Posted on by Staff Report

NASCAR driver Clint Bowyer and his wife, Lorra, welcomed their second child into the world, keeping a musical theme in their choice of baby names.


Bowyer tweeted Friday the arrival of daughter Presley Elizabeth, indicating that “everyone is good” after the delivery.

The selection of Presley — spelled identically to the last name of rock ‘n’ roll icon Elvis Presley — pairs nicely with the handle given to Bowyers’ son, named Cash Aaron and born Oct. 1, 2014. That calling card happens to pluck Johnny Cash’s last name with Elvis Presley’s middle name.


The 37-year-old driver had announced that the couple was expecting back in June, jokingly lamenting that he was about to lose “our grasp on male dominance w/in the Bowyer household.”


Bowyer wrapped up his lone season with HScott Motorsports in 2016. He’ll drive the Stewart-Haas Racing No. 14 Chevrolet next season, succeeding the retiring Tony Stewart.

Posted on by Staff Report

BK Racing will have a significant overhaul to its driver lineup for 2017 with announcements on consecutive days that primary drivers David Ragan and Matt DiBenedetto would not return to the team next season.

DiBenedetto, touting the promise of an exciting announcement in the future, announced Thursday night on Twitter that he would not return to the Charlotte-based team. Ragan’s departure was the next bit of news, with the Ron Devine-owned organization confirming that transition Friday afternoon.

 

 

In two years with the organization, DiBenedetto logged 68 starts with one top-10 finish. That finish, in April 2016 at Bristol, was a sixth-place result — he finished one spot ahead of 2014 champion Kevin Harvick — and resulted in an emotional, memorable on-air interview.

 

“I can only say so much at this time,” DiBenedetto said Thursday night on SiriusXM Radio. “I’ve been in talks with BK, and no hard feelings. I’m appreciative of everything they’ve given me. … Just kind of evaluating the team situation for next year. From my end there’s a little too much unknown, so I just had to make that decision. I’m excited about what the future has to hold here still, and obviously everyone will have to stay tuned.”

 

Devine confirmed DiBenedetto’s parting through a statement released later Thursday evening.

 

“Our 33rd- and 34th-place finishes this year did not produce the results we were hoping to achieve,” Devine said. “I am, however, very proud of Matt DiBenedetto and his many accomplishments over the past two years. He is a wonderful driver and a special person. I am confident that Matt will go on to be a very successful NASCAR driver, and I believe it is the right time to release him so that he can pursue other opportunities.

 

“Myself and everyone at BK Racing wishes Matt all the best in his future endeavors. I am looking forward to much success for both Matt and BK Racing.”

 

Devine struck a similar tone in his statement on Ragan’s release, hinting at measures to better its results next season.

 

“BK Racing has agreed not to renew David Ragan‘s contract for next year,” Devine said. “Everyone wishes David the best of luck in his career. BK Racing will continue to restructure as an ongoing effort to improve our on-track performance … and we will be announcing our 2017 driver lineup in the near future.”

 

DiBenedetto and Ragan were the primary drivers for BK Racing in 2016, but the organization also fielded Toyotas in spot duty for Jeffrey Earnhardt, Ryan Ellis, Dylan Lupton, Robert Richardson Jr., and Michael Waltrip. The team has been full time in NASCAR’s premier series since 2012, when it debuted as a two-car outfit with drivers Landon Cassill and Travis Kvapil.

 

Ragan, 31, has two victories in NASCAR’s top division since he began full-time competition in 2007. He won at Daytona International Speedway driving for Roush Fenway Racing in July 2011 and handed Front Row Motorsports its first victory at Talladega Superspeedway in May 2013.

Ragan finished 33rd in the final standings in his only season for BK Racing. His most recent top-10 finish was in March 2015 in a fill-in role for the injured Kyle Busch in Joe Gibbs Racing‘s No. 18 Toyota.

 

DiBenedetto missed one race in 2016, at Texas Motor Speedway in November, after not being medically cleared following a wreck in the NASCAR XFINITY Series the day prior. He was cleared from concussion protocol in time for the next race. DiBenedetto, 25, also has 68 career starts in the XFINITY Series.

 

Posted on by Zack Albert

RELATED: Dale Jr. set for Daytona return in 2017 | Format set for The Clash

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is set to resume his NASCAR career at Daytona International Speedway in February, but one week later than he potentially could. It’s a move borne of deference and appreciation for the driver who admirably filled in last season during his recovery from a neurological ailment.

