Denny Hamlin woke up with a sore back sometime this week, according to his Joe Gibbs Racing team, which will cause him to miss Friday night’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Daytona International Speedway.
NASCAR At Daytona International Speedway 2012: Denny Hamlin To Miss Nationwide Race With Sore Back
Clint Bowyer will drive Joe Gibbs Racing’s No. 20 car while Joey Logano moves to replace Hamlin in the No. 18.
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Hamlin was supposed to drive a Dollar General-sponsored No. 18 car, but Joey Logano and sponsor SportClips will move over to that ride. Michael Waltrip Racing’s Clint Bowyer will then drive the No. 20 (Logano’s original ride) with Dollar General as a sponsor.
“My hope was to run the Nationwide Series race Friday night, but I woke up with a sore back earlier this week and feel it’s in the best interest of the team to sit it out,” Hamlin said in a team statement. “Luckily it’s nothing serious and the extra rest will help me on Saturday night.”
Hamlin will still participate in all Sprint Cup Series activities this weekend.
“We’re looking forward to working with Clint and appreciate his willingness to step behind the wheel for us on such short notice,” JGR president J.D. Gibbs said. “Denny will be fine, but we just felt it was in his best interest to rest his back and not have him have to practice or race in Nationwide this weekend.”
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