Despite the new levels of safety found in the Nationwide Series 'Car of Tomorrow,' NASCAR is, and always will be, a dangerous sport.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced that he will be opting out of the next two races at Charlotte and Kansas to tend two concussions he sustained in the past six weeks. Unfortunately, throwing away the next two races mean that NASCAR's most popular driving is throwing away his chances to win this year's championship as well.
Earnhardt Jr.'s first concussion occurred from a heavy crash into the wall after the front right tire failed during a Goodyear tire test in Kansas on August 29. Then, a second concussion followed when Jr.'s #88 Chevy was caught smack in the middle of a catastrophic 25-car "Big One" on Sunday's infamous Talladega oval.
While "restrictor-plate" venues like Daytona and Talladega are staples on the NASCAR calendar, the inherent risks of high-speed pack racing has caused Earnhardt to call the races "bloodthirsty" and announce that he no longer has any desire to compete at Daytona or Talladega again.
Amid the aftermath from the violent wreck, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was still capable of driving his car away from the accident and even picked up his teammate Jimmie Johnson for a ride back to the garage. Earnhardt Jr. showed no signs of injury and was not required to visit the care center for an examination.
Finally, Earnhardt Jr. was entered for examination in Charlotte on the Wednesday after the crash due to lingering effects from Talladega.
Speaking out at the Charlotte Motor Speedway this morning, Earnhardt Jr. said, "I knew having those two concussions back to back was not a good thing. I knew to go see someone whether I wanted to get out of the car or not."
Earnhardt Jr. also adds, "I feel perfectly fine, but I don't want to keep getting hit in the head."
Dr. Jerry Petty is a neurosurgeon that provides consults with NASCAR and is also responsible for personally treating Earnhardt Jr. Regarding, Earnhardt Jr.'s current condition, Petty said that Dale had been honest about his symptoms over the last six weeks and MRI scans have all returned with normal results and no signs of damage.
"He had no amnesia after either incident, which is very important," said Dr. Petty. "We'll want to give him four, five days without a headache and then they'll try to invoke a headache to see how he reacts before clearing him to race."
Sitting out from the next two races, Earnhardt Jr. effectively ends a long 461 streak of consecutive starts, the fifth longest active streak for the Sprint Cup Series. Despite Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s long career, the son of a racing legend hasn't enjoyed a very successful one. Just this June, Jr. finally ended his 143-race losing streak that dated all the way back to 2008 when he finally won the Quicken Loans 400 at the Michigan International Speedway.
Motorsports, like any sport, is equal parts skill, courage, and luck. While Dale Earnhardt Jr. certainly possesses the first two, it's a shame that the third remains elusive. We look forward to Earnhardt Jr.'s recovery and return.
Relive the incredible last lap 25-car crash of the Sam Goods 500 at Talladega in the video below:
[Source: ESPN]
