Hamlin Skipping Daytona Nationwide Race

by NSSN Staff

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. – Denny Hamlin will skip Friday’s NASCAR Nationwide Series race at Daytona Int’l Speedway because of a sore back.

Hamlin, who was scheduled to drive the No. 18 Toyota, will be replaced by Joey Logano during Friday’s event. Clint Bowyer will now drive the No. 20 Toyota that Logano was originally scheduled to drive during Friday’s event.

“My hope was to run the Nationwide Series race Friday night, but I woke up with a sore back earlier this week and feel it’s in the best interest of the team to sit it out,” said Hamlin. “Luckily it’s nothing serious and the extra rest will help me on Saturday night.”

Logano won the summer Daytona Nationwide Series event in 2011 and also won at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway earlier this year.

Bowyer has 13 career Nationwide Series starts at Daytona with one win, eight top-five and 10 top-ten finishes. He has won a total of eight Nationwide Series races over the course of his career. This will be his first start for JGR.

“We’re looking forward to working with Clint and appreciate his willingness to step behind the wheel for us on such short notice,” said J.D. Gibbs, president of Joe Gibbs Racing. “Denny will be fine, but we just felt it was in his best interest to rest his back and not have him have to practice or race in Nationwide this weekend.”

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Posted by NSSN Staff on Jul 5 2012 Filed under Latest Headlines, NASCAR, Nationwide. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.