NASCAR: McDowell misses Charlotte practice with kidney stone

CONCORD, N.C. (AP) — Michael McDowell missed the only Cup practice at Charlotte Motor Speedway Friday because he was taken to the hospital to be treated for a kidney stone.

He passed the stone and quickly returned to the track for qualifying.

“I’m feeling much better than I was this morning,” McDowell said. “I just woke up this morning with a lot of abdominal pain and side pain. Not sure what was going on. I just thought, ‘Ahh, you know, I’ll just fight through it.’ As the morning went on, it was clearly evident it was not something I was going to fight through.”

He ended up going to the infield care center “in a lot of pain” and vomiting. Austin Cindric practiced in the No. 34 for Front Row Motorsports after McDowell left the track.

“I wouldn’t wish that on anybody,” said McDowell, who qualified 22nd. “It was rough but now I feel pretty good.”

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