The Companies of Dale Earnhardt Jr Allows His To Be Able To Afford Sitting Out...

Obviously when Dale Earnhardt Jr. found himself smacked around a bit at the last Talladega race, and it was obviously a warning sign to him, when what he called a not so hard hit gave him headaches.  The concerns were the proximity in time between hits and the headache he started experiencing after the Talladega wreck. After seeing a doctor, Dale Jr. subsequently pulled himself from the car for the next two weeks, at the minimum.

Brain injuries are a scary and serious situation to consider and it takes foresight to be concerned about his long term brain health.

When you think about it, when you watch sports where hard bodily contact occurs, you don't really dwell on the future of those athletes, just the entertainment they provided for that moment.  So when Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced he was stepping down for a few weeks, his announcement was applauded by peers and the media alike.  But later, when Jeff Gordon was asked if he would have stepped down during the chase, he said he probably would not have said anything. The Chase is big.  Winning the championship is a lifetime title. (Plus an added draw for sponsors.)

But I dare bet that there are a lot of drivers whose livelihood would be threatened if they took time out of their seat due to an injury like this.

A race team though, has to go on.  They have to keep their sponsors happy and keep the team employed.  If a driver stays out too long or too often, they could find themselves replaced.  It's the name of the game when it comes to independent contractors.  IE:  They don't have sick days and pretty much have to show up to "work" every single day.

As the general perspective for Earnhardt Jr.'s decision was supportive as the smart decision, the reality of it is that not many drivers have the luxury to take a bye like this.  But Dale Jr. can.  This is why:

The Companies Dale Earnhardt Jr. Owns, Is Invested In, Or Has A Percentage Of, Or that he's contracted by:

• He has a solid set of partnership contracts with HMS,
• He's got a percentage of all novelty and apparel sales coming in (He owns his likeness and name),
• Owns Hammerhead Entertainment, a media production company (Customer list includes AMP Energy, Diet Mountain Dew, GoDaddy.com, Hellmann's, Hendrick Motorsports, JR Motorsports, National Guard, Nationwide Insurance, SPEED, Suave and TaxSlayer.com);
• Voodoo Ride, a car care company,
• I believe he's a partner in Spy Optic,
• American Racing Custom Wheels distributes Dale Earnhardt Jr. Custom Wheels,
• A Partner with investors for Alabama Motorsports Park, A Dale Earnhardt Jr Speedway.
• (The same investor group was looking at Memphis Motorsports Park a few years ago)
• Owns a bar named Whisky River, (With two locations)
• Co-Owns Dale Earnhardt Jr. Chevrolet & Dale Earnhardt Jr. Buick-GMC-Cadillac in Tallahassee, Florida (With Rick Hendrick)
• Owns DEJ Reality
• Owns JR Motorsports Nationwide team
• Don't forget his professional partnerships/contracts with Wrangler, GoDaddy, Degree Antiperspirant, Hellman's, Nationwide, TaxSlayer, AMP, National Guard and Mtn Dew.

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So if you're worried about Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s professional income and his ability to stay afloat, don't fret.

But as far as setting an example for other drivers regarding taking a bye, I don't think most other drivers have the resources to be brave enough to step out of a car to heal an invisible head wound.  And that's a scary thought for them.

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(Dale Earnhardt Jr companies)