NASCAR: Brian Vickers glad to look ahead to racing again after heart surgery

By Jan 27, 2015, 10:59 AM EST
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On his way to a December photo shoot for sponsor Aaron’s, Michael Waltrip Racing driver Brian Vickers noticed something wasn’t right with himself.

It’s a feeling that he’s known all too often during his Sprint Cup career. Vickers has had to contend with multiple health issues, including blood clots in 2010 (left leg, lungs) and again in 2013 (right calf).

But what he endured over this off-season was the scariest experience he’s ever had. Doctors discovered that Vickers’ body was rejecting an artificial patch that had been placed over a hole in his heart in 2010.

“One thing led to another, and the doctors cut me open to make some repairs,” Vickers recalled today in Charlotte during the NASCAR Media Tour about the surgery he received to repair the hole.

“It was a pretty traumatic event obviously, going through that. It was definitely the worst of all the medical issues I’ve had to face.”

Thankfully, Vickers made it through. Now, he’s preparing for his return to competition in March at Las Vegas Motor Speedway after having received medical clearance and also maintaining his Chase eligibility.

For the first two races of the year, boss Michael Waltrip (Daytona 500) and team test driver Brett Moffitt (Atlanta) will drive his No. 55 Toyota Camry.

Today, Vickers looked back on his recovery process, which he said was “painful” and “extreme.” But it wasn’t all somber, as he joked that doctors had actually taken his old heart out and replaced it with a “lion heart” (‘It’s way stronger, way better,’ Vickers said.).

Vickers also recalled his first post-surgery trip out to MWR for its annual Christmas party, where he had to take a flight of stairs up to reach the party on the shop’s second floor. The kicker was that Waltrip had forgotten about the other way to reach the second floor: An elevator.

“It took me 15 minutes to catch my breath, and when we were leaving, [Waltrip] was like, ‘You wanna take the elevator?,'” Vickers said. “I’m like, ‘We could have done that on the way up!'”

Eventually, Vickers got the go-ahead from doctors to start resuming physical activity. He’s now able to do many exercises except those involving his chest since he says his sternum is still growing back together.

As for getting medical clearance to race again, he admitted that he wasn’t expecting it so soon in his recovery. But he’s certainly quite happy about it.

“I think it took all of us, including myself, by surprise when I went back for my last checkup and everything looked great and ahead of schedule, and [the doctors] said, ‘You’ll be clear for Vegas,'” Vickers said. “I said, ‘Are you sure? Shouldn’t we make this for Phoenix or [Auto Club Speedway]?’ ‘Nah, nah, you’re good.'”

“It wasn’t like I was pushing them to get in the car early. I really, really wanted to make sure. As everyone kind of insisted, health comes first and in this decision-making process, it very much did.

“But that’s when they felt very comfortable with me being back in that race car and I can tell you – I can’t be more excited at being back in that race car.”

After New York whirlwind, Josef Newgarden makes special trip to simulator before Detroit

By Jun 2, 2023, 10:00 AM EDT
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DETROIT – There’s no rest for the weary as an Indy 500 winner, but Josef Newgarden discovered there are plenty of extra laps.

The reigning Indy 500 champion added an extra trip Wednesday night back to Concord, N.C., for one last session on the GM Racing simulator before Sunday’s Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix.

After a 30-year run on the Belle Isle course, the race has been moved to a nine-turn, 1.7-mile layout downtown, so two extra hours on the simulator were worth it for Newgarden.

INDYCAR IN DETROIT: Entry list, schedule, TV info for this weekend

JOSEF’S FAMILY TIES: Newgarden wins Indy 500 with wisdom of father, wife

“I really wanted to do it,” he told NBC Sports at a Thursday media luncheon. “If there’s any time that the sim is most useful, it’s in this situation when no one has ever been on a track, and we’re able to simulate it as best as we can. We want to get some seat time.

“It’s extra important coming off the Indy 500 because you’ve been out of rhythm for a road or street course-type environment, so I really wanted some laps. I was really appreciative to Chevy. There was a few guys that just came in and stayed late for me so I could get those laps before coming up here. I don’t know if it’s going to make a difference, but I feel like it’s going to help for me.”

After a whirlwind tour of New York for two days, Newgarden arrived at the simulator (which is at the GM Racing Technical Center adjacent to Hendrick Motorsports) in time for a two hour session that started at 6 p.m. Wednesday. He stayed overnight in Charlotte and then was up for an early commercial flight to Detroit, where he had more media obligations.

Newgarden joked that if he had a jet, he would have made a quick stop in Nashville, Tennessee, but a few more days away from home (where he has yet to return in weeks) is a worthy tradeoff for winning the Greatest Spectacle in Racing – though the nonstop interviews can take a toll.

“It’s the hardest part of the gig for me is all this fanfare and celebration,” Newgarden said. “I love doing it because I’m so passionate about the Indy 500 and that racetrack and what that race represents. I feel honored to be able to speak about it. It’s been really natural and easy for me to enjoy it because I’ve been there for so many years.

“Speaking about this win has been almost the easiest job I’ve ever had for postrace celebrations. But it’s still for me a lot of work. I get worn out pretty easily. I’m very introverted. So to do this for three days straight, it’s been a lot.”

Though he is terrified of heights, touring the top of the Empire State Building for the first time was a major highlight (and produced the tour’s most viral moment).

“I was scared to get to the very top level,” Newgarden said. “That thing was swaying. No one else thought it was swaying. I’m pretty sure it was. I really impressed by the facility. I’d never seen it before. It’s one of those bucket list things. If you go to New York, it’s really special to do that. So to be there with the wreath and the whole setup, it just felt like an honor to be in that moment.”

Now the attention shifts to Detroit and an inaugural circuit that’s expected to be challenging. Along with a Jefferson Avenue straightaway that’s 0.9 miles long, the track has several low-speed corners and a “split” pit lane (teams will stop on both sides of a rectangular area) with a narrow exit that blends just before a 90-degree lefthand turn into Turn 1.

Newgarden thinks the track is most similar to the Music City Grand Prix in Nashville.

“It’s really hard to predict with this stuff until we actually run,” he said. “Maybe we go super smooth and have no issues. Typically when you have a new event, you’re going to have some teething issues. That’s understandable. We’ve always got to massage the event to get it where we want it, but this team has worked pretty hard. They’ve tried to get feedback constantly on what are we doing right, what do we need to look out for. They’ve done a ton of grinding to make sure this surface is in as good of shape as possible.

“There’s been no expense spared, but you can’t foresee everything. I have no idea how it’s going to race. I think typically when you look at a circuit that seems simple on paper, people tend to think it’s not going to be an exciting race, or challenging. I find the opposite always happens when we think that way. Watch it be the most exciting, chaotic, entertaining race.

Newgarden won the last two pole positions at Belle Isle’s 2.35-mile layout and hopes to continue the momentum while avoiding any post-Brickyard letdown.

“I love this is an opportunity for us to get something right quicker than anyone else,” he said. “A new track is always exciting from that standpoint. I feel I’m in a different spot. I’m pretty run down. I’m really trying to refocus and gain some energy back for tomorrow. Which I’ll have time to today, which is great.

“I don’t want that Indy 500 hangover. People always talk about it. They’ve always observed it. That doesn’t mean we have to win this weekend, but I’d like to leave here feeling like we had a really complete event, did a good job and had a solid finish leading into the summer. I want to win everywhere I go, but if we come out of here with a solid result and no mistakes, then probably everyone will be happy with it.”