Rick Hendrick doesn't think Dale Jr.'s symptoms are career-threatening
Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports, says he does not believe the concussion-like symptoms that sidelined Dale Earnhardt Jr. for Sunday's New Hampshire 301 are career-threatening.
Hendrick talked at length about Earnhardt's situation with the media at New Hampshire Motor Speedway prior to Sunday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race.
Hendrick said he is basing his opinion on conversations he and Earnhardt have had.
"He and I talked about years beyond next year. And just around, I guess it was Daytona (the Coke Zero 400 in early July), if there was something major wrong, I think they would have seen it already," Hendrick said. "So I'm very hopeful and he's very hopeful.
"And I think the doctors want to err on the side of being sure because we want him for a long time. He loves the fans. He loves the sport. He loves to race. And we love him in the organization."
Earnhardt has suffered from concussion-related issues at least four times in his 18-year career as a Sprint Cup driver. He encountered his latest issues when he began experiencing what he thought was perhaps the flu or a sinus infection after wrecks earlier this summer at Michigan and Daytona.
"We thought it was an ear infection or maybe a nasal deal; he was taking medicine for that," Hendrick said.
Hendrick also said Jeff Gordon, who retired as a full-time Sprint Cup driver at the end of last season and now works as a FOX Sports NASCAR television analyst, initially thought his old Hendrick Motorsports boss was joking when Hendrick suggested Gordon possibly substitute for Earnhardt.
Hendrick general manager Doug Durchardt said last Friday that Gordon will fill in for Earnhardt if Earnhardt is not cleared to return to the No. 88 Chevrolet for next Sunday's Sprint Cup race at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
"He thought I was kidding at first," Hendrick said of Gordon. "He was on vacation and I asked him what he was doing next week and he said he'd be in Indy for one of the appearances he has to make.
"I said, 'Well, bring your driver's uniform just in case.' He said, 'Are you kidding?'
"And I said, 'No, I'm serious.' So if Dale can't go then Jeff is ready to step in."
But Hendrick made it very clear that he hopes that will not be the case.
"I'm not a doctor, but he's running through a bunch of tests and he's going to have some more tests the first of the week," Hendrick said of Earnhardt. "He's doing good. He wants to be in the car. The doctors are going to tell him when it's okay for him to be back.
"And so I know he's anxious. We want him back as soon as the doctors give him clearance. ... We'll just wait and see."
At the same time, Hendrick said he wants to be certain Earnhardt is completely 100 percent before getting back in the car.
"Dale is special to me. ... I just want him to feel good when he gets back in the car," Hendrick said. "I don't want him to push himself. He's kind of an 'Ironman.' He doesn't want to let the team down and doesn't want to let his fans down.
"We need him for the long pull. He wants to be in the car. The best thing the doctors can do is to go through all the protocol and then do all the tests. And there's a bunch of tests you do. So when they say you're good to go, then he'll be back."
