JGR driver ready to race at Dover after Charlotte setbacks
DOVER, Del. — Bouncing back from last week’s health scare, Denny Hamlin comes to Dover International Speedway healthy for Sunday’s FedEx 400 benefiting Autism Speaks (1 p.m. ET, FOX Sports 1, MRN, SiriusXM).
The No. 11 Joe Gibbs Racing driver suffered from an intense migraine and nausea last week at Charlotte Motor Speedway, which were suspected to have been brought on by dehydration. On Friday, Hamlin revealed what actually could have been the cause.
“We had an exhaust leak in our car,” Hamlin said at Dover. “We found a hole in our header and exhaust system that was leaking into our car, and that didn’t help at all either. We also had run the XFINITY race the day before, and we’re not doing that this week.
“I felt like I kept up with my fluids pretty well last week, but obviously it wasn’t enough. Obviously, the conditions of the car didn’t make things very easy for me. The headache had nothing to do with the dehydration. The migraine that I suffered I felt like was from the exhaust inside the car.”
Hamlin was taken to the infield care center when he finished last week’s Coca-Cola 600 and later popped into the media center during Carl Edwards‘ victory press conference.
“My off day was 36 holes of golf and a full tennis match,” Hamlin said after the race last Sunday. “Probably overdid it a little bit. I think the dehydration led to a migraine and I just felt nauseous the last 100 laps or so.”
Hamlin won the Coors Light Pole Award at the “Monster Mile” and was the second fastest (163.532 mph) during the Sprint Cup Series opening practice session on Friday. This is the third Dover pole award for the Toyota driver, who is winless in 18 Cup starts at the 1-mile track.