"I know Dale Jr. has incredible trust in him": When Rick Hendrick relied on Jeff Gordon as Dale Earnhardt Jr. battled health issues

The Hendrick Motorsports team has had the best of drivers, from Kyle Larson, Dale Earnhardt Jr., to even Jimmie Johnson. One such instance when the team's incredible strength and driver profile came to use was in 2016, when Dale Earnhardt Jr. had to miss two races of the NASCAR Cup Series due to concussion-like symptoms after an incident at the Michigan International Speedway.

Earnhardt Jr. was replaced by another legendary driver, Jeff Gordon, for the races at Indianapolis and Pocono. The four-time Cup Series champion had announced his retirement from full-time Cup Series racing just a year before in 2015. Gordon had raced his entire career for Hendrick Motorsports, clinching 93 victories in the Series.

The owner of the team, Rick Hendrick, relied on his former driver to fill out Earnhardt Jr.'s shoes and also expressed his feelings on his decision to choose Gordon.

"What’s best for Dale is what’s best for Hendrick Motorsports and everyone involved with the team. We’re all proud of him and looking forward to having him racing soon. Jeff’s a team player. I know he’ll be ready, and I know Dale Earnhardt Jr. has incredible trust in him. It’s going to be an emotional weekend at Indianapolis with Dale not being there and seeing Jeff back behind the wheel. Greg Ives and the team did a great job at New Hampshire, and they have the full support of our organization,” Rick Hendrick said via Hendrick Motorsports.

Gordon finished 13th and 27th during the two races at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Pocono Raceway. Veteran driver Jimmie Johnson clinched the NASCAR Cup Series championship for the 2016 season.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. makes strong predictions about the NASCAR playoffs

Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced his retirement from full-time racing in the NASCAR Cup Series after the 2017 season, but still manages to remain in the spotlight and relevant in the motorsports world. The veteran driver has been involved in the sport by being a team owner, broadcaster for Amazon Prime and TNT Sports, and even making his own podcasts.

The 50-year-old recently made some predictions about the driver whom others should watch out for in the NASCAR playoffs. Earnhardt Jr. believes that the Joe Gibbs Racing team driver, Chase Briscoe, can prove to be a dark horse heading into the playoffs.

"He’s been qualifying really good. And he seems to have figured out how to take advantage of the tools that this #19 car has. And the other thing that I like about Briscoe is he always seems to come on late, and especially in the playoffs, he overachieves. And so I’m not sure that anyone else is ready to make this claim, but I’m feeling like Briscoe might be pretty dangerous,” Dale Earnhardt Jr. said via the Dale Jr. Download podcast.

Chase Briscoe has finished eight times in the top five this season with one victory to his name. He finished in the runner-up spot at Dover last weekend and is currently ranked eighth in the NASCAR Cup Series rankings.

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Edited by Mitali