Brian Vickers Suffering from Recurring Blood Clots: Latest Details, Comments

NASCAR driver Brian Vickers will be out of action for at least the next three months while undergoing treatment for a recurrence of blood clots that have plagued him multiple times in the past.       

Vickers' team from Michael Waltrip Racing announced he would be unable to drive the No. 55 car, per Dustin Long of NBC Sports' NASCAR Talk. Brett Moffitt, who raced for Vickers weeks ago at Atlanta, will drive in his place for now.

Vickers issued a statement, via Long's report:

"

Thankfully, because I recognized the signs and symptoms, the doctors caught this early and I’m going to be OK. I had finished my treatment for the clot I had in my leg back in 2013, and I haven’t needed to be on a blood thinner for a clot in my leg or lung since. Now I won’t be able to race because I’ll need to be back on a blood thinner. I’m going to follow doctor’s orders and do everything I need to do to get well.

"

Michael Waltrip said Vickers' symptoms returned Thursday night, per Jeff Gluck of USA Today:

On Sunday, Bob Pockrass of ESPN provided a quote from Vickers, along with additional details on his status:

"Vickers will be back on blood thinning medication for 'at least three months' and then figure out what's next," Gluck noted.    

Vickers has a long history with blood clots, starting in 2010, when he was forced to the sideline after 11 races to undergo treatment. He returned to full-time racing in 2011 and finished 25th in the points race, and he moved to Waltrip's team in 2012. 

The issue resurfaced late in 2013, forcing him to miss the season's final five races. Vickers sat out the 2015 season's first two races after undergoing surgery around his heart to "repair a patch covering a hole in his heart," per a statement from his team (via NASCAR.com).

Given the long list of blood-clot issues Vickers has experienced, especially at the age of 31, taking time away is a positive step. He hopefully has a long career ahead of him and can get the treatment needed to avoid having this problem return.