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USA TODAY Sports’ Brant James breaks down key story lines leading into the Daytona 500.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Seven months after star driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. was sidelined because of another concussion and just hours before drivers returned to the track for the 2017 season, NASCAR announced Friday an updated protocol for its drivers.

In all of its national touring series, all of the infield care center physicians will perform the same concussion test — the SCAT-3 — when screening drivers for head injuries.

Previously, every track’s infield care center may have followed a different test. The introduction of the SCAT-3 brings uniformity and consistency to the process while providing drivers and medical personnel a comparable record in the event of multiple incidents throughout the season.

The SCAT-3 (Sport Concussion Assessment Tool) includes questions dealing with physical feeling, memory and cognitive assessment. It also includes a neurological screening for issues with speech, eye motion and gait, among others.

Earnhardt tweeted his approval: “This is a positive step toward protecting our drivers. Good to see progress being made and implemented. Health and safety is top priority.’’

 
It is another step toward building a safer racing environment in an effort that began in earnest after the death of Earnhardt’s father, seven-time Cup champion Dale Earnhardt Sr., in the Daytona 500 in 2001. A re-engineered car with more support, head and neck restraints and SAFER barriers (soft walls that help absorb energy during a crash) are just some of the changes the sport has seen the past 16 years.

“NASCAR has worked very closely with the industry to ensure our concussion protocol reflects emerging best practices in this rapidly developing area of sports medicine,” said Jim Cassidy, NASCAR senior vice president of racing operations, in a release. “We will continue to utilize relationships we’ve had for years with leaders in the neurological research field who helped to shape these updates.”

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Since 2014, all drivers have been required to undergo a baseline test before each season, and all drivers have completed that for 2017.

In addition, any driver whose car sustains damage from an accident or goes behind the wall after contact must go to the infield medical center and be evaluated. Previously, a car had to be towed from the track to prompt such a visit.

Also, through its new partnership with American Medical Response, a neurologist will be available at certain race weekends for consultation. NASCAR doesn’t know yet which races those will be. As previously announced, AMR will have a handful of doctors that will rotate on tour with the series.

Concussions often are difficult to diagnose or are misdiagnosed because the symptoms can vary from person to person and may not immediately surface.

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The run-up to NASCAR’s biggest race kicks off Feb. 17.
USA TODAY Sports

Earnhardt suffered a hard hit at Michigan International Speedway in June. Symptoms cropped up later, but Earnhardt said he thought he had a sinus infection. He raced the next three weeks, then sat out after consulting with doctors who determined he had a concussion. Earnhardt also missed two races in 2012 after suffering two concussions in a six-week span. Knowing the dangers, Earnhardt sought help last summer at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s Sports Medicine Concussion Program. He was cleared by doctors in December and will make his return in the Daytona 500 (Feb. 26, 2 p.m. ET, Fox).

Defending series champion Jimmie Johnson told USA TODAY Sports the move was a welcomed “next layer,” but added, “I’m sure we’re going to shoot some holes in it, and there’s going to be some misdiagnoses,” noting that Will Power was held out of the 2016 IndyCar opener after failing a SCAT. Power was later found to have issues related to an inner ear infection.

Johnson said the concussion protocol had been discussed with the Driver Council midway through last season, but the issue “fired back up” after Matt DiBenedetto was held out of an Xfinity Series race at Texas Motor Speedway last fall after being placed in the concussion protocol. He had not been assessed through a CT scan and tests at a local hospital as had become policy but observed and diagnosed through remote consultation. DiBenedetto raised concerns initially because he was slow to lower his window net and wobbled when walking away from his wrecked car, but blamed soreness in injured knees.

Johnson said drivers prefer a protocol not so reliant on actions immediately after a crash, noting Kyle Larson also was heavily scrutinized after a hard crash at Fontana, Calif.

“[NASCAR is] like, ‘Look, concussions are different for everyone.’ And then we’re like, ‘We get it, but we need something better than making an opinion based on how quickly a window net comes down.’ ”

Drivers have been pushing for improvements in the areas of safety and on-site medical personnel for some time, and Denny Hamlin, who heads the Driver Council, talked about the new protocol Friday.

“We talked about this at some of the driver council meetings the last year or so,” said Hamlin after reviewing the new protocol. “I think there was some confusion possibly at Texas (Motor Speedway) with Matt (DiBenedetto). He didn’t think he was, maybe the doctor assumed he was or diagnosed him that he was. And we always wondered ‘Is it based off how the doctor is feeling that day? What is the actual protocol?’

“I think that’s a step in the right direction for sure. They (NASCAR) sometimes have to protect us from ourselves, but we also want to make sure we’re racing on the track with people that are 100%. I’m all for that. I think it’s important that we keep safety first.”

Hamlin said the drivers had not met the AMR doctors yet who would tour with the series. He also said he didn’t know if any would be neurologists.

Alex Bowman, who along with Jeff Gordon filled in for Earnhardt in the No. 88 Chevrolet while he was sidelined, said: “Obviously, that’s an area that has been talked a lot about in the past couple months and it’s an area that everybody is still learning about. I think the more stuff we can bring in and help with that, the better.”

