McClure returns after Talladega crash

This weekend also marks the return of Eric McClure, who has missed the past seven weeks following a serious crash at Talladega Superspeedway that put him in the hospital for two days. McClure suffered his third concussion and some internal bleeding, leaving the 33-year old driver’s future in doubt.

“I wanted to come back as soon as they would let me and I can’t think of a better place to come back than Road America,” McClure said. “I’ve always said this isn’t the most important thing in my life. Not because I’m not a competitive guy, but because I’m 33 years old and have a family and enjoy spending time with them. It’s not just because of the accident that I’m thinking ‘What’s next?’ Thinking about how to transition into the next stage of my life did come to mind.”

McClure did have a slight detour with a spin during Friday’s practice, but his spirits remained high.

“It felt great,” McClure said. “Ran a pretty competitive speed but then got off course which was a little scary. It felt good and that’s a big relief for me.”