LEBANON, Tenn. — While the result might not have been favorable, the fact that Noah Gragson was back in a car Friday at Nashville Superspeedway was a good sign.
Gragson, 32nd in practice, was in a Cup car for the first time since his June 4 crash at World Wide Technology Raceway. The Legacy Motor Club driver sat out Sonoma because of concussion-like symptoms after that crash. Grant Enfinger drove for Gragson at Sonoma.
Gragson said he was surprised at what helped his recovery. He thought he needed rest. His doctor told him to “train your brain to get back into the environment of loud, chaotic situations.”
The doctor recommend Gragson go to loud restaurants “where there’s a lot of commotion, chaos and loud noises just to be able to train your brain and mentally fatigue yourself.”
Gragson’s reaction to the doctor’s suggestion?
“You messing with me?” Gragson asked his doctor.
Gragson followed doctor’s orders and felt better a few days later.
“It’s better than sitting in a room for a week and a half with the lights off and not talking to anyone.” Gragson said.
He was well enough to go home to Las Vegas and attended the Vegas Golden Knights Stanley Cup-clinching game.
Gragson said he’s never felt like what he did in the days after that crash at World Wide Technology Raceway.
“The next day you’re pretty sore, and then Tuesday you’re ready to get back to it, but the symptoms, they kept getting worse Tuesday, got worse Wednesday,” Gragson said. “That was the first time I ever felt like I needed to get help and treatment.”
Gragson said he talked often with Alex Bowman, who missed five races late last year because of concussion-like symptoms. Gragson said he also texted with Dale Earnhardt Jr., who missed races because of concussion-like symptoms during his driving career.