Nascar Race Today

NASCAR will mandate baseline concussion testing starting next season, the sanctioning body announced Thursday.

The baseline test will be required prior to the start of the season in order to measure it against another result in case a driver is involved in a crash. The comparison will be one of several factors that doctors use to diagnose and treat concussions.

""NASCAR made this decision because we think it is important to drivers' health for doctors to have the best information and tools available in evaluating injuries," said Steve O'Donnell, NASCAR vice president of racing operations. "Before announcing this rule, we provided drivers concussion and baseline testing education and created opportunities for them to ask any questions they may have to a top neurosurgeon that specializes in traumatic brain injuries. Also, remember that ImPACT tests are not new to our sport and have been used for treatment through the years."

Dale Earnhardt Jr. sat out for two races last season with a concussion.