Sam Hornish Jr. replaces ailing Denny Hamlin for Sprint Cup race at Fontana
March 23, 2014
By Reid Spencer
NASCAR Wire Service
FONTANA,
Calif.—A sinus infection that impaired Denny Hamlin's vision has
sidelined the driver of the No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota at Auto Club
Speedway, team president J.D.
Gibbs announced roughly 30 minutes before the green flag in Sunday's
Auto Club 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.
Hamlin
was replaced by Sam Hornish Jr., who had come to Fontana as a possible
relief driver for Matt Kenseth, whose wife Katie is expecting the
couple's third daughter.
“He had
a little sinus infection a while ago, but it probably started Friday,”
Gibbs said of Hamlin, who was taken to a local hospital. “I think he
could still drive, but he
brought up that he was concerned about it and just wanted to make sure
it was taken care of.
“He
brought it up with doctors who said, 'Hey, we've got to do this right
away.' Hopefully, it's nothing, but he had to get it checked out.”
Hamlin
has had nothing but ill fortune recently at Fontana. Last year, he
suffered a compression fracture of his first lumbar vertebra in a
last-lap wreck triggered by contact
from Joey Logano's Ford. Hamlin missed the next four races while his
back healed.
Hamlin's
prospects of making the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup won't be
affected by the illness, as long as he finishes in the top 30 in the
series standings after 26 races.
Because Hamlin qualified for the race on Friday, he is credited with
participation in the event.
NASCAR also could make a medical exception at its discretion, should the illness cause Hamlin to miss any additional races.
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