Denny Hamlin and Chase Elliott Dispel NASCAR Fears After Recent Update

Two winningest teams in NASCAR and their respective star drivers could have missed the start of the upcoming season due to shoulder injuries. But thankfully, both of them are all set for The Clash at The Coliseum. The two drivers being Hendrick Motorsports’ Chase Elliott and Joe Gibbs Racing’s Denny Hamlin.

According to reports, Hamlin explained that his shoulder rehabilitation was going well, and he does not intend to have a backup driver for the Clash. Similarly, Elliott, whose shoulder surgery was less extensive, also confirmed that he is prepared for the exhibition race.

Caught up with Denny Hamlin at FOX production days and he says his shoulder rehab is progressing so he doesn’t plan to have a backup driver for the Clash. Chase Elliott, whose shoulder surgery wasn’t as intensive, also said he is good for the Clash.

— Bob Pockrass (@bobpockrass) January 18, 2024

Speaking about his recovery earlier in December, Hamlin said, “Right now, they just touch it a little bit here and there, and they say physical therapy is done for the day. So, I’m a long, long way from where I need to be.”

Adding, “I thought I was gonna have a three, four-week recovery like I did before and I came out knowing that I had a ton of damage that needed to be fixed. So, I think it will change my offseason a little bit.”

Meanwhile, Elliott’s 2023 season suffered from a series of missed races caused by a snowboarding injury. To make things worse, he missed the playoffs last year for the first time since 2016. And during the offseason, the 2020 Cup champion admitted, “I had a little procedure on my shoulder.”

“I had an old injury that I needed to get tended to and obviously the offseason is a much better time to do that than my last surgery.” Needless to say, his fans were anxious that misfortune would haunt the Dawsonville native this year as well.

Fortunately, that’s not the case for either of the two stars.

Why do NASCAR drivers often suffer from shoulder injuries?

While it might seem to a few that the NASCAR drivers do nothing but sit and drive, actually a lot goes into wheeling a car that weighs over 3000 pounds for multiple hours straight. And when winning is the need of the hour, the fury is just uncontrollable.

Constantly holding on to the steering wheel of a stock car under high G-force loads pays a serious toll on the wrist, arms, neck, and, most importantly, the shoulders of a driver. And that is while the car runs smoothly. What could happen to a driver’s shoulder if he runs into the wall probably doesn’t need any further explanation.

From time to time, the NASCAR world has witnessed veteran drivers receiving injuries from racing that took away their entire careers and sometimes even their lives. Nevertheless, it is perhaps this lurking danger, backed by the element of thrill that makes the motorsport enthusiasts so obsessed with NASCAR.