 

Both Earnhardt and substitute driver Alex Bowman meet eligibility requirements for The Clash, a non-points exhibition race scheduled Feb. 18 (8 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio) at the 2.5-mile Florida track. But Hendrick Motorsports announced Thursday that Bowman would drive the team’s No. 88 Chevrolet in the invitational, a week before the season-opening Daytona 500.

 

Earnhardt had heard rumblings about rules for the Clash format and field as last season drew to a close. His hunch that 2016 pole winners would make up the majority of the starting lineup was correct.

 

The Clash rules were still up in the air when Bowman — who ran 10 of the 18 races Earnhardt missed in the second half of last season — claimed the first Coors Light Pole Award of his career in November at Phoenix International Raceway. After watching the qualifying results play out on pit road, Earnhardt’s first words to Hendrick general manager Doug Duchardt were that Bowman should keep the driver’s seat for the Daytona preliminary.

“For whatever reason that was just my initial gut reaction and it feels important to me that that’s owed to Alex,” Earnhardt said on a conference call Friday, one day after NASCAR issued medical clearance for him to return to competition. “He deserves it. It is a bit of a tip of the cap to not only his pole win and how well he did at Phoenix, but how he stepped in and did a great job every week for our guys. That is not an easy job to do.”



Earnhardt had his own eligibility in the Clash by virtue of his 2008 victory in the event, then billed as the Budweiser Shootout and most recently known as the Sprint Unlimited. That preparatory win kicked off his first season with Hendrick Motorsports.



Earnhardt said he couldn’t remember the last time he had won a pole position in NASCAR’s top series. A deeper dig into the stat books shows it came in September 2013 at Dover International Speedway.



The 42-year-old Earnhardt had been sidelined from NASCAR competition since July. Under close supervision, he drove a race car for the first time since his head injury diagnosis, turning laps Wednesday at Darlington Raceway.



Bowman, 23, has no announced driving plans for next season. Aside from serving as a substitute in the No. 88, Bowman ran nine races for Earnhardt-owned JR Motorsports in the NASCAR XFINITY Series and helped the Hendrick organization with simulator work.



But it was the performance and the bonds Bowman helped to forge as a NASCAR pinch-hitter that stood out to Earnhardt as he preps for a 2017 return.



“He helped maintain and improve the health and performance of the team in a critical time, so we can go into Daytona this year confident that we are going to be competitive and we are not behind the 8-ball or have any catching up to do,” Earnhardt said. “I’m excited for Alex to get that opportunity and I’m happy that it’s with Greg (Ives, crew chief) and the guys that he has worked with over the last several races.”

Posted on by Zack Albert

MOORESVILLE, N.C. — Anthony Kumpen came the farthest, making the hours-long plane ride from Europe. It was a return trip he has happily accepted.


Kumpen and six other champions from the NASCAR touring and regional series have congregated in the Charlotte, North Carolina, area this week for a celebration of their title-clinching seasons. The activities culminate in Saturday’s NASCAR Night of Champions Touring Awards at the Charlotte Convention Center.


Kumpen joins Justin Haley (K&N Pro Series East), Todd Gilliland (K&N West), Cayden Lapcevich (Pinty’s Series), Doug Coby (Whelen Modified Tour), Burt Myers (Whelen Southern Modified Tour) and Matt Bowling (NASCAR Whelen All-American Series national champ) among those honored at Saturday night’s gala. It’s the Belgian-born driver’s second visit in three years after capping off his second NASCAR Whelen Euro Series crown.


“It’s great to be back. It’s a fantastic event, a fantastic week,” Kumpen said. “We’re really proud as European drivers that we can be part of the NASCAR family. The championship is growing, we had a sold-out event in the UK at Brands Hatch, so it’s becoming big in Europe.”


Kumpen, 38, has already commemorated a special celebration of the championship in the Euro Series’ season finale with a VIP guest. Kumpen has a connection with four-time NASCAR premier series champion Jeff Gordon that goes beyond the No. 24 adorning his Chevrolet: He hails from the same hometown in Belgium as Gordon’s wife, Ingrid Vandebosch.


Kumpen was already on edge entering the season’s final weekend. Then came the e-mail popping into his inbox from Gordon, indicating that he’d be in attendance at the Zolder, Belgium, road course.


