2015 Season NASCAR Thread

[Labonte18]

For those that didn't see JD.. This pic is on facebook today from JGR..



This is JD about 10 years ago

[dbbd]

We are really just learning about the long term effects of head injuries and trauma. He played football in college, and he had a few hard crashes as a racer.

Best wishes and prayers for him and his family.

[Labonte18]

Originally Posted by dbbd

We are really just learning about the long term effects of head injuries and trauma. He played football in college, and he had a few hard crashes as a racer.

Best wishes and prayers for him and his family.

JD didn't really drive that much. He only ran 13 races between trucks and Xfinity. I don't recall any hard crashes during that. He was a DB and QB in college.. I think you're thinking of Coy Gibbs, who did run much more and infamously was the reason for Kevin Harvick being parked back in '02 and also played college football.

But, I don't think this ties to any head injuries. This really seems like early onset Alzheimers. Joe mentioned that they were three years away from a treatment for JD's condition in an interview I read, which jives up with some articles i've read about Early Onset. JD is VERY young to have it, if that's what it is. 5% of all cases develop before age 65, and about 5% of that 5% develop in the 30's or 40's. JD is 46.

I played little league in Fairfax, VA in the 80's and Coy was basically a year older than me. We always wondered if we happened to be playing at the same time as his team if Joe would show up.. He never did. Though, I did hear rumors that John Riggins showed up as his son apparently played in the league as well and sat back in a lounge chair screaming at his kid the entire game.

[rbohm]

actually it does tie into head injuries. there is evidence that alzheimers can be triggered in part by concussions.

[Labonte18]

Originally Posted by rbohm

actually it does tie into head injuries. there is evidence that alzheimers can be triggered in part by concussions.

I've always heard, or understood.. That head injuries led to CTE, which often mirrors Alzheimers so far as symptoms.. But that they were two totally different types of problems.

Of course, either one, the only way to tell what it is, is to cross section the brain.. Which doesn't work well on a living person. Every diagnosis of Alzheimers or CTE on a living person is a presumptive diagnosis still, so far as I know.

[mco65]

Kyle is a deserving Champion...
lets see if he can go back to back..

My BIL, big Redskins fan, mentioned to me that Joe Gibbs will be the only person in 2 major professional sports Hall of Fames one day.. pretty cool!