Earnhardt will sit out this weekend at New Hampshire Motor Speedway because he shows symptoms of a concussion. He hoped to have NASCAR’s most popular driver back in the auto next week at the Brickyard.
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Alex Bowman replaced Earnhardt at New Hampshire and finished 26th.
“He said, ‘I’ll be in Indy”.
“I’m very hopeful and he’s very hopeful”. He doesn’t want to let the team down. I’m hopeful and encouraged that Dale will be fine – we just have to give him a little time to rest.
The team said it has not made contingency plans beyond Indianapolis, but Hendrick said Sunday Gordon probably would drive in future races if he’s needed.
“I’m proud of Dale for standing up”, Hendrick said. It’s really unnecessary, but it really does make me feel good, I have to be honest. I think the doctors want to err on the side of being sure.
If Earnhardt is not cleared to race this coming weekend, Jeff Gordon will drive the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. If he can not race this weekend at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Jeff Gordon already has been tapped to be his replacement.
“I asked him what he was doing next week”.
I am an organ donor so it wouldnt bother me to do that, but its something Ive not taken steps in and have not discussed at all, he said.
Duchardt could not say if Earnhardt actually had a concussion and declined to speculate on just how long NASCAR’s most popular driver could be out of action.
Gordon told Hendrick he had to be kidding. I just have to thank Mr. H (Rick Hendrick). So, Hendrick Motorsports announced today that if Earnhardt isn’t medically cleared in time to drive at IMS, Gordon will be his stand-in there. The 400, which Gordon has won a record five times, is one of the season’s spotlighted races. His best results this year are second-place finishes at Atlanta, Bristol (Tenn.), Texas and Pocono (Pa.), so he still is in good shape to qualify for the season-ending Chase.
Gordon won four championships driving for Hendrick Motorsports. When a driver in NASCAR can’t return his damaged auto to the garage, a trip to the care center is required, and under a new three-step process a driver showing any indication of a head injury must go immediately to a hospital. He was given medicine for allergies and a possible sinus infection, and when those didn’t provide relief from his symptoms, Earnhardt consulted with a neurologist. “Myresults matched my baseline, which made me feel confident that my brain was pretty sharp”.
He missed two races in 2012 when it was determined he had suffered two concussions in six weeks. Earnhardt was involved in a 22-car wreck in Daytona this month and also wrecked last month at Michigan International Speedway. With only eight races left until the start of the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup, Junior is getting dangerously close to missing the championship field.
Hendrick said he hasn’t yet thought about applying for one. Theyre young, theyre hungry, but when they get in a wreck and get a concussion, they know if they dont get back in the vehicle, someone else is going to take it. Dixon (56 laps led) dominated up to that point.
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Adreian Payne, the 2014 No. 15 pick, had a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds for Minnesota. Elizabeth Williams had nine points and 12 rebounds as Atlanta outrebounded the Sparks 42-34. Jeff is a team player.