“So the stress level went a bit up,” he said with a laugh. “We asked him to become grand marshal of the race, which he did and which was fantastic for our championship.”


Kumpen said he was scheduled for a tour of the Hendrick Motorsports shop Friday with Gordon serving as his guide. But before the drivers don their formal wear for Saturday, the touring champions savored a rare opportunity to meet and interact, mixing it up in Thursday’s karting challenge at GoPro Motorplex.


“It’s been super-special so far. Just being in the same place as all these other champions is super cool to meet them,” Gilliland said. “I’ve heard their names and watched their races on TV, but I’ve never really met some of them. It’s been really cool to meet them in an area like this and to be out here at GoPro Motorplex racing with them is awesome.”


RELATED: Meet Gilliland, complete NASCAR Next class


Kumpen led the first half of a Media/Champions race then edged Haley by half a kart-length to prevail in the eighth annual Champions Karting Challenge. For the 17-year-old Haley, his participation in this week’s events was a year-long wait after watching William Byron precede him as K&N East champion last season.


“It’s really, really cool what NASCAR does for us,” Haley said. “I sat there last year and saw what William did on social media and how cool it was, so I thought it’d be a cool experience to come and do it myself.”

Posted on by Track Release

Daytona International Speedway announced today a multi-year partnership with University of Northwestern Ohio (UNOH) for the school to secure the naming rights of the Fanzone, the 211,636-square foot entertainment hub located in the infield of the “World Center of Racing.” UNOH, located in Lima, Ohio, invented the first high-performance motorsports degree program in the country, and in 2006, opened the largest U.S. facility dedicated to learning the science of high-performance vehicles – a seven-acre, 70,000-square foot high performance motorsports complex.

 

The UNOH Fanzone, which first opened in 2005 at the “World Center of Racing,” is located between the NASCAR premier series garages and NASCAR XFINITY Series garages and puts fans in the middle of the event action with fan forums, historic displays, autograph sessions, entertainment and merchandise as well as access to pre-race activities. Other amenities include the Fan Deck on top of the NASCAR premier series garages and garage viewing windows with autograph slots.

 

“We’re excited to continue to grow our relationship with the University of Northwestern Ohio,” Daytona International Speedway President Chip Wile said. “UNOH is widely recognized throughout the country for their motorsports degree program. We look forward to them engaging with our fans in the UNOH Fanzone, which delivers the most fan-friendly, hands-on experience in all of motorsports.”

 

“We are thrilled to expand our partnership with Daytona International Speedway and have another venue to share with motorsports fans the unique educational opportunity students can get at the University of Northwestern Ohio,” UNOH president, Dr. Jeffrey A. Jarvis said. “Students from all 50 states and 49 countries have attended the University and we have UNOH graduates working in all facets of motorsports from dirt-track teams all the way up through NASCAR to NHRA and beyond. The UNOH Fanzone experience will bring to life what our students experience in the classroom and shop every day.”

 

UNOH will also continue to serve as the Official Education Partner of Daytona International Speedway and have an on-site marketing presence at the facility including event signage, display space, tickets and hospitality. Financial terms were not disclosed.

 

In 1992, UNOH invented the first high-performance motorsports degree program in the country and has since been training students with the latest technology available in the industry. Students receive first-hand motorsports mechanical training from instructors who’ve spent years in the field.

 

Tickets for the 59th annual DAYTONA 500 and other Speedweeks events can be purchased online at www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com or by calling 1-800-PITSHOP. Fans can stay connected with Daytona International Speedway on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube and Snapchat (username: DISupdates), and by downloading Daytona International Speedway‘s mobile app, for the latest Speedway news throughout the season.

Posted on by Nascar

His car chief has departed and his over-the-wall crew is expected to have a slightly different look for the upcoming season. The rules package will be new and there’s another team in the Huntersville, North Carolina, to Denver, Colorado, pipeline.

But don’t expect Matt Kenseth, driver of the No. 20 Toyota for Joe Gibbs Racing in NASCAR’s premier series, to fret about the alterations to the racing landscape.

“Worry never gets anything fixed or makes anything better,” Kenseth said.

He has rolled with the changes in the past, during a lengthy 13-year career at Roush Fenway Racing and the previous four at JGR. Rule changes, personnel moves, team expansion and contraction, Kenseth has seen it all before, adapting as best he can while seldom falling out of contention.

