“I was forced to get help.” This was Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s comments when he spoke about the impact of concussion on his racing career. The poster boy of NASCAR suffered a heart-wrenching accident in 2016, which eventually led to his retirement from competitive racing. In his two-decade-long career, Dale Jr. won 26 cup races, including two Daytona 500, but his NASCAR career ended prematurely.

While fans were shocked by his abrupt departure, many were concerned about his health. Being from a racing family crash was not an issue for Dale Jr. However, over time, things changed and forced the NASCAR Hall of Fame to move away from the roaring tracks. Now, years after his retirement, Dale Jr. has opened up about how these injuries derailed his career.

Dale Jr.’s silent battle with injuries!

Dale Earnhardt Jr. entered NASCAR’s top level in 2000 and wasted no time making an impact. He won in just his seventh race and quickly became one of the sport’s biggest stars. Over the years, he collected wins at some of NASCAR’s most famous tracks, including Talladega and Daytona. But behind the success, a hidden struggle was unfolding. Speaking on the latest episode of his podcast, Dale Jr. recalled how some young-age mistakes cost him in the later half of his career.

“When I was young, I had concussions and crashes, and I rang my bell—we’d call it that—but I didn’t think they were a big deal. I wrecked in ‘98 at the Xfinity race at Dayton. I flipped and hit my head on the door top, got dizzy, and thought it was funny,” Dale Jr. recalled on his podcast DJD. His comments reflect the common mindset of inexperienced drivers who often think that dizziness, headaches, and disorientation will go away in a few days.

However, as the years passed, the crashes piled up, creating complications for Dale Jr. and Co. “There were other crashes where I was probably messed up and didn’t even know it. But when I got older, it became easy to tell when there was a problem,” he admitted. Notably, it wasn’t until 2012 that Earnhardt finally sought medical help after a crash in Kansas. A doctor assigned him therapy exercises, forcing him to confront the damage done.

Despite the pain and suffering Dale Jr. continued with his racing career until tragedy struck again. In 2016, another crash in Michigan reignited his symptoms. At first, he dismissed them, but after weeks of dizziness and confusion, he knew he couldn’t ignore it any longer. He was sidelined for six months, missing half the season. He did give another shot to get back to racing in 2017 but this adventure was just to see off his fans before signing off for good.

Notably, Earnhardt Jr.’s struggles reveal the dark side of racing. Unlike broken bones, brain injuries aren’t always visible. Many drivers, including Earnhardt, felt fine initially, but later realized something was wrong. “There have been other racers who have crashed and said, ‘Man, I felt fine, totally fine.’ But then they got out there, and something happened, and they realized, ‘Oh, that’s not right,’” he explained.

Notably, his condition was so severe that it affected his vestibular system, which controls balance and spatial awareness. After a particularly hard wreck, Earnhardt described feeling like a stationary car was moving, proving that his brain had suffered long-term damage. It was a wake-up call that forced him to prioritize his health over racing. However, Dale Jr. never moved away from the world of NASCAR. After retiring from racing, he continued to serve as a broadcaster and team owner at JR Motorsports in the Xfinity Series.

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JR Motorsports continues to shine under Earnhardt Jr.

Despite stepping away from full-time racing, Dale Jr. has remained deeply involved in NASCAR. In 2018, he joined NBC Sports as a race analyst and served there for six years. He also established his own digital media company. On the racing side of things he runs in select Xfinity events and focuses on growing his race team, JR Motorsports. After winning multiple championships in the Xfinity Series, JRM is now making an ambitious attempt with their Cup Series debut.

Dale Jr’s passion for the sport reached a new high in 2025 when JR Motorsports secured a spot in the Daytona 500. Reigning Xfinity champion Allgaier drove the No. 40 Chevrolet to a ninth-place finish in the Duel race, earning the team its first-ever Cup Series start. Earnhardt admitted the journey was emotional. “Man, we got here, and we got a taste of it and holy moly. We race. We love to race, and racing is hard, and I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he told media after the qualifying round.

Notably, Daytona holds a significant place in the Earnhardt family. In 2001, Dale Earnhardt Sr. lost his life after crashing on the last lap of the race. Since then, Dale Jr. fought hard to continue his father’s legacy. He went on to win two Great American Races as a driver and would like to make it three as a team owner. What do you think can JR Motorsports win the 2025 Daytona 500?