NASCAR's most popular driver will return to the race track this weekend.
Dale Earnhardt Jr., who had been sidelined the last two weeks suffering lingering effects from a pair of concussions, has been medically cleared for competition Tuesday.
Since being diagnosed with a concussion following the Oct. 7 race at Talladega, Alabama, - his second in roughly six weeks - Earnhardt has participated in a rehabilitation program directed by Charlotte neurosurgeon Dr. Jerry Petty.
"Dale Jr. has done every-thing asked of him," Petty said. "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."
Team owner Rick Hendrick originally said Sunday that Earnhardt had been cleared by doctors to race this week at Martinsville, Virginia. He later clarified his comments to insist the driver first had to complete an on-track test this week to doctors' satisfaction.
Earnhardt took part in the test on Monday at Gresham Motorsports Park in Jefferson, Georgia, where he ran 123 laps under the supervision of Petty.
Earnhardt underwent a final neurological evaluation in Charlotte on Tuesday morning.
Earnhardt said he first felt symptoms nearly seven weeks ago after a hard wreck at Kansas Speedway during a tire test. He was seen by medical staff at the track but did not go into detail about his symptoms then or immediately afterward.
When Earnhardt was still suffering from headaches following a last-lap wreck at Talladega on Oct. 7 he decided to reach out to his sister, Kelley, and ended up meeting with Petty.
