Halfway through the Chase the Charlotte night race is on tap. It begins with a few crazy cautions, single car spins and the such, and ends with Clint Bowyer’s fuel mileage being better than Denny Hamlin’s. It was a sorry race – what has become the typical, boring, Charlotte night race. Brad ran it hard and fast and had to pit late for gas and ended up 11th and very disappointed. Denny played it safe, much to his chagrin and finished 2nd. Jimmie brought it home 3rd. Bunny was thrilled with Carl’s 7th place finish.
Regan Smith was subbing for Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale Jr. had a concussion after his wreck in Kansas during a tire test accident. He had symptoms afterward, but felt he was back to 90% by the time the Chase started. He was involved in the wreck at Talladega. It was not nearly the same impact as the Kansas wreck, but after three days of headaches he went to see a doctor who took him out of the car for at least two weeks. Dale’s situation has generated a lot of conversation and admission from several drivers that they wouldn’t tell if they were having symptoms and we in a tight Chase race. Luckily Dale wasn’t in a tight Chase race.
Drivers are split on his actions. Some support his taking care of himself and seeing a doctor and following doctor’s orders. Others, like Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin, simply say they wouldn’t tell or that doctor’s shouldn’t be able to take a driver out of car. Bunny told me Rusty Wallace said Dale would be sterotyped going forward. She didn’t catch how he would be stereotyped though. Dale is so sensitive to the comments of the fans and the comments of the media, and the media echoes from the fans. I hope this sort of dangerous blather doesn’t cause him to follow his father’s example and ignore serious health issues and get back into the car before it is advisable.