FOR THE WIN

Dale Jr. admits he 'didn't care about racing'

Michelle R. Martinelli Michelle Martinelli
DAYTONA BEACH, FL - FEBRUARY 19:  Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, stands on the grid during qualifying for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 59th Annual DAYTONA 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 19, 2017 in Daytona Beach, Florida.  (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) ORG XMIT: 700003196 ORIG FILE ID: 642959336

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - Following his last 2016 race in July, Dale Earnhardt Jr. didn't care about returning to the track.

He suffered a season-ending concussion last summer - not the first of his career - and the No. 88 Chevrolet driver didn't feel like himself as symptoms left him struggling with balance and stability issues.

With the uncertainty of his health, he wondered when - or if - he'd start to feel normal again. He even questioned whether he'd be able to ever race again, much less compete in the 2017 Daytona 500 on Sunday.

"When I was sick, I just wanted to get well - I didn't worry about racing at all," Earnhardt told For The Win on Tuesday. "I didn't care about racing the least little bit. I didn't have any desire to return. I just had desire to get well and get back to being myself and feeling like a normal person, and then I would think about racing after all that happened."

Photo courtesy of Degree

Now, more than six months since the crashes that likely led to his concussion symptoms and a lengthy rehabilitation process, the 42-year-old driver is physically and mentally prepared to take on the 2017 season, regardless of how much time is left in his career.

Throughout his recovery, he repeatedly handed much of the credit to his wife, Amy - who helped him remain diligent with his workouts and encouraged him to put in extra time with his rehab. The couple tied the knot on New Year's Eve.

"When you're ill and sick like that, you self-analyze all day long, and she was the person that had to listen to me repeat over and over how I was feeling, what I was thinking," Earnhardt said.

"It was very repetitive and it was every single day, and she never complained. She never said, 'You know, I'm tired of you talking about how you feel,' and I told her, 'I'm going to be analyzing myself, and I need someone to express it to.' So she was really patient there."

With the start of the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series just days away, Earnhardt thought about the statement it would make to come out with what would be his third Daytona 500 win.

Photo courtesy of Degree

After his monthslong journey back to the track, victory would not only be joyous, but also validating.

"It would make a lot of people happy," Earnhardt said. "I would certainly enjoy it, but it would make my doctors very happy. It would make my team and family very happy.

"I would be thrilled. I would be over the moon having [come] back and worked so hard to get back in the car, just to get back healthy and to make the decision to go back to race. We overcame quite a bit so it would be justifying the decision to come back."

As he returns to the race track, Degree deodorant - which will be a primary sponsor for three races in 2017 - provides a glimpse into his recovery and training.