Four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon, who retired after last season and has been working for Fox Sports as a commentator on racing broadcasts, may be back in the driver’s seat soon – but his fate depends on what happens with Dale Earnhardt Jr.
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Earnhardt is being replaced by Alex Bowman for Sunday’s New Hampshire 301 at New Hampshire Motor Speedway in Loudon, N.H. Earnhardt experienced concussion-like symptoms following crashes at MI on June 12 and Daytona on July 2. In addition to updating Earnhardt’s current status, they stated that Gordon will sub for Earnhardt if he is unable to race the following week at the Brickyard.
Gordon has not raced since last season’s finale at Homestead, wrapping up a career that included 93 career Cup victories and series championships in 1995, 1997, 1998 and 2001. However, Gordon should prove to be a more than capable fill-in if Earnhardt can’t go at Indianapolis.
Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports, said he was glad Earnhardt admitted he was experiencing problems and sought medical attention. The New Hampshire race will be the third he has missed in his 17-year career.
On Thursday, HMS officials announced that Earnhardt had not been cleared by doctors to compete this weekend, and that Alex Bowman would replace Earnhardt in the team’s No. 88 Chevrolet. During that examination, it was determined he’d suffered two concussions in six weeks and was sidelined for two weeks of healing. “He’s been around the sport all this year and the beginning part of the season, and he has seen the races and has commentated on the races and he hasn’t missed much, so I’m sure he’d be ready to go right out of the box”.
“Alex came in Tuesday night to get fitted for the vehicle”, Duchardt said. He drives part time in the second-tier Xfinity Series for Earnhardt’s JR Motorsports team. He informed the team Tuesday he wasn’t feeling well and they should consider having a driver ready to spell him should he need help this weekend.
Earnhardt told his team last weekend at Kentucky Speedway he wasn’t feeling well – he thought he had severe allergies – and finished 13th. “(Thursday) around noon is when I found out that Dale could not be in the auto for this weekend, based on their suggestion”. For them to say he needed to sit out a week or two may be what’s best for him. “I tried a little too hard to begin with and made some moves and mistakes that I hadn’t made in a long time”.
Doctors declined to clear him to race after evaluating him in Charlotte this week. I saw a family doctor and was given medicine for allergies and a sinus infection.
He said sign up for brain donation on the Legacy’s website spiked following Earnhardt’s announcement in April.
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Before the 2014 season, NASCAR, in part because of concussion issues, instituted neurocognitive tests for all drivers in its three national series.
