Earnhardt interested in penning book on concussion recovery

MARTINSVILLE, VA. » Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s to-do list during retirement continues to grow. NASCAR’s most popular driver is interested in writing a book about his recovery from multiple concussions.

Earnhardt has four races left before he retires from full-time competition. He’ll compete Sunday at Martinsville Speedway, which donated $10,000 to Patrick Henry Community College to start the Dale Earnhardt Jr. Honorary Scholarship Motorsports program.

This scholarship is to help students at the college who are in the PHCC motorsports program further their education and ultimately reach their goals of working in motorsports. Earnhardt has asked tracks to make his retirement gifts impactful gestures for local communities.

Charlotte Motor Speedway earlier this month donated $100,000 to establish the Dale Earnhardt Jr. Concussion Research Fund at the Carolinas Healthcare System’s Levine Children’s Hospital in Charlotte.

Asked Saturday if he considered writing a book about his career, Earnhardt noted that he’d done “Driver No. 8” with author Jade Gurss that chronicled his meteoric rise to fame as a rookie. Now, his main interest would be in helping others who have suffered head injuries.

Earnhardt missed the second half of last season because of concussion symptoms, and he’s said he will donate his brain to science for concussionrelated research.

“I have interest in writing a book about my recovery and my experiences last year trying to get well and then coming back and running this final season,” Earnhardt said. “I think it’s a bit assuming to think that well you just write a book anytime you want or about anything, but I think that would be a good read.

“There is a little bit deeper that the story goes that I think people would be interested in, and the interest for me there is if it would help someone going through the same experience that I went through.”

Earnhardt is quickly filling his schedule for next year, his first in retirement. He and wife Amy are expecting their first child, a daughter, and he’s committed as an analyst to NBC Sports for the second half of the season.

Earnhardt also has races scheduled in the Xfinity Series for JR Motorsports. He’s promised to continue his work as an ambassador for NASCAR past his driving days.

ELLIOTT FASTEST PLAYOFF DRIVER IN MARTINSVILLE PRACTICE » Chase Elliott was fastest of the playoff contenders in the final practice before Sunday’s race at Martinsville Speedway.

The playoff field has been cut in half to eight drivers, and they have the next three races to earn one of the final four spots in next month’s championship race. A victory earns an automatic berth to the championship race.

Championship favorite Martin Truex Jr. was third fastest in practice, which was led by non-playoff driver Joey Logano. Truex has a series-best seven wins this season and has won three of the six playoff races to date.

Martinsville Speedway has a condensed two-day schedule this weekend in which Saturday had just two hour-long practice sessions. Qualifying is scheduled for Sunday, hours before the race.

The compacted schedule replaced on-track Cup activity Friday with fan fests and autograph sessions. It’s a cost-cutting move for teams, who pay less in travel with a shorter at-track schedule.

GRAGSON WINS 1ST TRUCK SERIES RACE » Noah Gragson won his first career Truck Series race by passing two-time champion Matt Crafton on the final restart Saturday at Martinsville Speedway.

Gragson, who is from Las Vegas, won for Kyle Busch Motorsports. Busch, who also is from Las Vegas, uses that team to groom young talent.

Gragson is the 10th firsttime Truck Series winner at Martinsville.