NASCAR: Vickers tipped to be Stewart replacement

The Associated Press and FOX Sports both are reporting that Brian Vickers will be named to drive the No. 14 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevy Sprint Cup entry for all Speedweeks events at Daytona.

SHR announced on Wednesday that it would reveal the identity of its replacement for co-owner/driver Tony Stewart, who has been sidelined by a back injury, at a press conference Friday at Daytona.

Vickers, 32, competed in just two races last year for Michael Waltrip Racing before a reoccurrence of the health issues that have dogged him since 2010, which have included blood clots and heart problems. Vickers said at that time that a return of his blood clots issues had required him to take a blood-thinning medication and he would not be able to continue racing during that treatment. According to the AP, SHR is waiting for NASCAR to clear Vickers to return to racing.

The 2003 Busch (now Xfinity) Series champion, Vickers has three career Sprint Cup wins, the last coming at Loudon in 2013.

Stewart suffered a fractured vertebra that required surgery while riding an ATV in the California desert. No timetable has been established for his return to his final season of Cup competition.