Contributing: Brant James

Follow Tucker on Twitter @HeatherR_Tucker and James @brantjames

PHOTOS: History of the Daytona 500

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The Daytona 500, the premier race in NASCAR, has been
Pre-Daytona 500: Bill France Sr., center, and others gather at the Streamline Hotel in Daytona Beach, Fla., in 1947 for meetings that resulted in the formation of NASCAR.
Pre-Daytona 500: An aerial view of the North Turn and grandstand as cars race on the Daytona Beach Road Course in 1950.
Pre-Daytona 500: One year before the first Daytona 500, Glen Wood (22) leads Banjo Matthews (M-4) in a 1958 Modified Sportsman race in Daytona Beach, Fla.
Lee Petty (42), driving an Oldsmobile, and Johnny Beauchamp (73), driving a Thunderbird, were neck and neck on the last lap of the inaugural Daytona 500 in 1959, but Petty nosed out Beauchamp at the finish line.
Junior Johnson leads Fireball Roberts and Richard Petty during the 1962 Daytona 500. Roberts won the 1962 race two years after Johnson won his lone title in 1960.
Richard Petty poses with the championship trophy after earning the first of seven Daytona 500 wins in 1964.
Fred Lorenzen (28) outdueled Junior Johnson (27) to win the 1965 Daytona 500.
Former Miss USA Diana Batts, of Washington, D.C., gives a big kiss to Mario Andretti after he won the 1967 Daytona 500. Andretti remains the only driver ever to win the Indianapolis 500 (1969), Daytona 500 (1967) and the Formula One World Championship (1978).
Richard Petty holds the record for most Daytona 500 wins with seven. Here he drives to victory during the 1971 race.
A.J. Foyt gets a big kiss from Union 76 Racestopper Cheryl Johnson after winning the 1972 Daytona 500. Foyt is the only driver to win the Indianapolis 500 (which he won four times), the Daytona 500, the 24 Hours of Daytona, and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Former taxi cab driver Benny Parsons raises the championship trophy after winning the 1975 Daytona 500.
David Pearson was able to coax his wrecked car across the finish line to win the 1976 Daytona 500.
In one of the most famous crashes in NASCAR history, David Pearson and Richard Petty wreck while racing for the lead on the final lap of the 1976 Daytona 500.
Cale Yarborough, right, kicks and pushes Bobby Allison, center, who is catching his leg as Donnie Allison, left, tries to pull his brother free from the fight which started after Yarborough collided with Donnie on the last lap of the 1979 Daytona 500.
Richard Petty, (middle, with STP cap and sunglasses), poses with his family after winning his sixth Daytona 500 title in 1979. Petty won for the seventh and final time in 1981.
Cale Yarborough takes the checkered flag at the Daytona 500 for the final time in 1984. Yarborough also won in 1983, '77, and '68.
Bill Elliott won the second of his two Daytona 500 titles in 1987. He won his first Great American Race two years earlier in 1985.
Bobby Allison, right, celebrates his victory in the 1988 Daytona 500 by pouring a Miller beer over the head of his son Davey Allison, who he beat in an emotional finish. Davey Allison won the 1992 race, while Bobby Allison also won in 1982 and 1978.
Darrell Waltrip celebrates his lone Daytona 500 title by performing the "Ickey Shuffle," a dance created by NFL player Ickey Woods, after winning the 1989 Great American Race.
Dale Jarrett lets out a yell as he climbs out of his car after winning the 35th annual Daytona 500 in 1993. Jarrett would add two more Daytona 500 titles, in 1996 and 2000.
Jeff Gordon (24), Terry Labonte (5) and Ricky Craven (25) led Hendrick Motorsports to a 1-2-3 finish at the 1997 Daytona 500. Gordon would win the Daytona 500 twice more: in 1999 and 2005.
Crew members line up along pit road to congratulate Dale Earnhardt as the NASCAR legend finally wins his first Daytona 500 in 1998, 20 years after his first Daytona 500 start in 1979.
Dale Earnhardt (3) hits the wall after getting hit by Ken Schrader (36) during the 2001 Daytona 500. Earnhardt died as a result of the crash that stands as one of the most horrific moments in NASCAR history.
Shortly after winning the 2001 Daytona 500, Michael Waltrip talks about the death of friend and competitor Dale Earnhardt, who died after crashing on the last lap. Waltrip would have a chance to better celebrate after winning the 2003 Daytona 500.
Two-time Daytona 500 champion Sterling Marlin gets a reprimand from a track official after he tried to pull a bent piece of sheet metal away from his tire during a red-flag stop in the 2002 race. Marlin's gaffe will forever be part of NASCAR's lore, with some saying his illegal attempt to fix his car under the red flag cost him a victory.
Ward Burton, center, is showered with confetti in victory lane after winning the 2002 Daytona 500 after Sterling Marlin's penalty.
Crew members converge on Dale Earnhardt Jr., left, at the start-finish line after he won the 2004 Daytona 500, three years after his father died as a result of a last-lap crash in the 2001 event.
Ryan Newman won his only race of 2008 at the Daytona 500, bringing Penske Racing its first win at The Great American Race.
Workers repair damage to the track as a result of a pothole in Turn 2 on lap 122 during the 2010 Daytona 500. The race was red-flagged for almost two hours before Jamie McMurray eventually won.
Trevor Bayne, at 20-years, one-day old, became the youngest winner of the Daytona 500, in 2011.
Safety crews work to put out a fire from a jet-fueled track dryer that was hit by Juan Pablo Montoya's car (not pictured) under caution during the 2012 Daytona 500.
Safety workers clean up the track with Tide laundry detergent after a jet-fueled track dryer burst into flames when it was struck by Juan Pablo Montoya's car under caution during the 2012 Daytona 500.
Matt Kenseth earned the second of two Daytona 500 wins in 2012. He won his first in 2009.
Jimmie Johnson crosses the finish line to win the 2013
Dale Earnhardt Jr took the 2014 Daytona 500 on the
Joey Logano wins the 2015 Daytona 500.
In the closest finish in history, Denny Hamlin (11)