Earnhardt Jr., family survive plane crash

TV analyst and retired NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. is taking the weekend off from broadcasting after a plane carrying him and his family crash-landed Thursday near Bristol Motor Speedway in eastern Tennessee. Earnhardt and his wife Amy, their 15-month-old daughter, their dog, and two pilots were able to walk away from the crash. “After being discharged from the hospital, we communicated with Dale and his team, and we’re all in agreement that he should take this weekend off to be with his family,” NBC Sports announced. Earnhardt was scheduled to cover the Cup Series race in Bristol Saturday night for the network.

What happened? The Cessna Citation rolled off the end of a runway and caught fire after landing at Elizabethton Municipal Airport on Thursday afternoon, according to Federal Aviation Administration officials. Earnhardt retired as a full-time NASCAR driver in 2017 after winning the most popular driver award a record 15 consecutive years and finished his career with 26 Cup Series victories. He is the son of famed driver Dale Earnhardt, who died in a crash on the final lap of the Daytona 500 in 2001.

Dig deeper: Read WORLD Magazine’s coverage of Earnhardt Jr.’s career.