NASCAR driver Brian Vickers will miss the rest of the 2013 NASCAR season due to health issues.
Vickers was diagnosed with a small blood clot in his calf region on Monday. He was placed on blood thinning medications, which will keep him out of the racecar for the rest of this season. Doctors are sure that Vickers will be able to race when the 2014 NASCAR season begins.
“If there’s anything to be positive about with today’s news it’s that this is only a temporary setback,” Vickers said, according to the Charlotte Observer. “The timing for this is never good, but I’m glad we’ll get it out of the way now and be ready to run for a championship in 2014.”
Vickers drives for Michael Waltrip Racing in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He shared the ride with Mark Martin, who is currently filling in for the injured Tony Stewart. When Martin started filling in for Stewart, Vickers has driven the 55 car full-time. In August it was announced that Vickers will drive the number 55 car for MWR full-time next year. He also currently drives for Joe Gibbs Racing in the NASCAR Nationwide Series.
Blood clots are nothing new for Vickers. He had blood clots in May 2010 while he was driving for Red Bull Racing. After the 11th race of the 2010 season, Vickers took a medical leave and returned in 2011, according to Fox Sports.
Vickers is currently eighth in Nationwide series points. Over the last two years Vickers has five top-fives and ten top-ten finishes, including a win at New Hampshire this July, while driving for MWR. Michael Waltrip will drive the number 55 car for MWR at Talladega this weekend as scheduled. No replacement driver for Vickers has been named yet.