Dale Earnhardt Jr. crashes in practice at Charlotte

Dale Earnhardt Jr. climbs from his car after a crash during practice for Sunday's NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C., Friday, Oct. 6, 2017. (Chuck Burton/AP)

CONCORD, N.C. — Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s final weekend as a full-time driver at Charlotte Motor Speedway got off to a rough start when he crashed moments into Friday’s opening practice.

Earnhardt drove into the high line of the track and slipped in the grippy substance Charlotte officials had used on the surface. It caused him to hit the wall and his Hendrick Motorsports team had to pull out his backup car.

Earnhardt wasn’t very happy about his misfortune and felt the substance — known as PJ1 — was too slick.

He had to make a quick visit to the care centre before he was cleared to return to practice.

Earnhardt is retiring at the end of the season, in part because of multiple concussions he’s received while racing.

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