Motorsports FanHouse

What's the Knock on Johnson? None

Holly Cain — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 20:28:00 EST

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jimmie Johnson, Mark Martin, Chase for the Sprint Cup

Is there another sport that turns on its winners so?

And cheering against the New York Yankees doesn't count.

Another superb run in NASCAR's Chase for the Championship has put Jimmie Johnson in position for a historic fourth consecutive Sprint Cup title. He's on the verge of accomplishing something Richard Petty, the late Dale Earnhardt, Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip and Jeff Gordon never did.

And for all his hard work and performance under pressure here's the thanks he gets: people are accusing him of stinking up the show.

More Coverage: Hamlin Triumphs | Tums 500 Results | Sprint Cup Standings

Do we say that when Tiger Woods has 10 shots on the field in the final round of The Masters? No, we tune in and soak it up.

Through the first six races of the 10-race playoff, Johnson has three wins and scored a runner-up Sunday at Martinsville, Va., which extended his advantage over his Hendrick Motorsports teammate and second-place driver Mark Martin by 118 points.

It's Johnson's championship to lose and his pursuit is something that should be celebrated and embraced. In this ultra-competitive era of NASCAR there will never be another driver in position to win four straight again.

With the odds stacked against such an accomplishment, Johnson wasn't even considered the championship favorite by most of the voting media in a preseason NASCAR poll.

We hear so much about how "hungry" the 50-year-old, four-time championship runner-up Martin is to finally earn his first title. Imagine Johnson's motivation. His quest isn't just personal. It's historic.

For goodness sakes, what's it take to give the guy his due?

He now leads his other teammate, four-time champ Jeff Gordon by 150 points. Regular season points leader and two-time champ Tony Stewart is now 192 points back in fourth place.

Johnson's best competition is turning in top-five and top-10 runs every week and they can't catch him.

It's becoming less about what they can do. The hard fact is it's looking more like Johnson's going to have to endure some tough luck or the engraving may as well begin.

"That is what everybody in the whole series is thinking right now,'' said Darien Grubb, crew chief on Stewart's No. 14 Chevy and a former Hendrick Motorsports engineer. "He [Johnson] has got that dominant performance going and he is out there pulling away from everybody. You have a good strong run and you still lose points. That is a hard day to swallow.''

http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,localizationConfig,entry&id=512173&pid=512172&uts=1256520347

http://www.aolcdn.com/ke/media_gallery/v1/ke_media_gallery_wrapper.swf

Latest NASCAR Photos

Sterling Marlin (09) and John Andretti (34) tangle in turn two during the Tums 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup auto race at the Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va. Saturday Oct. 25, 2009. (AP Photo/Steve Sheppard)

FRE 155924 AP

Latest NASCAR Images

Denny Hamlin (11) crosses the finish line to win the Tums 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup race at the Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va. Sunday Oct. 25, 2009. (AP Photo/Streeter Lecka/Pool)

Martin Truex Jr. (1) spins out as David Stremme (12) passes by during the Tums 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup auto race at the Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va. Sunday Oct. 25, 2009. (AP Photo/Steve Sheppard)

Denny Hamlin and team owner Joe Gibbs pose with the winners trophy after winning the Tums 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup auto race at the Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va. Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009. (AP Photo/Don Petersen)

A.J. Allmendinger (44) gets out of his car after a wreck in turn one during the Tums 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup auto race at the Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va. Sunday Oct. 25, 2009. (AP Photo/Steve Sheppard)

A fan salutes Denny Hamlin (11) as he does a burnout in front of the stands after winning the Tums 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup auto race at the Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va. Sunday Oct. 25, 2009. (AP Photo/Steve Sheppard)

Marcos Ambros (47) spins out in Turn 4 in front of Matt Kenseth (17) during the Tums 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup auto race at the Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va., Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009. (AP Photo/Don Petersen)

Denny Hamlin poses with the winner's trophy after winning the Tums 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup auto race at the Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va. Sunday Oct. 25, 2009. (AP Photo Don Petersen)

The pit crew for Jimmie Johnson works on his car during the Tums 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup auto race at the Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va., Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009. (AP Photo/Don Petersen)

Fans wave Grand Marshall green flags at the start of the Tums 500 NASCAR Sprint Cup auto race at the Martinsville Speedway in Martinsville, Va., Sunday, Oct. 25, 2009. (AP Photo/Don Petersen)

Other winners and losers this weekend at Martinsville, Va. ....

o. Juan Pablo Montoya returned to form with a third-place run, moving him into fifth place in the points. He had been one of the best stories of the year before his title bid was derailed last week with a 35th-place run in Charlotte. He said then, no one will have 10 clean races and that's about all the hope he and the rest of Johnson's pursuers are clutching to as the series heads to the most unpredictable venue on the circuit, Talladega (Ala.) Superspeedway.

