NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin will be out of action for at least six weeks after suffering a fractured back in Sunday's race in California.
According to ESPN.com, Joe Gibbs Racing announced the news Tuesday night and said that Hamlin would be out for over a month after being injured in a crash with former teammate Joe Logano in Sunday's race in Fontana. The crash at the Auto Club Speedway came on the final lap as the two were going for the finish line and saw Hamlin spin out into the wall.
Hamlin was evaluated by Dr. Jerry Petty of Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Associate and is was found that he suffered an L1 compression fracture, which does not require surgery, but will keep him out of action for the immediate future. NASCAR does not have an event this Sunday, meaning Hamlin could miss five races over six weeks.
"If me getting back in a car was based on pain tolerance, then I would be in the car next week," Hamlin tweeted. "There's just more to it that I can't control."
Hamlin could have his postseason in jeopardy, as the time off may knock him down too far in the standings, keeping him out of the Chase for the first time in seven seasons. Joe Gibbs did not yet announce a replacement driver for Hamlin, but one could be Elliott Sadler, according to ESPN.com, as he is a former Sprint Cup driver now running on Nationwide.
The crash with Hamlin came right at the end of the race on the final lap and after making contact with Logano, he crashed into the wall hard. He got out of his car on his own, but immediately fell down on the track and was then airlifted away to the hospital. It is not his first back injury, as he also had to miss a Nationwide race last year due to a bulging disc.