NASCAR driver Brian Vickers has heart surgery, will miss start of 2015 season
For the third time in six years, NASCAR driver Brian Vickers will sit out part of the Sprint Cup Series season because of health issues.
Michael Waltrip Racing announced Monday that Vickers will miss the start of the 2015 season while he recovers from surgery last weekend to repair a hole in his heart. It’s the second time Vickers has had surgery to repair the hole, which first was diagnosed during 2010 when he developed blood clots in his left lung and leg.
“Late last week I knew something wasn’t right, so I went to the hospital to be checked out. Following several tests, it was discovered that my body was rejecting an artificial patch that was inserted in 2010 to fix a hole in my heart,” Vickers said in a statement. “Saturday, I had to have corrective surgery to repair the hole and now I am beginning the recovery process.”
No timetable was put on Vickers’ return and MWR did not immediately name a replacement for the No. 55 Toyota team.
Sources confirmed to the Observer that team co-owner Michael Waltrip is not likely to serve as a substitute. Waltrip, 51, ran four Cup races this season.
In 58 starts in the No. 55, Vickers has eight top-five and 19 top-10 finishes. He won the July 2013 race at New Hampshire, and he won the pole in October at Talladega, Ala. He has 316 starts in the series.
“Brian has been a part of the MWR family since 2012 and our thoughts today are with Brian, his wife, Sarah, and the Vickers family,” said MWR co-owner Rob Kauffman. “As this is fresh news, we will adjust our future plans as more information becomes available.”
A third of the way through the 2010 season, Vickers was forced out of his seat at Red Bull Racing for the remainder of the year after developing blood clots.
Vickers returned to racing in 2011 but at the end of the year, Red Bull Racing closed its doors and he was left without a full-time Cup ride.
He ran partial Cup schedules in 2012 and 2013 with MWR but in October 2013 Vickers again was sidelined when he was diagnosed with a blood clot in his right calf.
Vickers, 31, returned to racing full time this season with the No. 55 team. He finished 22nd in the standings and failed to advance to the Chase.
Under the new Chase format, Vickers still could compete for the 2015 championship if he wins one of the first 26 points races as long as he receives a medical waiver from NASCAR.
This story was originally published December 15, 2014 at 5:56 PM with the headline "NASCAR driver Brian Vickers has heart surgery, will miss start of 2015 season."