To Montoya's credit, he's taken the high road regarding an uncalled-for remark made at his expense by ESPN's Bob Griese during a college football telecast Saturday night. A graphic promoting the race showed only the top-five drivers and Griese commented that sixth place, Colombian-born Montoya must have been "out getting a taco.'' Griese apologized for the comment.

Although he didn't directly address his reaction to Griese's comment, Montoya told reporters following Sunday's race that, "I could say I spent the last three hours eating tacos, but I was actually driving the car.''

o. Mark Martin isn't exactly flashy, but he's at least keeping Johnson honest. The veteran would have us think he's just trying to win races with a great team and that all this championship talk is purely bonus. But he sure isn't driving that way. Every time you think he's "just glad to be here" he turns in another top-10 run.

o. Denny Hamlin the hard luck kid finally finished one out. His win in his home state Virginia on Sunday stopped a two-race DNF skid and restored his confidence. Give the 28-year old credit, he's qualified for every Chase since he joined the Cup ranks full-time in 2006.

o. Ryan Newman improved one position in the standings to seventh place, and in winning his second pole position of the year, is holding up his end of the bargain in the Stewart-Haas Racing storybook season. Now for a win. He and Dale Earnhardt Jr. are the only drivers in Hendrick equipment that haven't reached victory circle yet. The big difference being Newman is a Chase driver and on track for his best season since 2005.

o. Kyle Busch's fourth-place finish Sunday was his first top-five in over a month and looked a whole lot more like the four-time winner he is than the hard-luck driver he became the latter half of the regular season.

o. On the other end of the scale is Earnhardt Jr. His down-and-out demeanor in Charlotte last weekend was troublesome. He claimed to be "near the end of my rope" suffering through one of the toughest seasons in his career. And that was before a mechanical failure relegated him to 38th place at Charlotte and tire problems contributed to a 29th-place finish Sunday at Martinsville. He fell two more spots in the standings and is now 24th and on pace for his career-worst finish in the championship.

o. Carl Edwards' crash with a lap to go Sunday kind of summed his season, at least the frustrating Chase portion. He kept his No. 99 Ford rolling to secure a 20th place spot, but has had only two top-10 runs since August and yet somehow managed to be 10th in points.

o. Suspended driver Jeremy Mayfield didn't say anything he hasn't already said in a one-on-one interview on ESPN's "Outside the Lines" program Sunday. He insists he's innocent, that he is NASCAR's designated example and that his career is over. The latter, we know at least, is true.

What's the Knock on Johnson? None originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sun, 25 Oct 2009 20:28:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Dale Jr. Near 'The End of My Rope'

Holly Cain — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chase for the Sprint Cup, Hendrick Motorsports

CONCORD, N.C. -- Sounding at times deflated and exasperated, Dale Earnhardt Jr. told reporters Friday at Lowe's Motor Speedway that he's just as perplexed by the disappointing performance of his team as the rising tide of critics and doubters.

Most frustrating, he said, is that he doesn't have the quick answers to turning things around.

Earnhardt used Thursday night's qualifying session as a microcosm of his 2009 season. After posting a top-15 speed during practice in his No. 88 Amp Energy-Chevrolet, he managed only the 39th fastest lap in qualifying.

"All the other cars qualified fine and backed their times up in practice and we didn't even get close,'' a mostly subdued Earnhardt said. "We looked ridiculous last night.

"It's like really encouraging one day and the next day it's equally discouraging and that gets really old. I'm about to the end of my rope on it.''

Earnhardt enters Saturday's Banking 500 ranked 22nd in the points standings. He has scored only two top-10 finishes since May while accumulating 12 finishes of 25th or worse -- half of those 35th place or worse.

As if the results weren't disappointing enough, to compound matters, Earnhardt is the only driver in Hendrick Motorsports equipment not among the 12-driver Chase for the Championship. His teammates Jimmie Johnson, 50-year-old Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon are ranked first, second and fifth, respectively, in the standings.

Stewart-Haas Racing drivers Tony Stewart and Ryan Newman, who use Hendrick engines and chassis, are ranked fourth and ninth.

Even when Earnhardt has run well, it seems a late race gremlin creeps up, negating the kind of effort the team desperately needs to build momentum.

Earnhardt qualified on the outside pole and led 41 laps at Kansas City two weeks ago -- the first laps he led since April 26 at Talladega, Ala. -- only to have engine troubles relegate him to a 36th-place finish.
"I've been riding it out but there comes a point where you don't want to ride it out no more. You've just had enough. It's been a long year."
-- Dale Earnhardt Jr.
"I've been riding it out but there comes a point where you don't want to ride it out no more,'' Earnhardt said. "You've just had enough. It's been a long year.

"I really don't want the year to be over with because I like going to the race track every week and racing, but the last several, well, all year, it's been so low.

"The highs have not been very high and the lows have been terribly low. That's hard to want to get back up and try again the next week when you take such a beating. I don't know what else to do."

