September 23, 2003
10:57 AM EDT (1457 GMT)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. was examined Monday by Dr. Jerry Petty as follow-up to his crash Sunday at Dover.

Dale Jr. suffered a minor concussion and a right foot sprain in the crash.

NASCAR must approve his return to competition, and that process was underway. When approval is given, a follow-up will be given with more details and a full update on the extent of his injuries

Despite initial reports and rumors to the contrary, Earnhardt Jr was unconscious for only a brief time after Sundays' crash, and was awake and alert while being removed from the race car.

It didnt look like that bad of a crash to me, When I seen all the medics around him I was thinking like father like son.....

Earnhardt Jr. cleared to race at Talladega
By Lee Montgomery, Turner Sports Interactive
September 24, 2003
3:58 PM EDT (1958 GMT)
Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been cleared to drive in this weekend's EA Sports 500, meaning he'll go for his fifth consecutive victory at Talladega Superspeedway.

NASCAR made the announcement Wednesday afternoon after reviewing the examination of Earnhardt Jr. by Charlotte, N.C.-neurosurgeon Dr. Jerry Petty.

After suffering a minor concussion and a sprained right foot Sunday at Dover International Speedway, Earnhardt Jr. was required to undergo a thorough evaluation before being cleared to race

My foot gets a lot better every day," Earnhardt Jr. said. "I usually use all of this ice to keep the Budweiser cold, but I've stayed off my feet, kept ice on it, and the swelling and soreness is much less than it was on Monday."

Earnhardt Jr. smacked the wall in Turn 2 with 37 laps to go in the MBNA America 400. His car spun and slapped the wall with the driver's side before stopping. The impact did not appear to be heavy, but Earnhardt Jr. briefly lost consciousness. He was awake and alerted when he was removed from his car, but was airlifted to a local hospital before being released later Sunday night.

Earnhardt Jr. can become the first driver to sweep both races at Talladega in consecutive seasons. No one has won more than three races in at row at the 2.66-mile superspeedway besides Earnhardt Jr.


In only seven starts, Junior is already tied for second in career victories at Talladega. His father is first with 10.

And his Dale Earnhardt Inc. team has been solid at restrictor-plate tracks, winning eight times and posting three one-two finishes in the past 11 plate races.

Earnhardt Jr. isn't too concerned about his ability to drive this weekend. He drove in a Busch Series race with a broken collarbone in 1999 but managed to finish third.

"It would take a heckuva lot more than this to keep me out of the race," Earnhardt Jr. said. "Plus, Talladega is about intense mental focus -- it's not a physical track like Bristol or Martinsville where your body takes a beating.

"I drove a Busch Series race with only one arm, so I'm sure once I get in the car, this won't have an impact on me. I've been to the shop a few times, and the guys are making sure I'm comfortable in the car, so we will be ready to go."