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Dale Earnhardt Jr. out next two races, making the Chase looks bleak

By Ted Fleming

Jun 11, 2016; Brooklyn, MI, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (88) looks on during practice for the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 11, 2016; Brooklyn, MI, USA; NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (88) looks on during practice for the FireKeepers Casino 400 at Michigan International Speedway. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports /
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NASCAR’s most popular driver will miss next two races and he will need to find victory lane over the final three if he has any shot of going for the title. That is if doctors clear him by the Michigan race.

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With just five regular season races left in the NASCAR season, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is going to miss at least two of them. And there is no certainty he will be back behind the wheel after that. What that means is that the most popular driver in the sport could be on the verge of missing out on the Chase simply because he missed too many races at a very crucial time.

Earnhardt is in no danger of falling out of the top-30 in points because after the Pennsylvania 400 this past Sunday, he is in 20th, 173 ahead of David Regan. But even if he makes it back by the Pure Michigan 400 at Michigan International Speedway on August 28, he will have that event and two others to find his way into victory circle, a daunting task considering his season thus far.

Last year, Kyle Busch missed time at the beginning of the season and NASCAR said if he wins a race, he needs to be in the top-30 in points. He made it in grand style taking the checkers a total of four times.

A similar circumstance happened this year with Tony Stewart and the same rules were in effect. Smoke captured the Toyota Save Mart 350 at Sonoma and he has propelled himself into 27th place, 66 ahead of Ragan. Barring a major setback, he will get his place among the 16 finalists.

Earnhardt, however, will need something close to a miracle to make it. By his own admission, he has his good days and bad days so his health will have to dramatically change for doctors to clear him to get behind the wheel again.

In addition, if his lingering concussion-like symptoms fail to clear up by Michigan and force him to miss his sixth race in a row, only Darlington and Richmond are left. If there wasn’t already desperation in the No. 88 camp, each opportunity lost will add to the pressure to win.

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