[media-credit name=”Streeter Lecka/Getty Images” align=”alignright” width=”295″][/media-credit]”I feel foolish…you know…I feel kind of foolish sitting at home feeling okay, and not being in the car. It feels really un-natural.”

Those were the words that Dale Earnhardt Jr. said before the media about sitting out the past two weeks due to a concussion. However, he is glad that he did take the time off.

“I hate the attention that it got, and hate kind of being in front of you guys talking about it,” he said. “But, I’m glad it did what I did. I’m glad I took the time off and made the choices that I made. They were hard to make, but I had to do it. I had to do it. I didn’t have a choice. I knew something wasn’t right. You can’t ignore concussions. It’s really dangerous doing that. You read about it in the papers, and I was going through it. I was living it. So, I had to make a choice, and I feel like I made the right one.”

This weekend’s race at Martinsville Speedway marks Earnhardt Jr.’s first race on track since being medically cleared to return to racing following back-to-back concussions.

A couple weeks ago on Thursday before the race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, it was announced that Earnhardt Jr. would miss at least Charlotte and Kansas due to having suffered a concussion in August well testing at Kansas, and then a second concussion at Talladega.

Following a closed test session at Gresham Motorsports Park on Monday and an appointment with Dr. Jerry Perry on Tuesday, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been cleared to run Martinsville Speedway this weekend.

“Dale Jr. has done everything asked of him,” Petty said on Tuesday. “He hasn’t had a headache since Oct. 12, and we have not been able to provoke any symptoms since that time. I have informed NASCAR and Hendrick Motorsports that he is medically cleared for all NASCAR-related activity.”

The press conference on Friday marked Earnhardt Jr.’s first time to address the media about the two weeks that he missed. Earnhardt Jr. said that the process brought forth a lot of time off, exercising and doing what the doctors told him, feeling better each day.

“You just have got to be patient and let thing happen,” he said. “I’ve learned a ton, just about what I’ve went through. Feel like I’m a lot smarter. A lot more prepared, and understand the situation a lot better now than I did beforehand. So, that’s really good. It’s been a good experience. It’s something I’d rather not have went through; I learned a lot from it. It’s been good for me. I’m just excited to be back to work. Get back in the car, and get back to normal. Get back to the life that I’m used to.”

The process meant spending some time keeping things quiet, especially in the first 48 hours.

“The first 48 hours they told me not to do anything so I just kind of didn’t do anything,” he said. “I slept a lot. No TV, just basically just standing walking around the house doing nothing. It was really weird. So I went back to the doctor and I told him that I couldn’t do that anymore that I need to watch TV or play video games or something. I needed some kind of entertainment.”

The process also meant staying in constant contact with doctors, including Michael Collins, who is the director of the Sports Medicine Concussion Program at the University of Pittsburgh.

“I was on the phone with Micky (Dr. Michael Collins) twice a day, just talking about everything that I was doing and everything I was feeling, because I just wanted to do it right,” he said. “I didn’t want to take any chances, and I wanted to get back in the car as soon as I could. But, I wanted to make sure it was not too quick.”

Earnhardt Jr. says the trip to Pittsburgh and meeting Dr. Collins is what made the difference as he says before that, he was “mentally a mess”.

“When I went up there to Pittsburgh I was just really frustrated, when I say I was a mess, I was just really frustrated and having a lot of anxiety about, man how long is this last, is this ever going to be right again,” he said. “I had no answers, didn’t know anything. These guys up there are the professionals and I just asked them everything I wanted to know. Then we went through all these drills and exercises, they ran me ragged. It was a fun day. By the end of the day I felt like I understood what I was dealing with, understood what the process was and I felt a whole lot better.”

What he learned in Pittsburgh was that the second concussion suffered at Talladega was different than your typical concussion – it was a vestibular. As Earnhardt Jr. explained based on what the doctors told him on Friday, “It’s more in the back or the base of the brain where the brain and your spine sort of connect. It sort of mixed up a lot of anxiety and emotional stuff so they symptoms were more like anxiety driven. If I would get into sort of a busy situation I would just get a lot of anxiety.” Your typical concussion, meanwhile, just brings forth headaches and a fogginess.

Going through it, Earnhardt Jr. admits that it was frustrating at times as he just wanted it to clear up. He says it was also frustrating missing Kansas, after knowing how strong the car was going to be there as a result of the test, despite the tire problem that they had. Though he is proud of how Regan Smith did in the two races that he ran.

“Regan (Smith) did a really good job for the team,” he said. “I told him that I was worried about the momentum we’d built as a team, and he maintained that. I feel like we didn’t miss a beat and I can get back in the car as if nothing has really been changed. That couldn’t have went better.”

The single thing for Earnhardt Jr. that he missed most about not being in the car was working with his team as they have grown a good relationship

“I really enjoy working with them and being at the track,” he said. “Just going through practice, making a change, it working and everybody getting excited about that just that small improvement that we made. It’s hard to put your finger on one detail, but when you are sitting there watching the race go on I miss hearing Steve (Letarte) and T.J. (Majors) voices and just being in the car and going through the process. Being out there and competing watching all my peers compete and just wishing I was in the mix being out there doing it. Just being around the guys, every one of my guys we’ve gotten a great relationship built over the last couple of years. It’s fun to race with them, it’s fun to go to work with them.”

