Dale Earnhardt Jr.: 'I definitely don't belong in a race car'
NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. says he is starting to feel better after sustaining a concussion that will keep him out for the rest of season, but added that he doesn't belong in a race car anytime soon.
Earnhardt Jr. has missed the last seven NASCAR races because of the concussion.
"I definitely don't belong in a race car today by any stretch of the imagination," Earnhardt said, according to ESPN. "You don't know how long this process is going to take. We want to be healthy and be able to compete at some point."
Jeff Gordon drove the No. 88 on Sunday at Darlington in the Southern 500 and finished 14th. Gordon will fill in three more times for Earnhardt the rest of the season, while Alex Bowman will be his replacement for eight races.
"I have the passion and the desire to drive," Earnhardt said. "I enjoy it. ... My heart is there to continue, and if my doctor says I'm physically able to continue, that's an easier decision for me to make."
Earnhardt says he plans on returning to the track for the Daytona 500 next February.
- Scooby Axson
