Matt Tifft, driver of the #36 Front Row Motorsports Ford in the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series was transported from Martinsville Speedway to a local hosptial Friday morning, prior to the first Cup Series practice.
According to RACER.com, NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series driver Matt Crafton will substitute in the #36 until Tifft is able to return to the car.
Tifft was taken by stretcher from the #36 team's hauler to the Martinsville Speedway infield care center about half an hour before practice. He was then transported to a local hospital. The nature and severity of his condition is unknown.
Tifft missed part of the 2016 race season when he had a part-time deal with Joe Gibbs in the NASCAR Xfinity Series because of brain surgery to remove a tumor. He returned to the race car late in the season.
Crafton already was at Martinsville Speedway for a Truck Series race there Saturday. He subbed for Paul Menard in the #21 Wood Brothers Ford in the Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway earlier this month. But since Menard started the race in the car, Menard was credited as the official driver for the race. Crafton has one official Cup Series race to his credit — the 2015 Daytona 500 as a substitute for the injured Kyle Busch,.
“I’ll do all I can do to help them out in any way I possibly can,” Crafton said, as quoted in a NASCAR.com article.
“I hate it for Matt and every one of these guys. I was literally just getting around this morning, and I got a phone call. I didn’t know if it was one of the telemarketers. I was like, ‘do I even answer this?’ I answered and it was [crew chief Donnie] Wingo asking, ‘can you come practice our car here in like 30, 45 minutes?’ I’m like, ‘Uh, yeah, sure!’”
