Team: DiBenedetto in concussion protocol, to sit Sunday – Nascar

DiBenedetto was not cleared by physicians to race, the team announced in a statement, following a wreck in Saturday’s NASCAR XFINITY Series race.

DiBenedetto smacked the wall in a solo incident after completing 129 of 200 laps in the O’Reilly Auto Parts Challenge. He was treated and released from the infield care center and finished 36th.

I’m feeling totally fine…just having to follow the concussion protocol. Hate I can’t drive tomorrow but I’m looking forward to Phoenix.

— Matthew DiBenedetto (@mattdracing) November 6, 2016

DiBenedetto’s absence due to being in a concussion protocol is the second such instance in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series this year. Dale Earnhardt Jr. will miss the remainder of the 2016 season as he recovers from his own concussion.

NASCAR announced Oct. 24, 2013, that beginning in 2014 the sanctioning body would mandate preseason neurocognitive baseline testing as part of its comprehensive concussion prevention and management program for all of its national series drivers.