Hamlin felt nauseous and suffered double vision after the race
Denny Hamlin picked up light damage during the 400-mile race at Dover International Speedway. That damage allowed carbon monoxide to seep into the cockpit of his race car.
Early in the race, Hamlin was confused about the handling of his machine.
“One half loose,” Denny Hamlin stated on the radio early after his car washed up the race track. “These are real numbers. These are not bullshit.”
Hamlin started 8th and dropped outside the top-20 before the competition caution on lap 40.
The Joe Gibbs Racing driver had a flat right rear tire later in the race. Hamlin missed pit lane under green while trying to cross traffic with a flat tire. He then spun on the apron to bring out the caution.
Hamlin made it to pit road where the crew changed the right rear tire. However, when the tire came apart, it also tore out some crush panels which are designed to filter fumes from reaching the interior of the car.
The right rear is especially crucial for this. The engine exhaust dumps out on the right side of the race car just in front of the right rear wheel.
As Hamlin climbed from his car, he was met by the medical staff. An oxygen mask was handed to the driver as he leaned against the drivers side door.
Denny Hamlin on the sickness at Dover International Speedway
“We knocked the right rear crush panel out, which is kind of the worst possible case scenario for carbon monoxide,” Hamlin said Tuesday on a call with Pocono Raceway media.
“I had some pretty high levels and felt nauseous and had double vision and whatnot. That kind of hampered the end of the race for us but certainly wasn’t a deciding factor in whether we raced good or bad.”
“Just a tough break in general. That’s one of the more physically grueling race tracks we go to anyway. Then when you do something like that, you knock crush panels out, it’s going to make it even worse.”
Denny Hamlin finished 21st at Dover.
The #11 driver is all better now. He’ll be ready to go this weekend at Kansas Speedway.
More
Dover Race Results: May 6, 2019
Kyle Busch talks heat stroke and carbon monoxide poisoning following Charlotte (October 2018)
