Home/UFC

via Getty

via Getty

Joe Rogan always brings out amazing tales in his podcasts. An episode with NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Jr. that came three years ago, had a very interesting story discussed. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a semi-retired professional stock car racing driver. He is also an author and a NASCAR analyst at NBC.

Rogan asked Dale Earnhardt Jr. about his experiences with concussions. Earnhardt Jr. talked about concussions and their effects and treatment process in great detail. He also mentioned flipping his car in 1998 at Daytona. He said, “That flip I was talking about in 1998 Daytona, I got a concussion from that crash. I had concussions throughout my career at many different points. I didn’t think anything of them. I thought when you got a concussion, you joked about it with your buddies.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Earnhardt Jr. might not have considered concussions a serious issue in the former parts of his career. Things, however, changed in 2012. He crashed his car in a test race at a high speed. Describing the crash, Dale Earnhardt Jr. said, “I was testing at Kansas in 2012. Blew my right front tire. Hit wall at 185 miles an hour and it screwed me up. I got out of the car and I know something was wrong with me.”

He then added, “I felt just like I have been hit in the head with a bat. Shocked. Shell-shocked.”

READ MORE: “Controllable” Dale Earnhardt Jr Set for Return to Racing Where His Dad Made a Firm Phone Call to Kickstart His Career

Dale Earnhardt ignored concussions

Despite going through a very serious crash, Earnhardt didn’t consult a doctor. He, however, admitted that he felt sick at a lunch place they went to right after the crash with his teammates. Later, Earnhardt Jr. said he felt nauseous and wanted to get out of the packed, noisy restaurant. He then felt sick for weeks before the symptoms of the concussion passed away. Another crash that came soon after, however, changed Dale Earnhardt’s mind. 

USA Today via Reuters

Dale Earnhardt further shared, “Finally, 4 weeks later, I go to another race. I am racing and I crash and it all came right back like as bad as it was. That’s when I say I got to go to a doctor bad. I can’t keep crashing like this. Just putting these concussions so close together.” This crash and resulting concussions pushed Earnhardt Jr. to reach out to a doctor and seek medical help. They then sent him to NFL doctor Mickey Collins, who worked with Pittsburgh Steelers and Penguins.

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Earnhardt Jr. developed anger issues

The doctor went deep into the details with Dale Earnhardt. He also ran numerous tests and found multiple head injuries on Earnhardt Jr. These injuries were so severe they were hindering Jr. Earnhardt’s regular brain functions. Earnhardt Jr. also revealed the extent of these symptoms. He said, “My attitude, my emotions were way out of the way, Cuz I couldn’t control my anger. Anybody said anything I didn’t like, and I wanted to tell him to f**k off.”

Watch This Story: That Was Byron mistake Dale Earnhardt Jr. feels Bubba Wallace Did Right by Not Falling into a Self-Dug Hole

ADVERTISEMENT

Article continues below this ad

Motorsports are dangerous. A human body traveling at 180 miles an hour can incur serious or even fatal injuries. Thanks to technology and safety advancements, casualties have been few. Athletes and sportsmen have tried to hide injuries even in the past. Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s revelations may inspire many others to seek medical help.