“Nobody does a perfect job at this but I’ve gotten better through the years,” Kenseth said. “I focus pretty hard on not worrying about things that I can’t control because worrying never helps. Everybody worries to a certain extent. I try not to because it’s not productive.”

JGR added a fourth team in 2015, bringing Carl Edwards into the fold to join Kenseth and te ammates Denny Hamlin and Kyle Busch. A technical and engineering alliance with Furniture Row Racing was undertaken for 2016. That alliance has since expanded — Furniture Row will add a second team for 20-year-old Erik Jones to go along with that of driver Martin Truex Jr. for the 2017 season.

“We’ve definitely been expanding fast and there are definitely concerns that come with that,” Kenseth said. “But there are also benefits too. We learned a lot from Martin and Cole (Pearn, crew chief) this year.”

In the meantime, the clock is ticking. At 44 and with the future of one-time teammate Greg Biffle undetermined, Kenseth has inherited, temporarily at least, the title of the series’ oldest full-time competitor. His career starts mark of 614 is now tops among active drivers; his 38 wins rank 20th overall and he is tied for No. 2 among those currently competing. The 2017 season will be his 18th as a full-time racer at NASCAR’s top level.

He has finished as high as second on two occasions, in 2006 and ’13, but hasn’t made it to the final round under the current elimination-style format since its debut in ’14. It’s been more than a decade since Kenseth won NASCAR’s top prize and each season that passes represents another opportunity lost.

“I think after you win one you look at it like that,” he said. “But certainly as you get older you realize that ‘OK, one more passed by and there’s not as many (opportunities) in front of me.’

“When you’re 33 or whatever, you don’t really think like that. …”

The future might look a bit grim if Kenseth and his team, under the guidance of crew chief Jason Ratcliff, had been struggling. But that hasn’t been the case. Only three other drivers — Jimmie Johnson (20 wins), Kevin Harvick (16) and Joey Logano (15) have won more races since Kenseth packed his bags and headed to JGR in 2013. Kenseth and Busch are next in line with 14 victories each.

A new season will bring with it new opportunities. And change. Car chief Jeff Meendering has moved on to become crew chief for a new XFINITY Series team fielded by Stewart-Haas Racing. The race-day pit crew changes have yet to be determined. Aero package updates and other matters await.

Kenseth has seen it before.

“I think I’ve done a good job of keeping it in perspective,” he said. “There are a lot of things you can control. And a lot you just can’t.”


Posted on by Nascar

RELATED: Dale through the years | Recovery timeline
CAIN: Dale Jr.’s strong stand makes him, sport better


NASCAR premier series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. has received medical clearance to resume his racing career, Hendrick Motorsports announced Thursday.

Earnhardt, 42, was sidelined for the final 18 races of the 2016 season after suffering a concussion.

On Wednesday, he participated in an on-track testing session at Darlington Raceway under the supervision of Charlotte neurosurgeon Dr. Jerry Petty.

Earnhardt was cleared by Dr. Micky Collins, medical director of the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program in Pittsburgh. Collins, who consulted with Dr. Petty following Wednesday’s on-track activity, has overseen Earnhardt’s rehabilitation program and also treated him for a similar injury in 2012.

“I expected things to go really well yesterday, and that’s exactly what happened,” Earnhardt said of an afternoon spent behind the wheel at the 1.366-mile South Carolina track. “Actually getting in a race car was an important final step, and it gives me a ton of confidence going into 2017.”

Earnhardt completed 185 laps in his No. 88 Chevrolet during the course of the nearly five-hour session. Crew chief Greg Ives was on hand to oversee his driver’s efforts as well.

Earnhardt, recently voted the series most popular driver for the 14th consecutive season, said he expects to do more testing in January “to help knock the rust off.”

RELATED: Junior wins NMPA Sprint Most Popular Driver Award

“When it’s time to go to Daytona, I’ll be ready,” the winner of 26 premier series races said.


The 2017 racing season officially gets underway with the 59th running of the Daytona 500, scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 26 (2 p.m. ET, FOX, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio).

Earnhardt will not compete in the annual non-points, season-opening race, The Clash at Daytona International Speedway (Feb. 18, 8 p.m. ET, FS1, MRN, SiriusXM NASCAR Radio). Instead, HMS officials said Alex Bowman, who filled in for Earnhardt in 10 of the final 18 races of 2016, will drive the team’s No. 88 entry.

