Expect competition ramifications with Dale Earnhardt Jr. missing races

If Earnhardt is not cleared to race this weekend, Jeff Gordon will drive the No. 88 Chevrolet at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Earnhardt confirmed during April that he will donate his brain for medical research into concussion effects. Gordon is on vacation in France this week and was not immediately available for comment.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. made the decision to see a doctor, which he knew could affect whether he races again this year – or ever. Gordon grew up in nearby Pittsboro, Ind.

Hendrick said when he first asked Gordon about driving, he thought he was joking.

NBC Sports Network NASCAR analyst Jeff Burton said it’s important to change the culture of auto racing in regard to concussions. There is no timetable on when NASCAR’s most popular driver might return.

Duchardt refused to speculate on the possibility of Gordon staying in the No. 88 vehicle indefinitely if Earnhardt remains sidelined.

“He and I talked about years beyond next year”, Hendrick said. We just make mistake after mistake, and until we clean that up we don’t have a chance to win races, putting ourselves in a hole every time we make a mistake.

“As far as Jeff Gordon’s situation, certainly he’s a four-time champion with 93 wins”.

He had a tire go down on lap 272 and hit the wall, severely damaging his vehicle and ending any hopes of ending the race with a good finish and eventually a 26th place.

“When Dale is ready, that’s his vehicle to get back into”, he said.

If Gordon runs at Indy, would he be the victory threat he was throughout his career at one of his favorite tracks? “But it’s not easy to be away from the sport and jump back in the saddle.

I’m looking forward to treatment with the goal of getting back in the race vehicle when the doctors say I’m ready”. “I’m sure he’ll do whatever he has to do”.

Driver Ryan Newman said Gordon would not face any significant issues racing after an eight-month layoff.

After it looked like Bowman was going to have a strong finish in a one-off race as a replacement driver, his day took a dramatic turn for the worst with 29 laps to go after he abruptly hit the wall. This marks the third race he will sit out in his 17-year career. However, it’d be fun if we let him keep commentating the race, too. Bowman, 23, was fitted for the seat that night.

“Anything I can do to help others”, Earnhardt said at the time.

The release went on to quote Junior as saying he wasn’t feeling great headed into Kentucky, but thought it was allergies. When medication for allergies and a sinus infection failed, Earnhardt dug deeper and met with a neurological specialist. While retirement talk for the 41-year-old Earnhardt might be premature, his history of concussions could accelerate the process on when he decides to hang up the helmet. “They can give me a lot of exercises to retrain my brain to handle what I need to handle”.

“There’s never been that clarity from NASCAR or from the doctors on what they think is allowed to get back in the race vehicle and what isn’t”, Busch said. He doesn’t want to let the team down. “I’m just so appreciative of the opportunity to be here”. Earnhardt has raced for Hendrick since 2008 and his contract expires in 2017.

Earnhardt did take the ImPACT test. Making the right decision was out of the question, I made the decision I had to make.

NASCAR also mandated in 2013 that drivers submit to baseline neurocognitive assessment.

Dashed championship hopes would still be the case for any driver injured during NASCAR’s 10-race playoffs, but the sanctioning body has made it easier for drivers to admit they are hurt. He was not cleared to drive Thursday in a follow-up appointment with a neurologist.