CONCORD, N.C.—While Dale Earnhardt Jr. earned praise for his forthright handling of a concussion after Sunday’s race at Talladega, Jeff Gordon, Earnhardt’s teammate at Hendrick Motorsports, said he may not have taken the same path.
Earnhardt sought medical attention for his second concussion in six weeks after failing to do so for the first concussion, sustained Aug. 29 in an accident during testing at Kansas Speedway. Prominent neurologist Dr. Jerry Petty diagnosed the issue this week and opted to hold Earnhardt out at least the next two races, at Charlotte and Kansas.
Earnhardt, who qualified for the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup for the second straight season, starts his enforced hiatus 11th in the standings, 51 points behind leader Brad Keselowski.
Realistically, Earnhardt would have been a long shot for the championship. If he were closer to the lead, would he have been as forthcoming with his condition?
Gordon said that, personally, he wouldn’t seek medical attention with the title on the line.
“Honestly, I hate to say this, but no, I wouldn’t,” Gordon admitted. “That’s why I say we all play a part in this. If I have a thought at the championship, there’s two races to go, my head is hurting, and I just came through a wreck, and I am feeling signs of it, but I’m still leading the points, or second in the points, I’m not going to say anything.
“I’m sorry. You know, that’s the competitor in me, and probably many other guys. And, that’s to a fault. That’s not the way it should be. It’s something that most of us, I think, would do. I think that’s what gets a lot of us in trouble.”
Greg is the author of "The Nuts and Bolts of NASCAR: The Definitive Viewers' Guide to Big-Time Stock Car Auto Racing" and has been published in major publications across the country including the Los Angeles Times, the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a contributor to Chicken Soup for the NASCAR Soul, published in 2010, and the Christmas edition in 2016. He wrote as the NASCAR, Formula 1, Auto Reviews and National Veterans Affairs Examiner for Examiner.com and has appeared on Fox News. He holds a BS degree in communications, a Masters degree in psychology and is currently a PhD candidate majoring in psychology. He is currently the weekend Motorsports Editor for Autoweek.
- NASCAR to debut new short track package at Phoenix - February 28, 2023
- The Wrench Who Stole Racing - December 16, 2022
- Matt DiBenedetto’s excellent run comes to abrupt, violent end - February 17, 2019
