesday evening, “Looks like JD Motorsports and I have parted ways after a short start to the season.”(3-26-2013)
- Homestead starts refer a fan program: Homestead-Miami Speedway announced its Refer A Fan program where ticket purchasers receive benefits when they refer an individual who also purchases tickets to the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship race, the Ford EcoBoost 400 (Nov. 17). The incentive, available to any fan that has purchased tickets for the Ford EcoBoost 400, automatically activates when a new purchaser provides the account number of an existing seat holder at the time of purchase. More info at homesteadmiamispeedway.com/referafan or by calling the Homestead-Miami Speedway Ticket Sales department at 305.230.5255.(HMS)(3-26-2013)
- Indy events add $510 in Indiana Economy: Events and operations at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and associated motorsports businesses generate more than $510 million annually to the Indiana economy, according to a study by the Indiana University Public Policy Institute. The study addressed the direct and indirect economic contributions made by IMS through its operations, spending by out-of-state visitors to the Indianapolis 500, Kroger Super Weekend at the Brickyard and Red Bull Indianapolis GP annual events, and the presence of nearly all INDYCAR race teams and the Dallara facility in the Indianapolis area, which are attracted to Indiana due to the presence of the Speedway.(see full report at IMS.com)(3-26-2013)
- Dale Jr. to Appear in the Talladega Experience: #88-Dale Earnhardt Jr., the only driver in the history of Talladega Superspeedway to capture four consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race victories at the 2.66-mile venue, will join defending Series Champion Brad Keselowski in the driver lineup for the Talladega Experience during the upcoming Aaron’s Dream Weekend, May 3-5. This year’s crop of drivers is shaping up to be one of the best in years, and even more of NASCAR’s finest will be announced to join Dale Jr. and Keselowski in the Talladega Experience in the coming weeks. The Talladega Experience is a fun, one-of-a-kind fan hospitality event unrivaled by any other in the sporting world. The Talladega Experience is designed for the FAN, with the ultimate goal of providing each guest with a world-class experience and memories to last a lifetime. The package, which must be accompanied by a Frontstretch Grandstand or Tower ticket, is $145. Secure your tickets at www.talladegasuperspeedway.com or by calling 877-Go2-DEGA.(TSS)(3-26-2013)
- NASCAR Weekend in Sonoma Features Silver Celebration: It seems like just yesterday Ricky Rudd and Rusty Wallace were swapping paint along the hillside at Turn 7 at the inaugural NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race in Sonoma in 1989. Rudd survived the battle and took the checkers by just .05 seconds over Wallace in what is still the closest margin of victory for a NASCAR Cup race at Sonoma Raceway. That race included legends like Dale Earnhardt, Bill Elliott and Richard Petty, among others. Fast-forward to 2013 and stock-car racing is alive and well in Northern California as Sonoma Raceway celebrates the 25th running of the Toyota/Save Mart 350, June 21-23.
The raceway has plenty in store for race fans in honor of this very special weekend, including: Silver Celebration Ticket, Silver Celebration Q&A, Historic Stock Car Display, Web-site special photo galleries and commentary, Social Media contests & special driver ticket giveaways and Bring on the Jets a very special 25-minute jet show on Sunday, June 23, by the Patriots Jet Team. This special weekend can mean only one thing: tickets will go fast. Act today by calling the raceway at 800-870-RACE (7223) or visit racesonoma.com/nascar for the latest information regarding the Silver Celebration of NASCAR in Sonoma.(Somona Raceway)(3-26-2013)
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