After last weekend's big wreck, Dale Earnhardt Jr. had suffered a mild hit. If you can count a 20G impact as mild. But 5 weeks previous, he had experienced a 40G hit during a tire test at Kansas Speedway.
And it was after that Kansas hit, that he knew something wasn't quite right. But by Talladega, he felt he was 100%. (A bad case of self-diagnosis)
After the crash at Talladega, he made note in his press conference from Charlotte that he was still having headaches and he went to the doctor, and after some comprehensive tests, the doc could not clear Dale Earnhardt Jr. to race this weekend.
He said was was aware having back-to-back concussions was not a good thing, though the doctor did note that he should be fine to compete in 10 to 14 days. But that would depend on if Dale Jr. goes without a headache for 4 or 5 straight days.
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Despite the focus on "concussions" occurring in close time proximity to each other, I think there's a bigger picture here, where if you get enough hits over time, the effects can be cumulative.
According to resources, even mild concussions can have long-term effects, and too many, period, can be an issue. If my memory serves me right, Dale Jr. gets a hard hit at least once a year. Because of the long-term issues, it's not just about returning to the game too soon, it's also about if the athlete has a history of concussions.
I know many folks will start to glare more at the plate racing wrecks we see but that is only one factor in what I feel are a long string of factors.
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