There had been talk that possibly Earnhardt Jr. would miss more races, and some suggested that he take the rest of the year off to give himself that time to heal. In response to that, Earnhardt Jr. says he left the options open, allowing the doctors to make the decisions.

“If I could race, I wanted to be at the race track,” he said. “It’s what I love to do. If the doctors felt that I was healthy enough to do that, I wanted to be doing it. I’ve really kind of left all that up to them throughout the whole process. And, I’ve been honest and upfront about how I felt every day and when we go through exercises – how those are affecting me. I’ve been pretty honest, and so far they’ve been real pleased with what they’ve seen, and feel like I can get back in the car.”

He added that he probably could have ran both Kansas and Charlotte, though it was about not taking the chance in case another wreck happened.

Going forward, Earnhardt Jr. says it will change the way he feels about future concussion situations as he will be more responsible.

“I can understand people’s opinions that they would try to push through it, or they would ignore it to stay in the car because I did the same thing in the past,” he said. “Some concussions are kind of light, and the symptoms are real light. If you don’t have another incident, you feel like you can get through it. Some concussions are really bad, and I don’t care how tough you think you are, and your mind is not working the way it is supposed to, it scares the shit out of you. You are not going to think about race cars. You aren’t going to think about trophies. You are not going to think about your job. You’re going to be thinking about what do I got to do to get my brain working the way it was before. That’s going to jump right to the top of the priority list, I promise you.”

[media-credit id=100 align=”alignright” width=”230″][/media-credit]The NASCAR Sprint Cup Series will roll out onto the half mile oval at the Martinsville Speedway for Sunday’s running of the Tums Fast Relief 500. This historic racing facility is referred to as the paper clip due to its unusual shape. It’s also a challenge to the drivers with its short, 800 feet, and completely flat straightaways, that leads to concrete clad turns banked at 12 degrees. Adding to the challenge is the six inch high curbing at the bottom of the race track which can easily snag a left front tire.

Now add the patience draining element of 36 full sized NASCAR stock cars running 500 laps on this paper clip and you’ve got the makings of a full afternoon of racing is rubbing. With Martinsville playing such a pivotal role in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Chase for the Championship, the question remains: will a Chase contender get paper clipped this Sunday?

THE LAS VEGAS BREAKDOWN

Since 1964, the Martinsville Speedway has observed the tradition of presenting its race winners with one of the most unique trophies of all: a custom made grandfather clock. To get an accurate idea regarding which driver will take home the time of day this Sunday, we again turn to the number crunching professionals from the Las Vegas based World Sports Exchange, (WSE).

To no real surprise, the WSE has listed drivers Denny Hamlin and Jimmie Johnson at the top of their Martinsville rankings and they’re backing that with 4 to 1 odds. Ranked third in the championship standings, and only 20 points out of first, Denny Hamlin has some very strong numbers at Martinsville that includes four wins, nine top five finishes and 12 top ten finishes along with a very healthy 6.4 average finish ratio, (AFR), in 14 starts. There’s also a personal sense of momentum here. Hamlin’s family home is just a few miles away and he would love to collect another grandfather clock from his home track.

Johnson has 21 starts on the paper clip and will be bringing some driver stats to Sunday’s race that are simply too strong to be ignored. The five time NASCAR champion has six wins, 14 top fives, 18 top tens and a series high 5.8 AFR. Johnson is ranked second in the championship standings just a mere seven points out of first. It’s clearly evident that Johnson and his team are in the championship mode both on and off the track. They are displaying the same confidence and performance levels that led them to their five, consecutive, championships. Make no mistake about it: Jimmie Five Time is looking to become Jimmie Six Pack.

Four time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon is ranked by the WSE at 7 to 1. That’s a good call that makes this driver a solid wager consideration. Gordon also has strong numbers at Martinsville that includes a series high seven wins, 25 top fives, 31 top tens and a very strong 7.1 AFR.

At 9 to 1 odds you will find Tony Stewart who also is worthy of a wager consideration at Martinsville where he has three wins, nine top fives, 15 top tens and a decent 13.2 AFR. Stewart, by the way, is the defending race champion. He also holds the track qualifying record, 98,083 MPH, set back in October of 2005.

At 10 to 1 is the duo of Brad Keselowski and Kyle Busch. Keselowski is the current points leader but may need to consider the concept of points racing this Sunday. That’s because his Martinsville numbers really aren’t that strong. He only has a pair of top tens at the paper clip along with a 13.4 AFR. His mission on Sunday will likely be do whatever’s necessary to remain the points leader when the race is over.

