What do Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Pink have in common…?

No, not Pink the pop-rock singer…

First, Dale, Jr…. Talladega apparently gave him a knock on the noggin that multipled an earlier condition that he had managed to keep in the garage. It seems he had a good wall hit during a tire test at Kansas back in August. However, he kept any ill effects under wraps and drove through it and into the “Chase”.

Then Talladega happened. The white flag spin and scramble. Stewart went for an upside-down ride but Dale, Jr. took another hit. He manage to avoid the speedway medical center as his car was mobile and he drove off the track with teammate Johnson in the window seat. Nobody gave it a second thought…

However, headaches began to rule the following days and he made the move to see a doctor. Dale, Jr. was informed he had a concussion… And a concussion. He had suffered one back in August from the tire test hit that was still showing up and the Talladega hit threw another bump multiplying the issue.

Dual concussions left Dale, Jr. and NASCAR little choice. He is out of the #88 for the next two races which also puts him out of the run for the “Chase”. His health, and possibly the safety of others on the track with him, leaves no other decision but this one.

Regan Smith will drive the #88 at Charlotte and Kansas. He drove his last race for Furniture Row at Talladega making way for Kurt Busch to step into it. Regan was then going to drive the vacant Busch car for Phoenix Racing. However, the Hendrick folks then contacted him about Dale, Jr.’s seat. There could be open doors for a Nationwide ride with Hendrick and JR Motorsports (again). Phoenix could still opt him in to Busch’s seat for 2013.

For now, however, Smith is in the #88. We don’t know if the seat has to be moved…

We also don’t know who, if anyone, is slated to run the Phoenix car…

As for “pink”… Dale, Jr. is out for the next two races. If all goes according to plan with recovery he’ll be back in the #88 for Martinsville, and the “pink”.

The folks at Martinsville Speedway are celebrating the month of October as Breast Cancer Awareness month by painting the curbing around the track pink. On the same day that Dale, Jr. was announcing the news of his condition Martinsville was focusing on the pink and getting ready for the race that is set for his return to the #88 Chevrolet.

Breast cancer survivors met with Camping World Series truck driver Cale Gale at Martinsville Speedway with paint to celebrate their victory and the cause of many more with color on the historic racing surface. Traditional yellow has been covered with Breast Cancer Awareness pink. It will be there for the late-model Virginia Is For Lovers 300 and the NASCAR Tums Fast Relief 500 weekend. Cale Gale will also join the other Camping World drivers to race the Kroger 200 on that weekend.

And Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is expected to race on the pink when NASCAR comes back to town after being out of the car for Charlotte and Kansas.

That is what Dale, Jr. and “Pink” have in common. Martinsville will be showcasing Breast Cancer Awareness and hosting the return of Dale, Jr. to the #88.

Here’s to a quick recovery for Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and and to all that may be facing the issues of breast cancer.