A sore back will prevent Denny Hamlin from participating in Thursday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series practice at Daytona International Speedway. The issue, which is said to be cramping muscles, also forced Hamlin to withdraw from Friday’s Nationwide Series race.
NASCAR At Daytona International Speedway: Denny Hamlin To Miss Practice
Hamlin’s teammate at Joe Gibbs Racing, Joey Logano, will fill in during Cup practice and take some laps in Hamlin’s No. 11 car.
Hamlin is expected to be fit enough to compete the entire distance in Saturday’s Coke Zero 400 Cup race.
Originally, Hamlin was scheduled to drive a No. 18 Toyota sponsored by Dollar General in the Nationwide Series event, but Joey Logano and sponsor SportClips will move over to the No. 18 car instead. In Hamlin’s place, JGR has tabbed Michael Waltrip Racing’s Clint Bowyer to race the No. 20 car.
“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 statement released by the team. “Luckily it’s nothing serious and the extra rest will help me on Saturday night.”
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