Blood Clots Sideline Vickers For Another Three Months

After returning at Las Vegas, Brian Vickers is forced out of racing again
due to blood clots (Google Images)

For the third time since 2010, Brian Vickers will be forced out of his race car due to small blood clots in his lungs. He had initially missed the first two races of the year due to this same health issue and had returned to the seat of his No. 55 Toyota two weeks ago, running the events in Las Vegas and Phoenix. It looked as if he worst was over and Vickers would be able to finish the year and try to contend for wins and a spot in the Chase.

But just days before this weeks Auto Club 400 in California, Michael Waltrip Racing announced Vickers would be sidelined for the event due to clots. The three-time Cup Series winner experienced chest pains when taking deep breathes on a flight to Los Angeles on Thursday. After seeing a doctor later that day, it was found that Vickers had several small blood clots in his lungs, meaning he was unable to race in Sunday's event. Up and comer Brett Moffitt was named as his replacement and no plans for the team were announced beyond the Fontana weekend.

However, Sunday morning brought some news that no one wanted to hear. Vickers announced on Fox's pre race show that he would be on Xarelto, a blood thinning medication that has sponsored the driver the last two seasons, for the next three months. Vickers was asked Sunday if he felt this could lead to the end of his career, Vickers told NBC Sports, "Am I worried? Yes. Have I given up hope? No. Whatever happens I couldn't have been more happier to be in [the No. 55] car the past two weeks. By no means have I given up. I don't know what's next. I know I'm going to be on blood thinners for three months and after that I'm going to do all I can to get back in the race car."



Vickers celebrates his most recent Sprint Cup win at New Hampshire
in 2013. Hopefully it isn't his last (Google Images)

Vickers first had issues with clots in 2010 when he drove the No. 83 Toyota for Red Bull Racing. Before the spring event at Dover, he was found to have clots in his legs and lungs and because of this issue, he missed the remainder of the season. Vickers had surgery to place a patch over a hole in his heart that was believed to be the cause of the issue. But prior to this season, it was found that Vickers body was rejecting the patch and he had to go under the knife again to replace it. This resulted in his missing the Daytona 500 and the following week's event at Atlanta. He race the last two weeks in Las Vegas and Phoenix until being sidelined again for the same issue this weekend.

The issue here isn't so much Vickers racing with clots, as it is with him racing while on the medication he requires. Auto racing can, at times, be a contact sport. So if he was to be involved in an accident that gave him so much as a paper cut while on blood thinners, the results could be fatal.

Provided Vickers is out for three months and is then medically cleared to return, that would mean the soonest he would be back would be any of the June races at Pocono, Michigan or Sonoma. Clearly this is the best case scenario and, if he cannot return before that here's hoping it doesn't take any longer than that for Vickers to return to the seat of his No. 55 Camry.

Race fans are a passionate bunch and most have drivers they love and drivers they hate. But Brian Vickers never really seems to fall into that latter category much. He's a talented driver who hasn't really had many good opportunities since leaving Hendrick Motorsports after 2006. And coupled with his recent health problems, he hasn't had a lot of chances to prove that he's a top tier driver. But love him or hate him, the great thing about NASCAR nation is that it's also a family. And Vickers will no doubt have the support of everyone in the garage and everyone in the grandstands as well as he continues his long and daunting road to returning to perfect health, as well as to racing.

Let's all hope he returns to both sooner than later.