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INDIANAPOLIS — Dale Earnhardt Jr. will certainly not race again this month as a result of concussion-enjoy symptoms and the No. 88 Automobile will certainly be turned over to trusted former teammate Jeff Gordon for the next two weeks.
Hendrick Motorsports announced Wednesday that Earnhardt has actually not yet been cleared to drive by doctors and will certainly miss out on Sunday’s Brickyard 400 also as next weekend’s race at Pocono. NASCAR’s most popular driver has actually been battling balance complications and nausea due to the fact that a July 2 crash at Daytona.
Earnhardt pulled themselves from the Automobile last weekend in Brand-new Hampshire and was replaced by Alex Bowman. After yet another medical evaluation Tuesday in Pittsburgh, doctors told Earnhardt to take much more time off.
“Our focus is giving Dale every one of the time he must recover,” group owner Rick Hendrick said. “There’s zero we want much more compared to to see him or her spine in the race car, yet we’ll go on to listen to the doctors and follow their lead. What’s ideal for Dale is what’s ideal for Hendrick Motorsports and everyone involved along with the team. We’re every one of proud of him or her and looking forward to having him or her racing soon.”
While retirement talk for the 41-year-old Earnhardt may be premature, his history of concussions is clearly a concern. He had two in a six-week span in 2012 and missed two races. The current symptoms surfaced after a mid-June crash at Michigan Worldwide Speedway and the wreck at Daytona. Earnhardt said he felt gradually worse, believing it was allergies at first. A neurological specialist later confirmed Earnhardt had sustained a head injury.
“I’ve strained along with my balance over the last four or 5 days, and I certainly wouldn’t have actually been able to drive a race Automobile this weekend,” Earnhardt told followers in a recording gained Sunday night. “I gained the decision I had to make.”
A group spokeswoman said Earnhardt will certainly not take questions this week or next and that Gordon is not expected to speak publicly until Friday in Indy.
The relocate comes at a time that Hendrick’s powerhouse group has actually been from sync. Its drivers have actually been shut from the top three finishing spots in four consecutive races. Hendrick is now turning to Gordon, the four-time NASCAR champ that retired at the end of last season. He’s a five-time winner at the Brickyard, which has actually strained along with slow ticket sales in the lead up to Sunday’s race at a monitor that is merely a short drive away from his childhood residence in Pittsboro, Indiana.
Gordon has actually not competed due to the fact that retiring after the 2015 season finale.
Brickyard organizers had billed last year’s race as Gordon’s “last ride” on his residence track. They were wrong.
The 44-year-old Gordon will certainly grab yet another opportunity to become the very first driver to reach triumph lane 6 times at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He likewise counts a tape-record 6 wins at Pocono among his 93 occupation Mug victories, every one of along with Hendrick’s team.
“Jeff’s a group player,” Hendrick said. “I understand he’ll be ready, and I understand Dale has actually outstanding trust in him. It’s going to be an emotional weekend (at Indianapolis) along with Dale not being there and seeing Jeff spine behind the wheel. (Crew chief) Greg (Ives) and the group did a wonderful task at Brand-new Hampshire, and they have actually the full support of our organization.”
Gordon actions in to Earnhardt’s No. 88 Chevrolet at a time once Axalta, a longtime primary sponsor of Gordon’s, is scheduled to sponsor four of the next 5 races for Earnhardt. He will certainly be racing versus his even more familiar No. 24 car, which Hunt Elliott drives.
“That will certainly be a truly weird feeling since the only Automobile he ever drove was the 24,” Fox Sports commentator and three-time Mug champ Darrell Waltrip said Wednesday. “To climb in yet another Automobile and compete versus your old Automobile — I can’t imagine Exactly what that ought to feel like, yet it’s probably one of those surreal, out-of-physique experiences.”
Not having Earnhardt in Sunday’s starting lineup likewise will certainly be odd. The North Carolina resident has actually started every Brickyard due to the fact that 2000.
But even devoid of one of NASCAR’s top drivers, Indiana followers will certainly have actually two storied drivers to watch — Gordon’s comeback and Exactly what is supposed to be Tony Stewart’s grand finale on his residence track. Stewart, a three-time Mug champ and two-time Brickyard winner, plans to retire at the end of this season.
“We wish the circumstances were different, yet we’re thrilled anytime we see Jeff Gordon on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway oval and understand our followers will certainly like seeing him or her race again,” speedway president Doug Boles said. “Between Jeff making a return visit and Tony Stewart making his last Brickyard start, this will certainly be a legendary weekend for Hoosier race followers at IMS!”