Retired four-time Sprint Cup champion Jeff Gordon would return to the driver’s seat next week at Indianapolis Motor Speedway if Dale Earnhardt Jr.is unable to drive, Hendrick Motorsports said Friday.
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Gordon thought he was finished, walking away at the end of last season and one final championship run from one of NASCAR’s all-time great careers: 93 wins, four series championships and more than $150 million in winnings.
Jeff Gordon (left) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. talk in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Goody’s Headache Relief Shot 500 Powered by Kroger at Martinsville Speedway on October 26, 2013. Earnhardt was involved in a 22-car wreck in Daytona earlier this month but said last weekend that he was feeling fine and thought the problem was allergies.
Hendrick Motorsports announced that Alex Bowman would be in Earnhardt’s No. 88 as a substitute driver this weekend at New Hampshire, and will update their plans next week regarding the July 24th “Brickyard 400” at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
In preparation for New Hampshire, Alex Bowman will be making his Cup Series start of the season, replacing Earnhardt Jr.in the Hendrick No. 88 Chevrolet.
“If Dale is not able to go to Indianapolis, we will put Jeff Gordon in the auto”, said Hendrick Motorsports General Manager Doug Duchardt. Duchardt would not speculate on if Gordon would stay in the vehicle if Earnhardt remains sidelined for more races.
Gordon tweeted he was in France this weekend, which him ruled him out for a potential return at New Hampshire. “I’m looking forward to treatment with the goal of getting back in the race vehicle when the doctors say I’m ready”. Earnhardt Jr. also missed two race in the 2012 season after sustaining two concussions in a stretch of six weeks. 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. I saw a family doctor and was given medication for allergies and a sinus infection. After further evaluation, it was decided Earnhardt had to sit.
Earnhardt later took to Twitter to thank everyone for their support: “I appreciate everyone’s support and prayers and will miss my team terribly this weekend”. This marks the third race he will sit out in his career. I commend him for taking action and going to the doctors. I think with his past…
NASCAR mandated in 2013 for drivers to submit a baseline neurocognitive assessment.
Earnhardt’s health issues also bring an important opportunity to Bowman, who drives a limited NASCAR XFINITY Series schedule for JR Motorsports.
He said sign up for brain donation on the Legacy’s website spiked following Earnhardt’s announcement in April. It’s not certain when he might return to racing.
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“The most important thing in this whole process is for Dale to get better and feel better”, Duchardt said, “and we’re going to let that happen on the timeline it’s going to happen on”.
