A week ago, the NASCAR world was stunned when Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced that he was sitting out racing at New Hampshire because he was suffering from concussion-like symptoms.
Advertisement
Gordon, who spent the first 16 races of the season as a commentator for NASCAR on FOX, will drive a Sprint Cup vehicle for the first time since the season-finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway last fall, a race he finished sixth in and cemented a third-place finish in the standings.
“Our focus is giving Dale all the time he needs to recover”, said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports, in a statement issued by the team.
“Dale is special to me, take the driving part away”, Hendrick said. He’s competed in 23 Sprint Cup Series seasons.
Jeff Gordon is coming back to NASCAR, but not in the No. 24 vehicle. The team said he was evaluated Tuesday by doctors in Pittsburgh but he was not cleared to drive. This weekend, he will drive the No. 88 Axalta Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. He told his Dirty Mo Radio podcast network Monday the symptoms include struggling with his balance and nausea. “I made the decision I had to make”.
Gordon, now an analyst for Fox Sports, finished first in NASCAR’s premier series in 1995, 1997, 1998 and 2001.
Gordon also is the winningest driver at Pocono with six career victories at that track. “I just want him to feel good when he gets back in the vehicle”.
Alex Bowman drove the 88 at New Hampshire and was running in the top 10 when a tire problem sent him backwards.
Team officials did not offer a timeline for Earnhardt’s return. Earnhardt said he felt steadily worse, believing it was allergies at first.
Earnhardt, 41, was scheduled to participate in Sunday’s race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway and again the following Sunday at Pocono.
Hendrick says Gordon will likely remain in the vehicle should Earnhardt need an extended absence. Auto owner Rick HENDRICK has said that Dale Jr will not travel to Indy on Pocono due to his injuries. “I always do that, so I am going to take this slow and follow the advice of my doctors”.
In addition to spending additional time with his wife and two young children, what Gordon also sought was the chance to pursue other racing ventures. But now that Earnhardt Jr. can’t go at Sunday’s Brickyard 400, it won’t be Bowman behind the wheel of the No. 88 Chevy.
“That’s going to be really cool. if we get to race Jeff one more time”, Stewart said Sunday.
Advertisement
“I’ve struggled with my balance over the last four or five days, and I definitely wouldn’t have been able to drive a race vehicle [at New Hampshire]”, Earnhardt said during his “The Dale Jr”. Earnhardt hasn’t won a race yet this season and is 15th in the points standings.
