Advertisement

Dale Earnhardt Jr. to miss more races

Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, stands in the garage area during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Quaker State 400 at Kentucky Speedway on July 8.
(Matt Hazlett / Getty Images)
Share

Dale Earnhardt Jr. will miss at least two more NASCAR Sprint Cup races while he recovers from a concussion.

Earnhardt, who skipped the last three races, will sit out at Watkins Glen International in New York on Sunday and at Bristol Motor Speedway in Tennessee on Aug. 20. Four-time series champion Jeff Gordon, who came out of retirement to fill in for Earnhardt the last two weeks, will remain behind the wheel in the No. 88 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports.

The team made the announcement Tuesday, saying Earnhardt hasn’t been cleared to race.

Advertisement

Earnhardt underwent further evaluation Monday at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Sports Medicine Concussion Program. The driver said on his weekly podcast that he continues to experience issues with balance and gaze stabilization — the ability to focus on an object while he moves his head.

Earnhardt gave no timetable for his return and said doctors have told him his concussion occurred June 12 at Michigan International Speedway. He drove three races after that one.

Advertisement