Do not count 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Champion Brad Keselowski among those who are firmly behind the sports plans for concussion testing.
“Doctors don’t understand our sport,” Keselowski said after qualifying at Martinsville Speedway on Friday. “They never have and they never will. Doctors aren’t risk-takers. We are. That’s what makes our sport what it is and when you get doctors involved, it waters down our sport.
“I’m trying to be open-minded to the possibility they can help us, but past experience says no.”
While its likely that Keselowski’s opinions are shared by a few in the garage Dale Earnhardt Jr. is one who believes that NASCAR”s requirement of a baseline test prior to the 2014 season will benefit drivers. Earnhardt Jr. missed two races late last season after suffering a concussion.
“I understand that drivers are going to be concerned that things can go wrong for them and be incorrectly diagnosed,” Earnhardt said. “In my situation, I didn’t have a baseline to go off of. I took the test after I was concussed and they had to grade me against the norm.
Earnhardt said that doctors “had to make an educated guess if I needed to be in the car or not. To prevent that from happening, I think it’s smart to go get the test.”
