Denny Hamlin has compression fracture of L1 vertebrae

Not good. But on the plus side...

Had he had that crash a few years back, people would be planning his funeral. A basalar skull fracture, which happens when the head goes forward while the body is restrained, causes an instant bleed-out as the primary arteries feeding the brain are severed.

Society and culture
Basilar skull fractures are a common cause of death in many motor racing accidents. Drivers who have died as a result of basilar skull fracture include Formula One drivers Roland Ratzenberger and Ayrton Senna, Indianapolis 500 drivers Bill Vukovich, Tony Bettenhausen, Floyd Roberts, and Scott Brayton, NASCAR drivers Dale Earnhardt Sr., Adam Petty, Tony Roper, Kenny Irwin, Jr., Neil Bonnett, John Nemechek, J. D. McDuffie, and Richie Evans, CART drivers Jovy Marcelo, Greg Moore and Gonzalo Rodriguez, and ARCA drivers Blaise Alexander and Slick Johnson.
To prevent this injury, all major motor sports sanctioning bodies now mandate the use of head and neck restraints, such as the HANS device.

from here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basilar_skull_fracture

The HANS device probably saved his life! Come back soon, Denny!!
 
I just did a quick lookup on his injury, it's a mofo. I'd guess the season is over for him maybe even his career. Damn.
I wish him well.
 
Wow, dont wish this upon any driver. Get well soon Denny. The racing isn't fun if these guys aren't on the track.
 
Ok , no disrespect intended to Denny . But I gotta ask the question , Who would YOU put in the car?
 
ted@economy said:
Ok , no disrespect intended to Denny . But I gotta ask the question , Who would YOU put in the car?
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Gibbs will put Vickers in it if he can get him clear of MWR. Wallce Jr isn't ready and Sadler is the only other option
 
#17D500winner said:
Gibbs will put Vickers in it if he can get him clear of MWR.
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Shouldn't be an issue. Especially considering that Brian is a full-time Nationwide driver for JGR.
I can't see Mikey holding Vickers to a part-time handshake agreement if he has a chance to drive the 11.

I hope it doesn't come to this, though...
 
Not exactly good news but that was a big hit and it could've been a lot worse. Will Power suffered a similar injury and he was cleared to drive in 4 weeks, hopefully it's not that long for Denny because the season would be over for him contending for a championship. As for who to put in car, my guess would be Sadler or Vickers or a split depending on how long. Hopefully they won't need a replacement and Denny can be in the car at Martinsville.
 
Bobw said:
I just did a quick lookup on his injury, it's a mofo. I'd guess the season is over for him maybe even his career. Damn.
I wish him well.
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I'm thinking his career is done.
 
robbybee said:
Shouldn't be an issue. Especially considering that Brian is a full-time Nationwide driver for JGR.
I can't see Mikey holding Vickers to a part-time handshake agreement if he has a chance to drive the 11.

I hope it doesn't come to this, though...
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Thegroundpounder99 said:
Not exactly good news but that was a big hit and it could've been a lot worse. Will Power suffered a similar injury and he was cleared to drive in 4 weeks, hopefully it's not that long for Denny because the season would be over for him contending for a championship. As for who to put in car, my guess would be Sadler or Vickers or a split depending on how long. Hopefully they won't need a replacement and Denny can be in the car at Martinsville.
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Guess great minds do think a like:D You beat me by seconds:mad:
 
He has two weeks to heal, he drove when he screwed up his knee pretty badly, never know, he might be in the seat, hope he can make Martinsville.
 
Tweeted a pic
 

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StandOnIt said:
He has two weeks to heal, he drove when he screwed up his knee pretty badly, never know, he might be in the seat, hope he can make Martinsville.
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I highly doubt he's back for M'Ville. Sounds like its a pretty big deal.
 
I fractured a disc (L5) in the 90s and have 6 titianuim rods in my back, along with donor bones and some other man made patches.
It took two years to get comfortable, with the fusion.

But I stalled that surgery for 14 years until 2009, by using two chiropracticors, two different therapist, cortizone shots, and pain pills. I wouldnt recommend that route to anyone.I watched folks leaving the pain centers who were really struggling. They had already had surgery and I just didnt want the surgery they had or its results so I waited until it was a last option and a must.
Looking back on it I regret the delay, there is an associated nerve damage, and after a long recovery fr our surgery my back is 95% as good as it ever was.

I hope for Dennys sake he gets his back fixed. He is young enough and has time for better days. But you dont get the wasted years back. I hope he gets well and has the routine comfort of a good back. It isnt just racing, as his baby girl grows up he is going want to play with her, push her on her first swing set etc....

