What's wrong with Brian Vickers? Hospitalized with undisclosed problems

  Brian Vickers, hospitalized suddenly, and will miss Sunday's Dover 400 (Photo: Toyota Motorsports)
  

   By Mike Mulhern
   mikemulhern.net

   DOVER, Del.
   Scratch Brian Vickers from this year's NASCAR championship chase.
   Or at least that's the way it looks at the moment.
   Vickers, who has been off to a good start this season, just ran into some unexplained medical issues that will sideline him for a while.
   Casey Mears will be in Vickers' car here this weekend for Sunday's Dover 400, and Vickers apparently won't even be able to start the car for points. And that would likely take him out of the Sprint Cup points race this season.
   Vickers, who was scheduled "for a tour of Congress" Thursday and then a visit to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington to talk with injured veterans, was hospitalized suddenly Wednesday evening for undisclosed "testing and further evaluation" of a "recent diagnosis of a medical condition," according to the team.
   Vickers, 26, issued a brief statement Thursday: "It is unfortunate that I will not be able to participate in the Dover race.
    "Casey is a good friend of mine, and I know he will do his best for the No. 83 team this weekend."
    The surprising development will be addressed Friday at the track by team GM Jay Frye, who said "Our main concern right now is with Brian and his health and recovery.
    "All things are looking good at the moment; this is just a minor setback.
    "We appreciate Casey filling in this weekend and know he will represent the team well."
     The team declined further comment.
     Vickers, in his seventh season on the Cup tour, is currently 20th in the standings, but a driver, according to NASCAR rules, must physically start his car and take the green on the track in order to get credit for that car's finish. He qualified third and finished 10th in Saturday's Southern 500 at Darlington, S.C.
     There was no immediate answer to questions about Vickers and next week's All-Star race in Charlotte.
     Vickers is an avid Facebook fan but has apparently been unable to file any comments on that website.