October 24, 2012
Photo credit: Chris Graythen/Getty Images for NASCAR
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is clear to get back in his #88 Chevrolet and race in the NASCAR Sprint Cup race this Sunday at Martinsville Speedway.
October 11th Dale Jr. made the announcement that he would have to sit out two races due to a concussion suffered in the massive last lap crash at Talladega Superspeedway. Yesterday (10/23), per NASCAR policy, NASCAR’s medical liaison office received word that Dale Jr. was cleared by doctors to get back in his #88 Chevrolet for the October 28th race at Martinsville Speedway.
Dale Jr. is one of the twelve drivers who made the Chase this year. While he wasn’t at the top of the point standings when the crash at Talladega happened, he did still have a shot at winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup championship. Following the crash and concussion that required him to sit out two races for health and safety, Dale Jr. fell to 12th in the point standings. Now facing an 86 point deficit behind point lead Brad Keselowski, Dale Jr.’s hopes of winning his first ever NASCAR Sprint Cup title are over.
One can only imagine that Dale Jr. will be racing as hard as he can to get wins in the final four races of the Chase for the Sprint Cup to get wins. Although he can’t win the championship, he can move up as far as possible in the standings to build momentum for the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup season.
By: Buck Stevens