NASCAR: Matt DiBenedetto In Concussion Protocol, Will Miss Texas
Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
The number of drivers in NASCAR to miss races in 2016 with a concussion just doubled after it was announced that Matt DiBenedetto is in the concussion protocol and will not run Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race in Texas.
DiBenedetto now joins Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the list of NASCAR Sprint Cup Series drivers who have missed time this season due to concussions. Earnhardt Jr. has actually missed the entire second half of the season, he seems to be on pace to return to the track in February for the start of the 2017 NASCAR season.
DiBenedetto entered NASCAR’s concussion protocol following Saturday’s NASCAR XFINITY Series race in Texas. It was announced late Saturday that physicians were not going to clear him to race on Sunday and BK Racing confirmed that he would not be behind the wheel of the No. 83 machine shortly after that.
BK Racing has yet to announced who is going to drive the No. 83 machine in place of DiBenedetto. They did say in a release that they would make the announcement as to who the substitute driver would be sometime Sunday before the start of the race from Texas.
The concussion spotlight has shined bright on NASCAR this season following Earnhardt Jr. being diagnosed with the third concussion of his career and missing significant time. When Earnhardt Jr. was first pulled from the No. 88 machine a few months ago it looked like he might miss a race or two but that has since turned into him missing the entire second half of the 2016 season.
DiBenedetto was not available for comment following the announcement that he would not be racing Sunday in Texas. Be sure to follow along with BTF tonight and prior to the race tomorrow to find out who will be filling in for DiBenedetto in the No. 83 machine at Texas.
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