Brian Vickers strode into the media center on Friday at Charlotte Motor Speedway and asked a rhetorical question. "How y'all doing?"
Then he answered it himself with yet another sarcastic and ironic query.
"Probably better than me, right?"
Speaking with the media for the first time since being diagnosed with blood clots that developed in both lungs and in his left leg, Vickers then revealed that he will miss the remainder of the 2010 Sprint Cup season while attempting to recuperate. Vickers, who had been the full-time driver of the No. 83 Toyota for Red Bull Racing, already missed last Sunday's Autism Speaks 400 at Dover International Speedway because of his condition.
He vowed to race again, but said that he has been advised by his physician, Dr. Steven Limentani, to sit out a minimum of six months.
"This sucks -- because this is what I love to do. This is my life, this is what I love to do. I fully intend to be able to do it again."
Limentani announced that Vickers is on a variety of blood thinners -- lovenox, heparin and Coumadin -- that make racing impossible at this time and for the foreseeable future.
"It is not advisable for him to race while he's on blood thinners,".
Both Vickers and Limentani said that it is too soon to say what caused the blood clots and that they refused to speculate on the matter. Noticeably sipping on occasion from a can of Red Bull, the energy drink that sponsors Vickers' race team, Limentani denied that excessive use of that product could have had anything to do with the driver's problem.
"I drink lots of water, too. So maybe that's what caused it," Vickers said sarcastically.
Vickers recounted how he first began experiencing chest pains while visiting in Washington, D.C., last week.
"I had chest pains at night. I had a hard time breathing. Being young, being 26 years old and a race-car driver who thought I was invincible, I brushed it off and went back to sleep."
however, the next day while he was sight-seeing with a friend, the pains returned with more ferocity. At the urging of his friend, Vickers said he subsequently placed a phone call to Dr. Jerry Petty -- a physician who frequently examines NASCAR-related employees. Petty immediately urged Vickers to get to the nearest hospital emergency room.
"I thought it was overkill. 'Just do this for me. Just get a CT scan,'. When they did the scan, they found blood clots in both lungs and my left leg."
Vickers was placed on blood thinners, his condition appeared to stabilize, and he was cleared to fly back to Charlotte, N.C., before being released from the Washington hospital on Friday.
The next day, he said he was "relaxing and just taking it easy" when the pains returned. He then visited the emergency room at Carolinas Medical Center in Charlotte and was admitted to that hospital.
"I've been good ever since. I don't have all the answers. I will tell you the answers I do have -- but there are still a lot of questions.
Among the most pressing questions is what caused the blood clots in a seemingly vibrant and healthy 26-year-old race-car driver who has always loved living life on the edge.
"We don't know yet. Anything is possible," Vickers said.
Moving forward, Vickers said he has plans to spend some time with his race team throughout the remainder of the season. From the pit box to the spotter's stand, Vickers expressed an interest in learning more about his team's responsibilities surrounding the race car, explaining that he believes the experience and knowledge gained will make him a better driver when he makes his return. Moreover he expressed his strong desire to return in racing for the 2011 Daytona 500 race.
"I plan to be doing this for a long time coming," Vickers said. "I'm going to take advantage of this time [off]....I do expect to be back in the car next season, and to win the Daytona 500".
Jay Frye, Red Bull Racing general manager and vice president, said it remains to be determined whether or not Casey Mears will drive the No. 83 for the remainder of the season. Still, he added that he doesn't anticipate another change in drivers at this point in time.