Bowman won the pole at Phoenix in November, his first in the series.

“Everyone agreed that he more than earned (the opportunity),” Earnhardt said, “and (sponsor) Nationwide was 100 percent on board.”

RELATED: NASCAR community reacts to Junior’s return

It’s possible Earnhardt could participate in up to two additional tests – Hendrick Motorsports is one of four teams expected to take part in a Goodyear tire test scheduled for Jan. 10-11 at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, and the season’s first organizational test is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 31/Feb. 1 at Phoenix International Raceway.

Collins called Earnhardt “one of the hardest-working patients I’ve ever encountered.”

“He’s done everything we’ve asked, and we believe he is ready to compete at a professional level again and can withstand the normal forces of a race car driver,” Collins said. “Dale has been very open with us, and we’ve had plenty of time for his treatment, so we feel very good about his long-term prospects and how this has been managed by everyone involved.”

Team owner Rick Hendrick said he’s proud of Earnhardt “for listening to his body and standing up to take responsibility for his health.

“He’s worked extremely hard and set a terrific example for others,” Hendrick said. “It’s great news as we go into the offseason, and we can’t wait to see him back on the race track at Daytona.”

In addition to Bowman, four-time series champion Jeff Gordon also drove for the team in eight starts during Earnhardt’s absence.

Earnhardt was 13th in points with six top-five finishes before being sidelined prior to the July race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway and wound up 32nd in the final standings. The 2012 injury forced him to miss two races; he finished 12th in points that season.

Posted on by Holly Cain

RELATED: Timeline of Junior’s injury, recovery

 

For so many years we have been impressed with Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s performance on the race track — the 26 NASCAR premier series wins, the pair of emotional Daytona 500 victories, the absolutely extraordinary 14 Most Popular Driver awards.

 

However, what is most remarkable — and equally as important — to his legacy is the way he handled a concussion diagnosis and recovery in the last six months. The green light he received Wednesday to begin competing again at NASCAR’s highest level is a result of dedicated effort in recovery and unwavering belief in himself … and the willingness and fortitude to get better the right way.

It is a lesson for us all.

Earnhardt has done the hard work to make sure he was genuinely healthy enough to race again — the early mornings, the monotonous workouts, the tedious daily therapies, the medical tests and the doctor visits.

He had to learn again how to feel comfortable in busy places and to challenge his instincts.

It took great patience, high hopes and an overwhelming motivation to recover. Earnhardt has conceded often through this difficult and long road back that even he, one of his sport’s greatest, had to rely on others at times for that extra push or reinforcement.

 

PHOTOS: Junior through the years

 

He spoke just last week in Las Vegas during Champion’s Week about the hard times when progress was slow and difficult to see. But he motored on, so to speak, and the result is a return to his beloved NASCAR competition with the confidence that he has recovered fully.

Doctors evaluated him at a test at Darlington Raceway on Wednesday and gave him the thumbs-up to suit up for the 2017 season.

Dr. Micky Collins, medical director of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Sports Medicine Concussion Program, has been overseeing Junior’s rehab and consulted with Charlotte neurosurgeon Dr. Jerry Petty, who attended the test. Both gave their approval.

“I feel great, and I’m excited to officially be back,” Earnhardt said. “I expected things to go really well (at the test), and that’s exactly what happened. Actually getting in a race car was an important final step, and it gives me a ton of confidence going into 2017.”

“I’ll do more testing in January to help knock the rust off. When it’s time to go to Daytona, I’ll be ready.”

 

He can say that with full assurance.

Earnhardt never took an easy way out. He didn’t go to medical “yes” men to give him early clearance, eager to put a professional athlete back in the spotlight.

And the end result is not only a healthy superstar, but a new standard of recovery for the sport.

 

MORE: All of Junior’s premier series victories

 

Having a head injury is frightening because of its inexact science. Doctors know how to repair a broken leg and how long it takes to recover fully. Correcting the brain is an entirely different story.

You can’t look at a person with a brain injury and know if they healed properly and completely. You can’t spend half an hour chatting with them or a night at dinner with them and know for sure, either.

It would have been a foolhardy decision for Earnhardt to ignore the physical symptoms and just get back in the car. Some older racers might admit — at least off the record — that “back in the day” they may have competed when they should not have.