Meanwhile Kyle Busch could very well play the role of Chase spoiler at Martinsville even though his numbers there doesn’t support the theory. He’s still seeking his first win at the track but does have six top fives and seven top tens. However his Martinsville AFR, at 17.7, is a little on the high side. There’s also the matter of some hard feelings with driver Ryan Newman that emerged during last week’s race at Kansas. It seems that both drivers feels like they owe each other a little payback and Martinsville is a very good place to settle debts.

It’s the WSE’s 11 to 1 ranking that’s going to make NASCAR fans cheer the loudest. After sitting out the last two races to recuperate from dual concussions, Dale Earnhardt Jr is back behind the wheel of his #88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. NASCAR’s most popular driver is still seeking his first win at Martinsville but does have ten top fives, 14 top tens and a decent 12.6 AFR. He’s also reputed to very good at short track racing and could make an interesting long shot wager.

Turning to the WSE middle tier rankings, the 12 to 1 slot certainly garners a great deal of interest. That’s where you will find drivers Clint Bowyer and Kasey Kahne. In his first year with Michael Waltrip Racing, Clint Bowyer has been having a dream debut season. He’s currently fourth in the standings and, despite being 25 points away, is still regarded as a championship contender. In previous efforts he has one top five, seven top tens and a 14.7 AFR at Martinsville. If Bowyer is going to gain some ground on the three drivers ahead of him in the points, he going to need some help from them, as in the top three experiencing some form of unexpected difficulty during Sunday’s race.

Kasey Kahne is also going to need some help to improve on his status as a Chase title contender. He’s currently fifth in the points and, at 30 points away, his title hopes are also treading a little water. Unfortunately, his Martinsville numbers are not that strong. He has one top five, a pair of top tens along with a rather high 21.7 AFR.

Looking now at the lower tier of the WSE’s rankings, Kevin Harvick is ranked at 15 to 1 and is a previous winner at Martinsville. He also has three top fives, ten top tens and a decent 16.0 AFR at the paper clip.

At 20 to 1 you will find the tandem of Martin Truex Jr and Ryan Newman. Truex has a pair of top fives and a rather high 21.4 at Martinsville. Newman scored his first win at the track this past April and has also accumulated seven top fives, 11 top tens along with a decent 13.7 AFR.

Roush Fenway team mates Matt Kenseth and Carl Edwards are rated at 30 to 1 while the third Roush driver, Greg Biffle, comes in at 40 to 1 this week. Closing the WSE Martinsville rankings, also at 40 to 1, are drivers Joey Logano and Brian Vickers. If you do not see the name of your favorite drivers on the list that means they are ranked under the category of “all others” at 8 to 1 odds.

Now for the disclaimer: NASCAR wants to remind you that these numbers should be viewed for informational and entertainment purposes only. They neither encourage or condone the placing of wagers on their events. However for you fans who are thinking about placing a bet, and some of you probably already have, you’re going to need the help of the professional number crunchers from the WSE because with 43 cars racing on a half mile asphalt/concrete oval that’s shaped like a paper clip, literally anything can happen.

THE RACE BREAKDOWN

Sunday’s Tums Fast Relief 500 is 500 laps/263 miles around the Martinsville Speedway’s 0.526 mile oval.

The race has 45 entries vying for the 43 starting positions. Ten of those entries are on the go or go home list meaning they are not guaranteed an automatic starting berth in the race because they are currently outside of NASCAR’s top 35 in owner’s points. These ten teams will have to rely on qualifying speeds to earn a starting berth in the race.

The Martinsville Speedway has a storied history that began with its official opening back in 1947 as a dirt track. It’s now regarded as one of the oldest, continually operated, race tracks in the nation. The track was paved in 1955. The four corners of the speedway were covered in concrete in 1976. The Martinsville Speedway currently has grandstand seating for 61,000 fans.

While the Martinsville Speedway is widely regarded as one of the most challenging race tracks in the country, so is the speedway’s pit road. The pit road stalls are very narrow measuring 14 feet wide by 28 feet long. Pit road speed is a very slow 30 MPH.

The first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race was held at Martinsville in September of 1949 and was won by the legendary Red Byron. Since that time there has been 127 NASCAR Sprint Cup events at Martinsville that has sent 47 different winners to victory lane. NASCAR Hall of Fame member Richard Petty tops the Martinsville win list and owns 15 of those beautiful grandfather clocks. Jeff Gordon tops the win list for active drivers with seven wins. Petty Enterprises tops the Martinsville team win list with 19, but Hendrick Motorsports is right behind them with 18 trips to victory lane.

The weather could become a factor this weekend. Saturday’s forecast calls for cloudy skies, 71 degrees, and a 30% chance of showers. The forecast for Sunday, race day, is a much cooler 60 degrees under cloudy skies and a 30% chance of rain. If needed, the Martinsville Speedway has a fleet of four jet dryers that can dry the one half mile oval in approximately 90 minutes.

The Tums Fast Relief 500 will be broadcast live by the ESPN network beginning at 1 pm eastern time. Race replays will be Monday morning, 12 am eastern, on ESPN2 and on Wednesday, October 31st, at 12 pm on SPEED.