And a better back will help his driving in the long run.
 
Franchetti had a similar issue and was out 9 months. Will Powers was 4 weeks. Just goes to show how much it can vary. Denny is looking to be released today and be reevaluated later this week.
 
Danica had a similar crash and walked away from it. She hit a safer barrier though..Denny didn't have one to hit. That sucks at a high speed track to cheap out like that on driver safety.
 
I had a feeling denny was hurt pretty bad due to the lack of info out there about what was going on. my first choice to put in the car is kyle larson. however vickers will likely get the nod. or here is a crazy thought what about AJ. that guy can really get some good finishes with the 51 car.
 
One of the worst things with a lower back injury is sitting. Sitting puts more pressure on your back than standing. Hopefully he doesn't have any nerve damage to go along with that. I have a herniated disc in l4/l5 and that is NOT FUN and he has a fracture which is worse. This young man just became a father I wish him all the best He is in good hands.
 
Yeah it would be great to put who ever you thought would do the best job in Denny's car if he can't make the race. So far I haven't heard a thing on his raceability in a couple weeks yet. Most drivers are under a contract, so it will probably be a driver under Gibbs contract if Denny can't make it.
 
Damn I really hope he's going to be alright. I mean I don't really like the guy, Im clearly team Joey but I don't wish this on anyone. I didn't think it was so serious because they tried to make it seem that way in the media. I hope he's back for M'Ville. However I would think if they needed it they would use Vickers and Sadler, or maybe Micheal Mcdowell?
 
wow, I just watched the close up video of Denny's spin, and he didn't, or couldn't, lock them up until he's past the apron. :eek:

That's almost full speed.
 
FenderBumper said:
wow, I just watched the close up video of Denny's spin, and he didn't, or couldn't, lock them up until he's past the apron. :eek:

That's almost full speed.
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Denny Hamlin has to be second guessing his decision to turn Logano into the outside wall. That move sent his car on a path towards the inside wall and then he tried to drive out of it which made a bad situation worse. Don't like Hamlin but really hope he didn't just end his career with those two decisions.
 
MrSluggo said:
Denny Hamlin has to be second guessing his decision to turn Logano into the outside wall. That move sent his car on a path towards the inside wall and then he tried to drive out of it which made a bad situation worse. Don't like Hamlin but really hope he didn't just end his career with those two decisions.
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It looked like Denny did try to hook Logano after the initial contact.
This is part of the problem with drivers having at it. The results cannot be predicted.
 
MrSluggo said:
Denny Hamlin has to be second guessing his decision to turn Logano into the outside wall. That move sent his car on a path towards the inside wall and then he tried to drive out of it which made a bad situation worse. Don't like Hamlin but really hope he didn't just end his career with those two decisions.
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I could tell by reading your first two sentences that you don't like Hamlin.:)
 
I too thought Denny tried to hook Joey at the end of the contact, even put that in a post last night. I happened to catch a different angle on a replay, and you can see when Denny's car hits Logano's in the rear quarter panel, the back tires of Denny's car are sliding around. I don't think he had enough control of the car to spin Joey around.
 
AKRobby said:
I too thought Denny tried to hook Joey at the end of the contact, even put that in a post last night. I happened to catch a different angle on a replay, and you can see when Denny's car hits Logano's in the rear quarter panel, the back tires of Denny's car are sliding around. I don't think he had enough control of the car to spin Joey around.
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Yeah He didn't lift when Joey got him loose, probably in an attempt to "take use both out". If he had lifted and corrected would have been Kyle,joey,denny. 1-2-3. I imagine it was that little up movement before the wall cause the spine comp[ression before actually smacking the wall at the RF Earnhardt angle.
 
Nitro Dude said:
I could tell by reading your first two sentences that you don't like Hamlin.:)
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Hamlin just seems to have one of the shorter fuses in the garage. FTR I'm no Logano fan but at least he makes some effort to talk with people after the race who are frequently ready to kill him.
 
MrSluggo said:
Denny Hamlin has to be second guessing his decision to turn Logano into the outside wall. That move sent his car on a path towards the inside wall and then he tried to drive out of it which made a bad situation worse. Don't like Hamlin but really hope he didn't just end his career with those two decisions.
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Denny was simply trying to save his car after Joey ran out of talent on corner exit.
 
robbybee said:
YEP! Any wall or obstacle that is visible to a driver should be protected in this day and age.
Even a tire barrier would have helped!
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no kidding..they had nothing..looked like something from the 60's at a track, hard retaining wall. Nobody is going to say anything, it is a ISC track. I just hope they fix the thing, here is a driver hurt bad it looks like.
 
CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Sprint Cup driver Denny Hamlin suffered a compression fracture of his lower back in Sunday's last-lap crash involving former Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Joey Logano at Auto Club Speedway.

Hamlin spent the night at a local hospital in the Fontana, Calif., area and was expected to be released on Monday to fly home to Charlotte, where Dr. Jerry Petty of Carolina Neurosurgery and Spine Associates will evaluate him later in the week.

Team officials said it was too early to determine if Hamlin was at risk of missing a race until after he is evaluated by Dr. Petty. The Sprint Cup series has this weekend off, then resumes its schedule on April 7 at Martinsville Speedway.

Dr. Petty declined to talk about Hamlin's case or compression fractions in general until he has met with Hamlin.

Dr. Joseph Estwanik of Metrolina Orthopedic and Sports Medicine Clinic in Charlotte said without knowing the severity of the fracture it is impossible to give a fair evaluation of whether Hamlin will miss any races.

"It could range from tough it out and get going what you can with minor injuries to as you would expect, surgery," said the chairman of the Sports Medicine Committee for USA Boxing in 1992. "It's not appropriate to give a plan of action."

Estwanik said competing on pain medication in motorsports wouldn't be an option because "on pain medication you can't even drive out of the driveway appropriately. It can not only affect the brain, but reflexes and timing."

Estwanik said he has worked with NASCAR drivers with back issues in the past.

"There are things that can be done ... getting braces, padding and the arrangement for the seat to assist [in reducing pain and discomfort]," he said.

But, he reiterated, without knowing the percentage of compression and other details it is impossible to evaluate Hamlin's situation.

Hamlin, who is 10th in points after five races, wrote on Twitter: "I just want to go home."

He later tweeted "all good" with a picture of him wearing a brace.


Compression fractures of the spine typically are caused by a sudden, forceful injury.

Hamlin's car hit the inside retaining wall head-on after being spun by Logano on the final lap. Hamlin's car hit a small portion of the track where the SAFER barriers designed to reduce impact did not cover the concrete wall.

Hamlin climbed out of his car and immediately collapsed. He was carried off on a stretcher and then airlifted to a nearby hospital.

Symptoms of a compression fracture are severe pain in the back, legs and arms. Some may feel weakness or numbness in these areas if the fracture injures the nerves of the spine.


Hamlin has a history of back injuries. He sat out the Nationwide Series race at Daytona International Speedway last season due to back spasms triggered from an incident at Kentucky. He told reporters then he had bulging disks in his back.


Hamlin said then he and his doctors changed his training routine to include strength-building exercises for his back. He also cut back on golf and basketball.

He did not miss the Sprint Cup race.

"With spasms … anything can set it off," Hamlin said at the time. "Obviously, the most risk of having an accident in practice would be on a superspeedway. The likelihood of me getting in an accident in the Nationwide race would be high as well.

"Those are all things that would trigger going backward from everything I've gained this week. So that's the reason. … Just wanted to minimize risk, that's all."

Track president Gillian Zucker had no explanation for why SAFER barriers were not in place where Hamlin's car hit the wall. She said that while the track pays for barriers, NASCAR makes the recommendation for where to put them.

She said the area where Hamlin hit was not among the recommendations.

"Anytime that NASCAR makes any recommendation that they feel will reduce injuries or the threat to injuries, we will always implement that," Zucker told ESPN.com. "We made a bunch of changes on the back stretch in the last couple of years.

"I'm sure that every incident that occurs NASCAR reviews and determines whether anything needs to be done."

Zucker did not know why it wasn't recommended that the entire inside retaining wall be covered.

"This is a constantly revolving project," she said. "When barriers first came we certainly didn't put them all around the facility. Then NASCAR made recommendations and we added more here and more here."
NASCAR officials said they will review what happened in Hamlin's wreck and make recommendations for improvements if warranted.

There is a approximately a 2,000-foot gap going into Turn 1 and out of Turn 2 as well as a gap going into Turn 3 and out of Turn 4 where Hamlin hit that is not covered by SAFER barriers. There also is approximately 135 feet of grass that Hamlin's car slid through before reaching the wall.

NASCAR works in conjunction with the University of Nebraska's Midwest Roadside Safety Facility division that developed SAFER barriers and the IndyCar Series to develop safety technology.

The studies that pertain to SAFER barriers take into consideration the angles and the areas of the racetrack that have the highest frequency and likelihood of impacts.

Track officials said SAFER barrier recommendations are based on past history and this incident happened where NASCAR never has seen an incident occur.
 
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