be more public displays of support for Earnhardt from his team as the week - | Forum

INDIANAPOLIS --?Jeff Gordon tried to have fun in his first practice session Friday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, his first laps in a race car since last November when he thought he had hung up his fire suit for good. Alize Johnson Jersey .But he couldnt have fun. The four-time Sprint Cup champion had to focus on his new job as a substitute for Dale Earnhardt Jr., who is out battling concussion-like symptoms.Im trying to have fun, said Gordon, who was an analyst for the 18-race Fox Sports portion of the schedule. But I take it too serious to have fun right now. ... Ive enjoyed what Ive been doing, which has been a challenge of its own and one Ive enjoyed.The first run out there, I realized why. The intensity level is high [in the garage]. My heart hasnt beat like that in a while. Its an awesome experience. I want to take it in to the fullest.Gordon, ninth in the first practice session, said his goal is to not screw it up, and his team will need to work on the balance of the car. He said he felt he was doing the best he could do, but it is difficult to get back in the car after eight months.In the second practice session of the day, Gordon finished in 25th place.?When you get to drive a race car like this it certainly just helps you focus on what you need to do out there. Being out of the car that long and not really having a lot of experience with this package it was a tall task, I will be honest. It was one of the most challenging days Ive had in a race car to try to get comfortable, be consistent, have the speed and give good feedback, Gordon said.?One thing he did make sure to do: Gordon and the team asked that the speedway take down the placard over his garage that had Gordons name on it. They want it to say Dale Earnhardt Jr., which is consistent with the name across the windshield and above the door.Im honored to be driving Dales car, Gordon said. I really am. ... We made a conscious decision this is Dales car. Im here until he gets back and I hope thats soon. We want everything to be respectful of him.The desire to please his business partner and friend Rick Hendrick is what got Gordon to come out of retirement.With 93 career victories, including five in the Brickyard 400, Gordon will go for another win Sunday as he replaces?Earnhardt, who is battling balance issues and nausea likely related to concussions. Gordon, an equity owner in Hendrick Motorsports will also replace Earnhardt next week at Pocono.[Hendrick] has never asked me for many things that I can contribute and help that werent valid and werent something I was proud to be able to do, Gordon said Friday before practice at IMS. This is just me helping out the organization.Well see what happens on Sunday. If were out there having fun and putting a good result together, I can tell you whats in it for me is to make that team proud and not let them down. Thats what I did as a race car driver.Gordon has scrambled to get prepared to race since arriving Tuesday night from a vacation in France. He needed the NASCAR-mandated physical and drug test.He had to meet with the team to get his seat and steering wheel as well as do other minor tweaks to the car for his preference. He took information from past Hendrick tests at Indianapolis to put data into a Chevrolet simulator in North Carolina that could mimic how the car should feel while racing at Indianapolis.That process itself was really interesting and exciting and fun and gotten me pretty fired up to get in the car and feel what its like to be in there, Gordon said.I was at the GM simulator yesterday morning. If were racing simulators, I feel like Ive got a shot at winning this race.Because he spent the first 18 race weekends of this season working as an analyst, he was unable to fill in for the injured Tony Stewart at the Daytona 500, Gordon said Friday.Gordon would not commit to any races beyond Pocono, refusing to speculate on when Earnhardt might return.My goal is to come here and give this team the best effort that I can and give them the best result -- hopefully a good one, Gordon said.Coincidentally, Gordon was scheduled to drive the pace car for the race Sunday. Now hell compete.I didnt even have to think twice about it, Gordon said. When Rick calls, he has that confidence in me and asks me to step up and do something for the organization, whether it was driver or other responsibilities, the way he has been there for me, the way this team and organization has been there for me over the years.I didnt anticipate this. This is certainly the last thing I thought was going to happen.It isnt rare for drivers who have retired from full-time racing to do select races or return in a substitute role. Stewart, a three-time Cup champion, who has announced that this would be his last Sprint Cup season, said he never had thoughts about being a substitute driver for one of the four cars he co-owns until watching what Gordon is doing this week.Well talk about it Im sure at some point, but Im definitely open to this scenario if it were to happen down the road and we needed somebody, Stewart said. I definitely would be open to doing what Jeff is doing this weekend.By racing this weekend, Gordon could impact when he gets inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame. For drivers with under 30 years of NASCAR racing and under age 55, they must be retired for two full years before being nominated. NASCAR has not decided whether Gordon will be eligible as if he retired at the end of the 2015 or