Denny Hamlin has compression fracture of L1 vertebrae

dpkimmel2001 said:
I'd much rather see the kind of racing we say for the checkers last Sunday then the ever popular 1.5 second margin. That was good stuff and gives us plenty to talk about. Minus the injuries of course.
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Well I can't disagree with that.
 
SpeedPagan said:
C'mon, we've seen plenty of races to the finish that didn't have nearly as much contact as the race between Logano and Hamlin had on that last lap. You can't sit there and tell me that the incident wasn't the result of a feud when the possibility of a clean but hard race by both drivers was there.
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And we have seen plenty of races to the finish where contact was made on the last lap as well.

I just don't think the rivalry had anything to do with what happened. Would Joey have raced different if that was say, the 24 instead of the 11?
 
It looks like Denny has had back problems for years if the information in the media article on the sports page of the News & Observer are factual.
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.
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Greg gave a good description of the problems he endured w/his back pain and it seems as if Denny had an injury that was aggravated by this crash but in the past had worked around it despite the pain; so he could remain active. He most certainly would not have been the first to do so and had this injury not happened Sunday, there is a good chance it would have happened eventually in a variety of ways.
Who is to "blame" for the crash? No one! It was a racing incident. Two guys, fighting for the win and neither giving an inch but instead trying to take a little bit more to gain the advantage. Until they wrecked. There was no "fault" by either driver other than they both wanted to win. That is what racing is all about.
 
honu said:
I must admit, when I first saw the crash, it looked to me like Logano took Hamlin out... and in the process, was graced by a benevolent God, that he didn't end up killing him.

The more I watched replays, the less convinced I am that Logano spun Hamlin intentionally as a pay back, and more of a mind he was driving way, WAY over his head and just plain ran out of driving ability. Logano's problem was compounded by the apparent talent-ectomy he suffers from.

For whatever reason, this year Logano has been driving as if he has 1 gallon of talent in a 10 gallon bucket... somewhere along the line, he's confused talent with over aggression. As a result, he's smashed up a few cars, pissed off more than a few of his competitors and unintentionally pulled a bonehead move, which ended up seriously injuring Denny Hamlin.

I'm not Roger Penske... but if I was, you can bet, come Monday morning, there'd have been a "Come to Jesus" meeting with young Joey.
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I tend to agree with most of your post. Logano was too aggressive for his talent level. Kyle Bush he is not. Kyle is my least favorite driver (well, maybe an equal with his brother :)) but I will admit he does have the talent to back up his aggressiveness.
 
I had surgery on L4 and L5, just plain old herniated discs. L4 and L5 is the All American back according to my surgeon. Muscle spasms were really painful, wore a TENS unit before and after surgery. Electric "shocks" weren't nice either. I had a desk job and was out of work 4 months, medicine has made great advances in the 20+ years since my surgery but with his previous back history and now this I have doubts he'll be in the car much before Sept, if then.
 
honu said:
I must admit, when I first saw the crash, it looked to me like Logano took Hamlin out... and in the process, was graced by a benevolent God, that he didn't end up killing him.
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Why must people thrust God into everything? God didn't save Hamlin's live, the people who actually built, tested and released the life-saving equipment did. How about giving THEM some credit for once?
 
Denny needs to take time and heal. Racing is just a job and back injuries are serious. They should put Vickers in the car for the next couple months at least.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
Please, before this thread takes that route..... Go somewhere else other than than NASCAR forum to discuss your beliefs.
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Just saying...

Anyways, I really want someone to school Joey now. Harvick, that's your cue.
 
breatheoflife said:
I believe thats just a verbal agreement with Waltrip isn't it? Regardless, I'm sure Waltrip would let him run the 11 if Vickers were called upon.
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I don't know that it is just up to Michael Waltrip. There are sponsor and manufacturer considerations. Both Vickers and Martin are signed though the end of 2013. Vickers is scheduled to drive @ Martinsville as well as several other races this year in the #55.
 
Yea, then Vickers doesn't race again until June 23 at Sonoma. I think they'd let him druve the 11 since he's only running 9 races this year.
 
breatheoflife said:
I believe thats just a verbal agreement with Waltrip isn't it? Regardless, I'm sure Waltrip would let him run the 11 if Vickers were called upon.
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The USA Today article announcing the deal between Vickers and MWR specifically uses the word "contract", but I don't know if it really was a signed contract or if the writer was just calling it that. You'd think Michael would release Vickers if he had a shot to drive a JGR car for a large part of the year, but who knows. Aarons could probably block it if they didn't want Vickers going elsewhere.

