Rick Hendrick: 'If Dale can’t go, Jeff is ready to step in'

LOUDON, N.H. — Jeff Gordon, who has agreed come out of retirement to replace Dale Earnhardt Jr. next week at Indianapolis Motor Speedway if he’s needed, could be in the driver’s seat of the Hendrick Motorsports No. 88 Chevrolet longer, team owner Rick Hendrick said Sunday.

         Earnhardt is sitting out Sunday’s race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway while he recovers from concussion-like symptoms. Alex Bowman is replacing Earnhardt at the Loudon track.

         Gordon, who retired at the end of last season after a long, Hall-of-Fame type career, agreed to replace Earnhardt in next week’s race at IMS if his former Hendrick teammate is not cleared by a doctor to return to the car.

         The team said it has not made contingency plans beyond Indianapolis, but Hendrick said Sunday Gordon probably would drive in future races if he’s needed.

         “I would think so,” Hendrick said. “I haven’t talked to him about it. We’re taking it a week at a time. Hopefully, Dale will be back next week. Jeff is a team player. He wants to support the organization. I’m sure he’ll do whatever he has to do.”

         Hendrick said he talked via telephone earlier in the week to Gordon, who was vacationing in France.

         “I asked him what he was doing next week,” Hendrick said. “He said, ‘I’ll be in Indy. That’s one of the appearances I have to make.’ I said, ‘Well, bring your driver’s uniform.’

         “If Dale can’t go, Jeff is ready to step in.”

         Although Earnhardt also had concussion issues in 2012, missing two  races, Hendrick said he isn’t worried about his driver’s long-term future.

         “I’m encouraged that he’s going to be fine,” Hendrick said. “We’ve just got to give him a little bit of time.

         “Dale is special to me, take the driving part away. I want him to feel good when he gets back in the car. I don’t want him to push himself.

“He’s kind of an iron man. He doesn’t want to let the team down. He doesn’t want to let the fans down. But we need him for the long pull. He wants to be in the car, but the best thing the doctors can do is go through all the protocol and do all the tests. When they say you’re good to go, then he’ll be back.”