Dale Earnhardt Jr Has “No Lasting Impacts” From Concussions That Forced Him Into Early NASCAR Retirement

In 2017, Dale Earnhardt Jr decided to call it quits from racing, much to the heartbreak and even shock of his fans. One of the major reasons why the former Hendrick driver decided he’d had enough was because of his concussion problems.

Over the course of his career, Dale Jr suffered over 20 concussions, something that became much more frequent in the latter stage of his career.

However, in a recent interview, he admitted that he has “no lasting effects” from the concussions. “I feel pretty good about where I’m at personally and health-wise,” he said.

“I had a great experience with the doctors in Pittsburgh and [Professor] Micky Collins, who I worked with to get right and get healthy and we wrote a book about all that,” he adds of his 2018 memoir Racing to the Finish: My Story.

“And trying to lead other people to reach out to Micky and get the right help that they need to be able to improve their quality of life,” he added.

Earnhardt Jr. says he’s “really proud of the effect that book has had on people.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr would be racing into his late 40s if not for family and concussions

In an interview from 2021, Dale Jr. admitted how had it not been for his concussion problems and family, he’d still be racing regularly.

“If that never happened, I would probably race well into my late 40s,” Earnhardt said. “I think if I hadn’t got married and had kids, and with that incident in 2016, I might still be racing today.”

Earnhardt Jr described how, when he only had himself to live for, he’d have backed himself in that situation. “Without my wife and kids, I probably would have went back to it and I would have probably got sick again and got her again,” he said.

“Who knows where that would have sent me?”

Also Read: Dale Earnhardt Jr Reveals His Ambitions to Crossover Into NFL & Work With the Legendary Greg Olsen