the 2016 season.Im in no hurry, Gordon said. I mean first of all, I think there are plenty of big names and personalities in our sport that belong in that Hall of Fame. Im not even thinking about that right now.When that day comes its going to be a very proud moment and right now Im just living life and taking what comes at me next and this was a curveball. Devon Hall Jersey . -- On the field, it was business as usual for Jameis Winston and No. Jerome Robinson Jersey . -- Ken Appleby made 32 saves for his first shutout of the season to lead the Oshawa Generals to a 2-0 win over the Belleville Bulls on Wednesday in Ontario Hockey League action. http://www.cheapjerseysauthenticnba.com/tony-carr-jersey/ . Luis Suarezs double powered Liverpool to a 4-0 victory over Fulham, and Southampton easily overcame Hull 4-1 to continue the south coast clubs impressive start to the season. Liverpool and Southampton sent Chelsea down to fourth place as the west London club was held to 2-2 at home. Full disclosure: I just dont get all the uproar over the signage for the No. 88 team at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last weekend.To those who yelled disrespect and said Indianapolis Motor Speedway was wrong to put a sign above the No. 88 garage stall that said Jeff Gordon, its important to remember the purpose.The purpose? To let people walking through the garage area and those with binoculars in the stands know whos in what garage.Believe it or not, there are people who might not have heard about Gordon replacing Dale Earnhardt Jr., and those signs are designed to inform the general public -- not the avid racing fan -- who is in the car.So it makes sense that the signage reflects who actually sits behind the wheel on that weekend.But that brings us to the psychological element of Earnhardt missing races because of concussion-like symptoms, including balance and nausea. Both the team and Earnhardt are doing their best to make us assume Earnhardt will be back, hopefully sooner rather than later. In a situation where we cant predict his return, both the team and driver cant show any bit of doubt.A NASCAR spokesman said Tuesday that NASCAR has given the team permission to continue having Earnhardts name across the windshield. And part of me wants to say: Whats the purpose of having the name on the windshield if it isnt the driver of the car? Why put the name of Earnhardt on the pit-road banner at Indy? Wont it just confuse the casual fan? But if the name of the actual driver is on the car, the avid fan will know its Earnhardts car.Why not something that says somewhere else, in tiny lettering, Substitute: Jeff Gordon?Earnhardt has to know everyone is behind him, right? Isnt this just overboard symbolism at the risk of fans being confused?I love my team [when it] fights for me, goes to bat for me, anytime they do it, Earnhardt said Monday on his The Dale Jr. Download podcast. That was pretty neat. It was real touching, to be honest. Gordon said Friday it was all about respect: Im honored to be driving Dales car. I really am. ... We made a conscious decision this is Dales car. Im here until he gets back and I hope thats soon. We want everything to be respectful of him.It still seems so inconsequential. To help me understand, I asked Ricky Craven,, the NASCAR driver turned ESPN analyst, to explain it to me. Rodions Kurucs Jersey. He dealt with concussions in his career and raced for Hendrick Motorsports, the team for which Earnhardt drives.Theres an insecurity for drivers whenever they see someone else in their car, Craven said. That race car is sacred. Its almost like your home.You can invite somebody to your home, but you dont expect somebody to take control of it. That [signage] is very, very meaningful. It probably felt really, really good for Dale Jr. Those types of reminders are really valuable to a driver. ... It was a fabulous gesture.Earnhardt said on the Monday podcast that he will visit doctors soon and that hell have another update on his status next Monday. ?Based on Cravens experience with concussion symptoms, he doesnt envision Earnhardt coming back next week at Watkins Glen to try to compete on the road course.But there exists a bigger question mark than Earnhardts availability for The Glen. Until doctors tell him he can return, the nagging question remains: Will he be back anytime soon? Everyone around Earnhardt will avoid or publicly dismiss this question because acknowledging it could plant a seed of doubt in potential sponsors and the current crew.Keep sending [my team] good vibes -- because when we get back together, its going to be on, Earnhardt said on the podcast.Even though Earnhardt, 41, sounded somewhat resigned and frustrated on the podcast about missing Indianapolis, that soundbite portrayed confidence he will return to race again.At this age, he runs the risk of appearing vulnerable, and he needs to eliminate that doubt, Craven said. He needs to eliminate it for a number of reasons, but most of all for himself. He needs to come back with some authority.There likely will be more public displays of support for Earnhardt from his team as the week -- or weeks -- go on without him in the car. Craven said those displays carry great importance, and the crews actions will help Earnhardt through the sick feeling of being out of the car.Actions speak louder than words, Craven said. Crew members could say it. But what they did was a great display. Cheap Jerseys WholesaleNFL T-shirts From ChinaWholesale Jerseys Free ShippingNFL Jerseys CheapCheap JerseysYouth NFL Jerseys ChinaWholesale NFL Hoodies ' ' '