Matt Tifft, a part-time driver in NASCAR's Xfinity Series, needs surgery to remove a tumor in his brain, Joe Gibbs Racing announced Tuesday.
The tumor, classified as a slow-growing low-grade glioma, was discovered when Tifft was receiving treatment for a back injury. It forced him to sit out the Xfinity race at Iowa on June 19. He will remain out indefinitely.
Tifft, 20, said he expects to make a full recovery and hopes to return to racing once he's cleared by doctors.
David Ragan is scheduled to take Tifft’s place in the No. 18 car at Daytona on Friday night.