NASCAR: Earnhardt still 'confident about the future'

Dale Earnhardt Jr. recovered from a concussion back in 2012 thanks to treatment from Dr. Jerry Collins and that gives him faith that he will fully recover from his latest brain-related injury this year.

He's been out of the car since the July 9 event at Kentucky Speedway but said on Sunday at Darlington Raceway that getting shut down for the rest of the season provided the clearest path for an eventual return by the start of next season.

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"When we first went to see Micky, I anticipated the experience to be similar to what I had in the past," Earnhardt said during a scheduled press conference prior to the Southern 500. "That we would work on getting better and it would happen in a relatively short period of time and I would drive a car before the end of the season.

"I think as we continued to go get evaluated, we realized that it is going to be a bit more of a process ... but I think it's the right decision considering how I feel personally and physically. I definitely don't belong in a racecar today by any stretch of the imagination."

Collins is the Medical Director of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Sports Medicine Concussion Program. He has repeatedly told Earnhardt that he expects the driver to make a full recovery and is starting to see real progress.

In addition to his gaze stability, nausea and balance issues, Earnhardt has also been suffering from mood swings onset by two crashes at Daytona and Michigan during the summer months.

"When I first saw Dale, my goal was to see Dale become a human being again and I can tell you with confidence that is occurring in front of our eyes," Collins said. "He is feeling better. He can tolerate a lot more. He is having fewer and fewer symptoms and is doing very well. To me that is the number one goal is to get Dale feeling as normal as a human being.

"The second goal is Dale becoming a racecar driver again. Yes, we will be working on that as well. I'm very confident that we are moving in the right direction in that respect."

As such, Earnhardt still hopes to be in a car by the start of Daytona Speedweeks in February. He wants to test a Sprint Cup car at some point before then and believes NASCAR officials are open to allowing it despite the current testing ban.

Earnhardt suffered his concussion in 2012 following a violent crash at Talladega Superspeedway but only missed two starts. Collins said the injuries to Earnhardt's brain were more extensive this time around, thus the longer recovery period.

"The injury at Michigan kind of broke the seal on this injury and when we saw him he was having a lot of problems," Collins said. "But clearly we are seeing Dale improve at this point in time and we are excited about his progress."

Earnhardt has been given the security that he has a home with Hendrick Motorsports as soon as he's ready to return, and as such, he can take his time to fully recover. Collins has repeatedly told Earnhardt that he foresees a full recovery and that's why retirement isn't on his radar.

"We went through this process in 2012," Earnhardt said. "It was very scary and difficult. Micky told me that I would one day be well and I would win races again, and he was right. We got well and I had some of the greatest years and racing experiences of my career shortly after that.

"And so, he's telling me that this is possible again, and I believe it. And if we work hard enough and we really rehab these systems, anything is possible from here on out. So, I'm very positive and feeling very good and am confident about the future."