Michael Annett Out An Indefinite Amount of Time With Sternum Injury

Photo Credit: Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR

By: Toby Christie – Follow on Twitter @Tobalical

Had it not been for the wildly spectacular crash on the final lap of the Drive4COPD 300 at Daytona that left 28 fans to seek medical treatment, we likely all would have been talking about the huge lick Michael Annett took just a few laps earlier.

On lap 115 Annett was sent head-on into the wall at tremendous impact. He was sent to Halifax Medical Center for further evalutation. He was then held over night. Tuesday Richard Petty Motorsports elaborated further on Annett’s injuries.

According to the team press release Annett suffered a fracture to his sternum and he also dislocated his sternum as well. He will undergo surgery for his injuries immediately in Charlotte. The release would go on to say that Annett “will not be able to compete for an indefinite amount of time as he heals from the surgery.”

This will seemingly wipe away any chance that Annett — who finished fifth in the 2012 final point standings — had at the 2013 NASCAR Nationwide Series crown. Aric Almirola will step into the No. 43 car in the Nationwide Series for Phoenix, no word on plans for the team after that, or when exactly Annett should be back.

Luckily Annett — outside of the injuries to his sternum — is still okay. That was a scary angle that he hit the wall at Daytona, and the fact that he is awaiting a return to the racetrack is a testament to how safe these racecars are these days.

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