“I spent four months rehabilitating and the process was tedious, exhausting, repetitive, repetitively redundant”, Craven said. My ability to communicate and drive the auto and get everything out of it, I feel very confident. “We got well and I had some of the greatest years and some of the greatest experiences of my career shortly after that”.
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“My heart is there to continue”. Earnhardt continues to recover from a concussion his doctors believe was sustained in a crash at Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn in June.
Earnhardt missed two races during the 2012 season after suffering two concussions over a six-week period.
“It wasn’t that long ago that Tony Stewart said, ‘you know, I don’t really like this anymore, I’m ready to retire and I have found some other things in my life that I really enjoy, ‘” Craven said. “I definitely don’t belong in a race auto today”.
“They’re disappointed that Dale is not going to be in the vehicle, but they also know what is best”, Ives said.
Earnhardt Jr. said he hopes to be well enough to competed at Daytona in February. He is now being treated at the the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Sports Medicine Concussion Program.
With no on-track activity occurring on Friday at Darlington Raceway, the site of this weekend’s Southern 500, due to the impending hurricane, the biggest news came from outside the race track.
Collins spoke in stark terms about Earnhardt’s condition. (Collins) says do that more, push yourself (outside the home) and you’ll see those symptoms start to fade in those environments that are upsetting you. I’m very confident that we are moving in the right direction in that respect.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. speaks to the media in a press conference during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway on July 8, 2016 in Sparta, Kentucky. It’s a different set of skills than any of us have. “He was having problems with the vestibular [sensory] system, with the ocular system and with some anxiety and mood issues that is very much associated with these problems”.
“But we’ve run so well the last few weeks”.
“I’ve talked with NASCAR, and they are completely comfortable with allowing us to go somewhere for a day”. “Anytime I leave the house I lose about 20 percent, if I’m rating myself on a scale of 1 to 100”.
Losing Earnhardt from the November field is a setback for TMS, of course, but Gossage feels the race will do just fine.
“I wish I could return to the No. 88 team this season”, Earnhardt said, in the release. I struggled later in my career with night races. I’ve been concerned. I’ve been surprised how hard he’s worked. “The seat is his”.
Remember, soon-to-be-former ally Stewart-Haas Racing will turn full-time rival at Ford beginning next season. The hit gave Earnhardt, 41, a concussion, his third in the past five seasons. On one side of the rope, you have the fierce competitor who is used to doing what he wants to do and being in control. Shortly after Earnhardt’s 2002 concussion, the sport said doctors at every track’s infield care center could mandate that drivers have CT scans or MRIs if there was the possibility of a concussion. If you couldn’t then you were gonna at least run a lap then get someone in the vehicle so you could get the points.
“I go to Target or somewhere and I have symptoms and I might stumble across the aisle or something or need a bit more sidewalk than the normal guy but I got to put myself through those situations to sort of correct itself”.
Still, the thought of NASCAR without Earnhardt has crossed Gossage’s mind.
Earnhardt Jr. remained both upbeat and forthright about what he’s gone through, his recovery regimen and desire to return as a full-time Sprint Cup Series driver in 2017.
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“It was among the worst times in my life because I didn’t know if I would ever race again and I didn’t know if I would ever be 100 percent, and I wasn’t having any fun while everyone else was, including my race team and whoever was driving my auto”.
