Dale Earnhardt Jr. OK after wreck in practice for last Charlotte race

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was uninjured in practice Friday for the Bank of America 500 when his No. 88 Chevrolet went into the wall on the fourth turn at Charlotte Motor Speedway, but the car was damaged badly enough that he'll will make his last start at the track in a backup car, according to multiple reports.

“We’re out there running laps, and I put the rights in that stuff and the car just went in the fence,” Earnhardt said on NBC Sports Network (via NASCAR.com). “Blew a right front tire.

“Have to get another car out and see how that works out. I think I’m fine. The car is junk. It was actually driving pretty good, but the backup will be just as good.

“It’s just disappointing, man. I don’t know. That stuff out there on the track, it ain’t good right now; I wouldn’t touch it.”

Earnhardt had run just four laps in practice Friday when his car shot up the track and into the wall. He said it was the result of driving through the adhesive compound put down on the track by race officials to create more groove options and better competition.

MORE:
NASCAR at Charlotte: Playoff standings, schedule, qualifying drivers as Round of 12 begins
| NASCAR at Charlotte: Odds, stats, prediction, sleepers, fantasy drivers for Bank of America 500

After the wreck, his Hendrick Motorsports crew quickly began unloading a backup entry and prepping it for practice and qualifying later Friday.

Earnhardt has announced that this will be his final full-time season in NASCAR Cup Series racing. He missed 18 races in 2016 dealing with complications from concussions.