But times are different, and by doing “the right thing,” Earnhardt reinforced the need to take these kind of injuries seriously and that athletes can and should take all the time necessary to recover properly.

Even if that sidelines a shining star.

“Dale deserves so much credit,” said Earnhardt’s Hendrick Motorsports team owner Rick Hendrick. “I’m proud of him for listening to his body and standing up to take responsibility for his health. He’s worked extremely hard and set a terrific example for others.”

Millions share the sentiment. And perhaps millions more will follow.

This year’s Most Popular Driver only competed in half of the 36-race 2016 schedule. His popularity should actually increase because he made the harder “right” decision to step away and heal properly when faced with serious and unknown circumstances.

On New Year’s Eve, Earnhardt will marry his longtime love Amy Reimann.

Two months later at the 2017 Daytona 500 he will return to NASCAR’s highest level of competition.

So a high and hearty toast to the sport’s most beloved driver, for healing fully and for leading the way. 

For doing the hard work and prevailing.

Posted on by Staff Report

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was cleared to compete in 2017 after sitting out much of the 2016 season, Hendrick Motorsports officials announced Dec. 8.

 

A crash at Michigan International Speedway in June is believed to be the cause of Junior’s injury, and the ever-popular driver of the No. 88 Chevrolet said in July that he was going to focus on being healthy and ready to compete at the 2017 season opening Daytona 500.

 

Jeff Gordon and Alex Bowman split fill-in duty for Hendrick Motorsports in the No. 88 car for the second half of the 2016 season.

 

Read through the progression of Dale Jr.’s injury and recovery through the timeline of events below.

After rehabilitating from a concussion and its lingering symptoms, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was medically cleared on Thursday, Dec. 8, to compete in NASCAR’s premier series in 2017. He will return to driving duties in the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet at the Feb. 26 Daytona 500. | Read more

Junior will sit out final 12 races of 2016


Hendrick Motorsports announced Sept. 2 that Dale Earnhardt Jr. would sit out the remainder of the 2016 season after missing six races with concussion-like symptoms. “To say I’m disappointed doesn’t begin to describe how I feel,” Earnhardt Jr. said in a press release. “But I know this is the right thing for my long-term health and career. I’m 100 percent focused on my recovery, and I will continue to follow everything the doctors tell me.” | Read more 

Dale Jr. out for Michigan and Darlington

Dale Earnhardt Jr. will miss the next two races at Michigan and Darlington as he has not been cleared by physicians to return to compete. Alex Bowman will field the No. 88 Chevrolet at Michigan, while Jeff Gordon will return for Darlington. | Read more

Junior details rehab on social media

Dale Earnhardt Jr. took to Twitter to discuss the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race at Bristol and then provided some updates on his rehab and its progress on Instagram. | Read more

Junior: ‘I’m not ready to stop racing’

Dale Earnhardt Jr. speaks publicly for the first time since he was ruled out for races at Watkins Glen and Bristol because of concussion-related symptoms. He says he’s taking it one (medical) evaluaton at a time and has no plans to hang ’em up on his Sprint Cup Series career. | Read more

Dale Jr. targets contract extension

Dale Earnhardt Jr. says that prior to suffering concussion-related symptoms and missing races he was talking to Hendrick Motorsports about a possible contract extension. The driver expressed a desire to re-open those talks. | Read more

Gordon to pilot No. 88 at Watkins Glen, Bristol

Jeff Gordon will be back behind the wheel of the No. 88 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports at Watkins Glen and Bristol as Dale Earnhardt Jr. remains sidelined. Read more

Dale Jr. provides update, explains process

Dale Earnhardt Jr. discusses the latest on his recovery, including why he has been so open about the entire protocol and process on his concussion-like symptoms and his plans to race more. Read more 

Junior says doctors are ‘preaching patience’

Dale Earnhardt Jr. tweeted an update about his health to fans July 30, saying his symptoms had ‘plateaued.’ In a bit more detail, the driver said his balance/gaze stabilization are the only issues and that his physicians were ‘preaching patience.’  Read more 

Jeff Gordon will sub as long as needed

As he prepared to pilot the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet for injured Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Pocono Raceway, Jeff Gordon said he would remain available to the team ‘as long as they need me.’ Hendrick Motorsports officials have not indicated who would be in the car if Junior is not back behind the wheel for the race at Watkins Glen.  Read more

Dale provides another update post-Indy

Dale Earnhardt Jr. took to “The Dale Jr. Download” to provide fans with another update on how he is doing and what comes next for the Hendrick Motorsports driver in his recovery. Read more | What game is Junior addicted to?

