NASCAR & Auto Racing

Dale Earnhardt Jr. says he will donate his brain to concussion research

Dale Earnhardt Jr. suffered two concussions in 2012, one during a test at Kansas Speedway, the other at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. suffered two concussions in 2012, one during a test at Kansas Speedway, the other at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. AP

NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. said on his Twitter account Saturday that he will donate his brain to concussion research.

Earnhardt, who has had two concussions during his career, made the comment while retweeting a story about three former Oakland Raiders who are donating their brains for research in honor of late quarterback Ken Stabler.

“Why? What use is it to you at that point? I’m gonna donate mine,” Earnhardt tweeted to a response to his retweet.

Earnhardt’s concussions came in 2012, the first at a test at Kansas Speedway that he did not divulge. Later that season, he suffered a concussion in a wreck at Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway. Earnhardt missed the next two races and was treated at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

This story was originally published March 28, 2016 at 8:42 PM with the headline "Dale Earnhardt Jr. says he will donate his brain to concussion research."

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