After missing the last 18 races of the 2016 season while recovering from concussion-like symptoms, Dale Earnhardt Jr. was back on the track Tuesday at Phoenix International Raceway to participate in a two-day test for Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series teams. It’s the first time he’s been on a track after being medically cleared to race last December following a private test session conducted at Darlington Raceway.
To say that he has been looking forward to it, may be a slight understatement, as Earnhardt told the media at PIR, “We were coming here to test and I was just texting the guys (on his team). I’m like, ‘Man, I don’t know why but I’m just freakin’ pumped up about this.’”
Although he hasn’t been enthusiastic about test sessions in the past, this year is different. After months out of the car, he has a new perspective and Earnhardt is embracing the opportunity.
“It’s been a while. You know, you miss the camaraderie, the work, the friendships I have with my road crew,” he said. “I think they miss me, so that makes you feel good. They seem excited that we’re working together and we’re back together. So when you get out there and you put laps down, the communication is right there – we’re communicating really good.”
“But testing, when you’re racing every single week for 20 years and you have a test here and there, it gets kind of boring. I’m not going to lie,” Earnhardt continued. “But you’ve got to understand what your objectives are, try and motivate yourself. Learning everything that you can learn, being an asset to the team. If you’re sitting on your phone and you’re playing around – you need to talk to your crew chief and discuss with him and listen to what they’re talking about. Be a part of the team when you’re here. You lose sight of that at times. You get lazy. So I’m excited. I’m happy that we’re here. The car’s good. We’ll see how it goes.”
He’s also using this test session to bolster his confidence. While excited to begin the new season, Earnhardt admits to being slightly apprehensive.
“I’m just a little nervous, you know, about if there will be any kind of learning curve. But I don’t know. I hope there ain’t. Sometimes you see guys in sports – no matter the type of sport – that are away for a while, that have to adjust to how much has changed since they’ve taken time off. There are some guys that come back that never missed a beat. So I don’t know. I hope there’s no rust to shake off. I’m really anxious to kind of get out there and have some success. Get out and run well. Check that box that I am where I need to be.”
Looking ahead, Earnhardt is encouraged by the gains the team made last year in his absence and is determined to further their success.
“The great thing is that the team kept working at the end of last year. We have some good progress – almost won here with Alex – so they’re confident in themselves. For me, confidence is a big, big part of it. The fact that the team doesn’t have any lack of confidence in what they’re doing or where they are, is a good thing. Now I just have to build on that confidence level myself and feel like me and the car are working together.”
Follow @angiecampbell_ on Twitter for the latest NASCAR news and feature stories.
