2018 Clash at Daytona: Is Dale Earnhardt Jr. racing?

Is Dale Earnhardt Jr. racing in The Clash? We let you know if Dale Earnhardt Jr. is on the grid for Sunday’s 2018 Clash at Daytona.

Sunday brings NASCAR fans the Clash at Daytona, the first official event of the 2018 NASCAR season. Will Dale Earnhardt Jr. race in The Clash?

It’s a fair question, since Dale Jr. is one of the drivers who was eligible for the 2018 Clash field. But he announced his retirement from the Monster Energy NASCAR Sprint Cup Series last year, and he’s sticking to it.

Earnhardt is not competing in Sunday’s Clash. His wife Amy Earnhardt made headlines last July when the idea of Junior potentially running at Daytona International Speedway came up, and she said that it was “not worth the risk of his health.”

She explained on Twitter that he let her make the decision on whether or not he’d compete in 2018, and as such fans won’t be seeing Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the Clash.

You can’t blame the Earnhardts for coming to that conclusion; as much fun as it would be for NASCAR fans to have their now-retired star back for even an exhibition race, he’s more than earned a break.

And with his history of concussions, there’s no reason to put himself at greater risk, especially when there’s nothing to gain. Though we’d love to watch Dale Earnhardt Jr. racing in The Clash, there’s not any good reason why.

Besides, it’s not as if he’s just sitting at home on the couch. Dale Jr. has stayed busy ever since he announced his retirement; he’ll be starting as a NASCAR commentator later this season, and he’s currently at the 2018 Winter Olympics for NBC Sports with Rutledge Wood.

Next: Complete 2018 Clash at Daytona entry list

For complete coverage of the Clash at Daytona and the 2018 NASCAR season, follow the NASCAR category at FanSided.