Part of me is really thinking it will just be Elliott Sadler driving the #11 while Hamlin is out. Just came across on Jayski that Sadler was already going to drive the #81 Alert Energy Toyota JGR car once in Nextel Cup this year. If Coach Gibbs was going to have Sadler race in Cup for a one-off race, they may just put him in the #11 while Hamlin is out.
 
Bobw said:
Muscle spasms were really painful, wore a TENS unit before and after surgery.
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God bless my TENS unit I picked up online for about 80 bucks. It has made my back bearable many times.

Bobw said:
with his previous back history and now this I have doubts he'll be in the car much before Sept, if then.
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Time will tell but if he's back in just a few weeks that won't surprise me either. A shot of cortisone can sometimes perform miracles.
 
Cortisone shots help you deal with pain. If it doesn't hurt you have a tendency to overdo and that can slow down healing or even cause further damage. Flexeril(sp?) and various pain meds become your best friends, then you have to learn to live without them.
Following my surgery I learned two things, my wife hates me. She hit every pothole and crack in the road bringing me home. I do not own anything so valuable as to cause me to make any sudden movement. Learned that trying to reach for a glass my kid knocked over.
In all honesty it took me a good two years before I was back to normal,whatever normal is.
 
I would think that a part time driver would only have a contract to run certain races, and be free to race for other teams, but running for the competition might not be a good idea. Gibbs will probably keep it in house and pull up a Nationwide shoe like Penske did with Hornish, if Hamlin can't drive. Probably be a while before they tell us what is what.
 
FenderBumper said:
If I were Hamlin, I get in for a lap and get out until it heals properly.
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Is that worth the risk here? I mean, it's not a broken arm that we're talking about here. It could easily lead to paralysis if something were to happen before he could get out of the car. That brings up another point. Could he get out of the car if he had to in an emergency situation? Fire, etc.? He is meeting with Dr. Petty this week. I highly doubt that he would even be cleared to compete.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
Is that worth the risk here? I mean, it's not a broken arm that we're talking about here. It could easily lead to paralysis if something were to happen before he could get out of the car. That brings up another point. Could he get out of the car if he had to in an emergency situation? Fire, etc.? He is meeting with Dr. Petty this week. I highly doubt that he would even be cleared to compete.
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No racing. Go to the back, runs a lap and get out. It would be to keep his chase hopes alive for his sponsors sake.

All this depends on how bad the fracture is. A fracture isn't a break, and if he doesn't have any numbness, I think 2 weeks will make it safe enough to run a lap at Martinsville.
 
FenderBumper said:
A fracture isn't a break, and if he doesn't have any numbness, I think 2 weeks will make it safe enough to run a lap at Martinsville.
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I thought a fracture is a break, separation, etc. I will have to look that up or did you sleep in a Holiday Inn Express last night?
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
Again though..... The guy was just released from the hospital. He has to be cleared to run @ Martinsville and beyond.
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Smoke14 said:
Not until he is released by the neuro doc.
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Obviously we're talking about what he should do if he's permitted to get in the car. :rolleyes:

If he's not allowed in the car, what is there to discuss? nascar and the Dr. will allow a low level of added risk when racing, but I wouldn't race a full race until it's 90% healed. A fracture, if that diagnosis holds true, is a crack without seperation. They will try to determine how deep and long the crack is and if there is any nerve or spinal pressure.
 
FenderBumper said:
No racing. Go to the back, runs a lap and get out. It would be to keep his chase hopes alive for his sponsors sake.

All this depends on how bad the fracture is. A fracture isn't a break, and if he doesn't have any numbness, I think 2 weeks will make it safe enough to run a lap at Martinsville.
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A fracture is a break.
Vertebral Compression Fracture Causes

Vertebral compression fractures can be caused by osteoporosis, trauma, and diseases affecting bone (pathologic fracture).
  • Trauma: Injury severe enough to cause a vertebra to break can occur with a fall from a tall height in which the person lands on his or her feet or buttocks. It can also occur in a person involved in a car accident.
http://www.emedicinehealth.com/vertebral_compression_fracture/article_em.htm
 
He'd start at the rear because I doubt they'd risk him running practice and qualifing. Geting him out, carefully, will put him down a number laps. If things go well they might finish inside the top 30 with a replacement driver..
 
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