Dale Jr. tweets latest update

Dale Earnhardt Jr. took to Twitter to provide fans with the latest update on his condition. Read more | Gordon returns, discusses Dale Jr.

Gordon in for Indy, Pocono

Hendrick Motorsports announces that Dale Earnhardt Jr. was not cleared to return and that Jeff Gordon will replace him in the No. 88 at Indianapolis and Pocono. Read more | Dale Jr. through the years | Drivers of the No. 88 | Three key questions for Gordon, Junior 

Dale Jr.: In his own words

On his “The Dale Jr. Download” podcast, Dale Earnhardt Jr. gives an update on how he is feeling and talks about the need for “a lot of patience.” Read more

Good run gone bad 

The No. 88 found the wall again at New Hampshire, this time with Alex Bowman behind the wheel. After starting 20th for the New Hampshire 301, Bowman had reached the top 10 but blew a tire on Lap 273 and finished 26th. Read More | Full race results

Hendrick discusses Dale Jr., plans for 88

Hendrick Motorsports team owner Rick Hendrick said before the Sprint Cup Series race at New Hampshire July 17 that driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. would undergo more tests early the following week to determine whether he would be able to race in Indianapolis. The No. 88 perennial most popular driver sat out the New Hampshire 301 with concussion-like symptoms. Saying he wants to keep Junior in an HMS car for the ‘long pull,’ Hendrick stressed that he wants his driver back when he is healthy. | Read more | Hendrick: ‘It’s the right thing to do’ | Ives discusses prospect of Gordon in the No. 88 | O’Donnell outlines with Junior needs to get back in No. 88

Cain: The right decision

Dale Earnhardt Jr. ‘s decision to sit out the race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway due to concussion-like symptoms was the absolute right one given his history of concussions and serves an example for others to listen to their bodies, writes Holly Cain. | Read more

Gordon would sub at Indy if needed



Hendrick Motorsports announced July 15 that Jeff Gordon would return to NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition as a substitute driver for Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Indianapolis Motor Speedway if Junior is not fully recovered from his concussion-like symptoms. | Read more | Junior news unexpected, Hendrick official says

Drivers offer support for Junior



Alex Bowman says he hates getting an opportunity to drive the No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet this way and hopes Dale Earnhardt Jr. feels better soon. Fellow NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers, crew chiefs and other members of the NASCAR family also offer warm thoughts. | Read more | What drivers are saying | Despite circumstances, Bowman looks to make most of chance

Earnhardt Jr. to miss New Hampshire race

 

Hendrick Motorsports announced July 14 that Dale Earnhardt Jr. would not compete in the New Hampshire 301 after experiencing concussion-like symptoms. The No. 88 driver was evaluated by a neurological specials and was not cleared to race at Loudon. | Read more | Bowman: ‘Not here to be Dale Jr.’

‘Big One’ catches Junior at Daytona

 

The ‘Big One’ came just after the midpoint of the Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. ‘s No. 88 Chevrolet was one of 22 cars caught up in the melee. | Read more | Watch the wreck unfold

Dale Jr. caught up in wreck at Michigan

 

At the time of Dale Earnhardt Jr. ‘s wreck at Michigan, he said the impact wasn’t too bad — but he knew he was going to hit the wall. Rookie Chris Buescher ‘s No. 34 Ford got loose just after a restart, sliding up into the No. 88 Chevrolet. | Read more | Watch the wreck

Junior pledges brain to science

 

Earnhardt Jr. added his name to the list of sports stars from across the country who have pledged to donate their brain to science upon their deaths, and then beautifully detailed his reasoning for doing so. | Read more

NASCAR mandates baseline concussion testing

 

NASCAR announced Oct. 24, 2013, that beginning in 2014 the sanctioning body would mandate preseason neurocognitive baseline testing as part of its comprehensive concussion prevention and management program for all of its national series drivers. | Read more

Junior visits concussion expert

Treatment for concussion symptoms in 2012 led Dale Earnhardt Jr. to a concussion expert at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Junior suffered two concussions six weeks apart in 2012, at a testing session Aug. 29 and in the Talladega race Oct. 7. He ended up sitting out two races while he recovered. Read more | Watch: Junior on his concussion and diagnosis