“It’s sad to see that he’s not going to be able to get back in the vehicle in 2016 because, as a race-car driver, that’s where you want to be”, said Elliott Sadler, who drives for Earnhardt in the Xfinity Series. Involved in an ugly wreck in the Daytona 500, Waltrip says he suffered a rough concussion and to this day is unable to remember anything about the following two races at Richmond and Rockingham.
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Learning that Dale Jr. still faces several more months of therapy, many wonder why it’s taking so long when football players many times return to the field within two weeks. He wants to be back in a race vehicle like no other. My ability to communicated and drive the vehicle and get everything out of it, I feel very confident. He has had regular evaluations done at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Sports Medicine Concussion Program to determine his progress, according to NASCAR.com. “I haven’t put a lot of thought in the future until I get well”.
Earnhardt’s symptoms of headaches and nausea, while serious, seem minor to the brain injuries that Hall of Famer Darrell Waltrip says he endured during the beginning of the 1983 season. “If my doctor says I’m physically able to continue, that’s an easier decision for me to take”.
Earnhardt has already missed six races and will now skip the remaining 12 events as he recovers. “I enjoy it. My heart is there to continue”.
“When we first went to see Mickey I anticipated the experience to be similar to what I had in the past”, Earnhardt said, referring to 2012 when he missed a few races due to concussion problems. “He’s feeling better. He can tolerate a lot more”. Gordon will drive in four more races, including tomorrow’s Bojangles Southern 500, with Bowman finishing the year with eight more starts.
Joey Logano said he understands how hard this choice was to make for Earnhardt.
“To me that is the number one goal is to get Dale feeling as normal as a human being”, Dr. Micky Collins said Sunday at Darlington.
“Micky told me I would one day be well and that I would win races again and he was right”, Earnhardt said.
In a statement released Friday, team owner Rick Hendrick said, “I know how hard Dale has worked and how frustrating this is for him”.
“She even does the exercises that I’m doing just to be healthy herself”, Earnhardt commented. Our second goal is Dale becoming a race auto driver again. Earnhardt has done rehabilitation activities and had hoped that he would be cleared to return to racing this season.
“I’m only 41. I think I have some good years left”, he said. In Earnhardt’s absence, four-time Cup Series champion Gordon, 45, filled in at Indianapolis, Pocono, Watkins Glen and Bristol.
As Collins put it, the first step in Earnhardt’s rehabilitation involved specific therapies created to quell his various concussion symptoms. It’s nearly impossible to prepare for, and I can tell you, I’ve had my challenges.
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Although I miss driving and competing and know I can’t match the value it brought to my life, I’ve discovered a whole new appreciation for the things I do have.
