Dale Earnhardt out, Jeff Gordon to take car for Indy

Hendrick Motorsports announced Wednesday that Earnhardt has not yet been cleared to drive by doctors and will miss Sunday’s Brickyard 400 as well as the following weekend’s race at Pocono.

After another medical evaluation Tuesday in Pittsburgh, doctors told Earnhardt to take more time off.

A neurological specialist later confirmed Earnhardt had sustained a head injury.

“I’ve struggled with my balance over the last four or five days, and I definitely wouldn’t have been able to drive a race car this weekend,” Earnhardt told fans in a recording made Sunday night.

Gordon, 44, will get one more chance to become the first driver to reach victory lane six times at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Even without one of NASCAR’s top drivers, Indiana fans will have two storied drivers to watch — Gordon’s comeback and what is supposed to be Tony Stewart’s grand finale on his home track.