NASCAR News and Update: Earnhardt out for the Next 2 Weeks, Chances of Winning the Sprint Cup Getting Slimmer
Four-time Sprint Cup champion Dale Earnhardt Jr. is out for additional two weeks following an earlier absence due to concussions. The NASCAR driver missed Indianapolis and Pocono races due to balance and sight issues which ultimately traced back to be resulting from concussions, a total of three-race absence to date including New Hampshire event in July.
Jeff Gordon came out of retirement as replacement for the Watkins Glen this weekend and Bristol Motor Speedway race on August 20. Another racer, Alex Bowman also replaced Earnhardt last July 17.
Meanwhile, Earnhardt clarified that he suspects the problem rooting from a wreck in Michigan during the Sprint Cup early in June. The symptoms surfaced early in July and and the doctors advised that several tests should be made back then when the cause was still unknown.
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"Obviously with my history of concussions, know the event I had in Michigan, that wreck right there is where they believe I picked up this issue," Earnhardt said. "I didn't feel anything that next week. We had an off week, I went to Germany, raced in Somona and felt great, ran good, felt awesome. It was strange to me why these symptoms came out of nowhere."
Earnhardt also admitted that he was really scared because he never experienced balance issues before and symptoms from his previous injuries usually show up immediately. He added that further evaluation was made last Tuesday at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center and the doctors said that three weeks is a short time with his concussion symptoms, although there is no reason to worry since they are treatable.
Meanwhile, NASCAR fans are getting up to date information about Earnhardt's condition since the driver is constantly posting on his social media accounts about his health developments. Earnhardt recently assured that he is trying to get out as much as he can based on the doctors' recommendation.
"He said go and live your life and don't shy away from things because you think it's going to make you feel bad. Go there and if it makes you feel bad, that's fine. Go there, but just don't make yourself sick," Earnhardt stressed.
Meanwhile, the Sprint Cup Series has a week's lay low after concluding The Glen. The regular season is also wrapping up for races at Bristol, Michigan, Darlington and Richmond prior a push to the 10-race Chase for the Sprint Cup.
Earnhardt is currently 56 points behind the presumed Chase cutoff, so the only passport for him to be eligible for the championship is to come back and win a race before the Chase.
