Racecar driver Earnhardt was at the top of his game--until a minor
crash resulted in a concussion that would eventually end his 18-year
career. In his only authorized book, Dale shares the inside track on his
life and work, reflects on NASCAR, the loss of his dad, and his future
as a broadcaster, businessperson, and family man.
It was a seemingly minor crash at Michigan International Speedway in
June 2016 that ended the day early for NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt Jr.
What he didn't know was that it would also end his driving for the year.
He'd dealt with concussions before, but no two are the same. Recovery
can be brutal, and lengthy.
When Dale retired from professional stock car racing in 2017, he walked
away from his career as a healthy man. But for years, he had worried
that the worsening effects of multiple racing-related concussions would
end not only his time on the track but his ability to live a full and
happy life.
Torn between a race-at-all-costs culture and the fear that something was
terribly wrong, Earnhardt tried to pretend that everything was fine, but
the private notes about his escalating symptoms that he kept on his
phone reveal a vicious cycle: suffering injuries on Sunday, struggling
through the week, then recovering in time to race again the following
weekend. In this candid reflection, Earnhardt opens up for the first
time about:
- The physical and emotional struggles he faced as he fought to close
out his career on his own terms
- His frustration with the slow recovery from multiple racing-related
concussions
- His admiration for the woman who stood by him through it all
- His determination to share his own experience so that others don't
have to suffer in silence
Steering his way to the final checkered flag of his storied career
proved to be the most challenging race and most rewarding finish of his
life.
