After a three-year absence, Davey Hamilton Jr. had hoped to make a run for the 2022 Stadium Super Trucks championship. However, those plans have been abandoned when he discovered he had reaggravated a T4 spinal fracture in the season-opening Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach, an injury he sustained in a 2017 King of the Wing sprint car crash at Irwindale Speedway.
“I really did not want to have to do this post but as the next race is nearing, I have to explain why I will not be racing Stadium Super Trucks any further,” begins a statement by Hamilton.
“This is super sad and unfortunate as we were expecting to run the entire season. But I have to do what’s best for my future. In 2017 I encountered a fracture in my t4 due to a major sprintcar wreck. Although it healed, the first stadium super truck race this year in Long Beach I ended up re breaking my t4 again in the same spot and after multiple doctor appointments and working with the medical team for Indycar, it has been decided that I can no longer take huge compression forces in my spine like that otherwise I am risking career ending injuries. I have a lot of plans in my racing career and it’s important to not jeopardize them.”
Hamilton ran ten races between 2017 and 2018 while also focusing on pavement sprint cars and dirt track racing. He took a hiatus to address personal troubles over the next three years before restarting his career in sprint cars in late 2021. He eventually signed with SST to run the full 2022 schedule.
At Long Beach, his first SST starts since the 2018 season finale in Mexico City, saw him finish eighth in both races. He livestreamed each event from an onboard camera. After the opener, sponsor Go Fast Take Chances increased its commitment to cover his entire SST season.
With the exit meaning he will not run this weekend’s SST round at Mid-Ohio, he is focusing on King of the Wing at Colorado National Speedway. He won the King of the Wing championship, a series started by his father and former SST drier Davey Hamilton Sr., in 2016. At the following year’ KOTW race in Irwindale, he was battling for third when he wrecked and suffered multiple injuries including a concussion, broken ribs, and the since-reaggravated spinal fracture.
“I will miss being a part of the series and I have enjoyed it so much over the years,” continues his post. “I got to travel the world and experience some really amazing things. I want to give a huge thank you to Robby (Gordon) and everyone at SST for all they have done for me. I want to say thank you to all the great people I got to meet and drive for. Always Evolving gave me a chance to get me in my first Stadium Super Truck and I am forever thankful for them. I got to represent some amazing brands such as Speed Energy, VP racing Fuels, AE, Dahl Tug and Barge, ReplayXD, Al Russell, HomeSmiles, GoFastTakeChances, Thin Energy, Ron Burkhardt Art, Fritz In Fishers, CMTS Logistics, and so many more that have been a part of my SST moments.
“My stadium super truck races will be replaced but it’s still being finalized. In the meantime this weekends race in Ohio is going to be replaced with 2 Winged Sprintcar races in Denver, CO!
“Thank you for the memories, opportunities, and support!”