Denny Hamlin ~
Joe Gibbs racing reported Monday that Denny Hamlin, the driver of the #11 FedEx Toyota, suffered a spinal compression fracture as the result of his last lap crash in the Auto Club 400 in Fontana, California.
Denny Hamlin Airlifted To Hospital After Race
Hamlin was racing his former teammate, Joey Logano, driver of the Penske Racing #22 Ford, when they made contact, sending Hamlin head on into the inside retaining wall. Hamlin stumbled from his car and was airlifted to a local hospital for further observation. Hamlin finished 25th while Logano finished 3rd. Kyle Busch won the race as the result of their contact.
Hamlin will return home to North Carolina for further evaluation, but his short-term future in racing remains in question. The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series does not return to racing until April 7th at Martinsville Speedway in Virginia, giving Hamlin some time to recover.
Hamlin and Logano had some history, going back to the Bristol race the weekend before in which both cars came in contact late in the race, ending Logano’s bid for his first Sprint Cup victory. As a result, a shoving match occurred following the Bristol race. No word from NASCAR as of yet on any penalties for this week’s incident in Fontana.
