Hamlin not racing in Richmond

Denny Hamlin won’t be racing in Saturday night’s Sprint Cup Series race in Richmond, VA.

Hamlin, who suffered an L1 compression fracture in a crash back in March at Auto Club Speedway, underwent tests this week to evaluate whether or not he would be able to race at his home track.

“Unfortunately I won’t be racing this weekend at Richmond,” Hamlin posted on Twitter Wednesday evening.

“It kills me to not be in the car for my team and sponsors but after long discussions with the doctors we have decided to wait on my return back to racing.”

Hamlin has missed three races since his March 24 injury, dropping him twenty-sixth in the Sprint Cup championship standings.

This past weekend in Kansas, Hamlin stated that his chances of returning to race the full 400 laps at Richmond were “fifty-fifty”.

Hamlin said his goal is to start the May 5 race at Talladega Superspeedway and to be replaced by a substitute driver after the first caution.

However, he has yet to be cleared to even do that.

Brian Vickers, who has piloted Hamlin’s No.11 Toyota at Texas and Kansas, will race in place of Hamlin Saturday night.

Vickers last raced at Richmond International Raceway in September, 2011 where he finished thirty-third driving for the now-defunct Red Bull Racing.