By Sarah Handy, Staff Writer
Front Row Motorsports announced Tuesday morning that Matt Tifft will miss the remainder of the 2019 season after suffering a medical condition at Martinsville Speedway this past Saturday.
In a video posted to his Twitter account on Tuesday, Tifft stated he suffered a seizure this past weekend that kept him out of the First Data 500.
https://twitter.com/matt_tifft/status/1189166604577320961
In the video, Tifft said he felt fine Saturday morning and was making his morning coffee before the rookie meeting and then said “I felt my tongue cramp up. Next thing I knew, I blacked out and my crew guys helped me down. Next thing I knew, I woke up in the ambulance there getting transported to a local hospital. I was actually out of the race because I suffered a seizure.”
Tifft will continue to consult with his own doctor’s and work with NASCAR to be able to return to NASCAR’s premiere series as soon as possible.
Tifft, who had surgery in July of 2016 to remove a low-grade brain tumor, indicated on Tuesday that tests with a CT Scan and a MRI on Monday showed there was nothing there as far as his brain tumor.
Following successful surgery, the Virginia-native returned to NASCAR competition in September of 2016 where he competed in the Truck Series American Ethanol E15 225 at Chicagoland Speedway, being credited with a 12th place finish.
This past January, Tifft announced his recovery had been going so well that he wouldn’t have to undergo what would have been a follow up brain scan for at least a year.
After the events of Saturday morning, Front Row Motorsports announced that NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series regular Matt Crafton would sub for Tifft in the First Data 500. Crafton went on to finish the event in the 25th position.
Read More: Crafton subs for Tifft https://kickinthetires.net/crafton-subs-for-tifft/
With that said, Front Row Motorsports has announced that 22-year old John Hunter Nemechek will be Tifft’s replacement for the final three races of the season in the No. 36 Ford Mustang.
Nemechek will make his Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series debut this weekend in the AAA Texas 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.
“This isn’t the way any driver wants to make their Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series debut,” said Nemechek in a team press release. “I am hoping that Matt feels better and can get back in his car as soon as possible. That is what is important. Hopefully I can learn a lot and make Matt, the Front Row Motorsports team and its partners proud.”
“We want to thank John Hunter for filling in Matt’s seat as he continues to recover,” said Jerry Freeze, General Manager, Front Row Motorsports. “Our thoughts are still with Matt and his family. We feel that John Hunter can step up and do a great job for us as Matt heals.”
Tifft has one Top-10 finish in 32 starts this season with that being a ninth-place finish in the Coke Zero Sugar 400 at Daytona International Speedway in July.
“I will be missing the rest of the 2019 season, I want to wish Front Row Motorsports and the whole 36 team the best of luck the rest of the year,” said Tifft.
God be with you. Get well.