The hope was that a change in crew chief early in the season would at least invigorate Earnhardt's team. Clearly what they had wasn't working.

Team owner Rick Hendrick replaced Earnhardt's crew chief -- and cousin -- Tony Eury Jr. with Lance McGrew following the Memorial Day weekend race here in Charlotte. But for all the good intentions, the new combination has only produced two top-10 runs (at Michigan and Bristol, Tenn.)

Earnhardt said he gets along well with McGrew but wasn't sure if they would be together next year based upon their tenure so far. But he said he hasn't discussed the situation with Hendrick yet and didn't feel qualified to make the call.

He suggested maybe he needed someone more like his uncle Tony Eury Sr., who heads up Earnhardt's successful Nationwide Series team saying, "I need more of a dictator.''

"I don't think I'm the guy to leave that decision up to because I wouldn't make the right one,'' Earnhardt said. "There's probably better people to make it, especially in the organization. There's a lot of smart people around there.

"I'm just waiting for somebody to make the call. Just tell me. Put the (dang) team together and say this is what you've got and this is what you're going to do next year. Just kind of waiting on that to happen.''

In the meantime, Earnhardt has such modest goals you'd think he was a young rookie, not a former Daytona 500 winner and championship contender. It's obvious he's done a lot of soul searching recently.

"Hopefully, you can finish one,'' Earnhardt said. "That should do a lot for us if we can finish one.

"We just need to run better. It's not happening. It's not happening fast enough.

"I don't know what the answer is. I've tried to think about what the answer is and I don't know what it is.

"Rick has put me in a great position but I haven't made the most of it, or for whatever reason we're just not getting it done.''

Dale Jr. Near 'The End of My Rope' originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 16:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Gut-Check Time for Struggling Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

Holly Cain — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 15:06:00 EST

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chase for the Sprint Cup

The good news for Dale Earnhardt Jr. is that the legions of his believers are still just that -- massive in number and faithful to his cause.

But even many of the most loyal are astounded that their beloved "Junior," NASCAR's most famous driver, isn't more than a footnote in this year's Chase for the Championship.

The most-talked about driver in NASCAR isn't being talked about when it matters most.

Earnhardt, 34, is currently ranked 21st and is winless since last summer, with only a pair of top-five efforts on the season. It is the second time in three years that he hasn't been among the 12 top drivers vying for the Sprint Cup title, when the 10-race playoff beginning Sunday in New Hampshire.

This year's tumultuous and under-achieving effort may represent the biggest crossroads in Earnhardt's career. At the very least, it's gut-check time.

"I think if his dad were here, he'd tell him, 'Now you have to buckle down, we've all been through these things,' " said longtime Earnhardt family friend, and ESPN NASCAR analyst, Dale Jarrett.

"The ones that come out of it are the ones that really want to. It's the same advice I'd give him.''

Jarrett has little doubt that Earnhardt will get on track, but he and others in the garage area acknowledge it will take some genuine effort on Earnhardt's part.

"I get the feeling listening to interviews that it's the people's perception of him that is bugging him,'' said FOX Sports NASCAR analyst Larry McReynolds, who was crew chief on the late Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s 1998 Daytona 500 winning team.

"He's concerned that people think he has too many irons in the fire or they question his focus or how physically fit he is.''

Said Jarrett, the 1999 Cup champion, ''The biggest thing is he has to get his focus back on what's important to him and what makes him happy and that's driving a race car and competing.''

Jarrett said, the perception that Earnhardt is not meeting expectations, "is not something that just happened this year or last year even. He's always been pulled in so many directions. ...''

Right now, the direction he needs to find, is up.

Earnhardt's five top-10 finishes in the No. 88 AMP Energy Chevrolet this season are the fewest since his 2000 rookie year when he won two races. He's never had fewer than 12 top-10s a season since and his career average is 15 per year.

Instead, in 2009, Earnhardt has 14 finishes of 20th place or worse and five of 30th place of worse.

He's led races only five times for a total of 96 of the 7,336 laps possible -- and 83 of his 96 lead laps came in just two races (Talladega, Ala. where he notched a season-best runner-up finish and Phoenix).

Team owner Rick Hendrick replaced Earnhardt's cousin Tony Eury Jr. as crew chief in June, hoping that a change in chemistry might invigorate the team. Since Lance McGrew took over, Earnhardt's had only two top-10 runs, and dropped to a season low ranking of 25th just last month before climbing back up to 21st.

He's never been a factor in the championship.

"I don't know if anyone knows what's going on with Junior, but Junior,'' said McReynolds, who thinks part of Junior's "fix" may be as simple as fine tuning his communication skills.

"I don't think you win two Nationwide Series championships and all the races he's won in Cup without talent. Dale Junior's weakness is not driving a race car,'' McReynolds said.

"I say this cautiously but with confidence, it's relaying to the crew chief what the car is doing.

"His dad was the same way. And when I listen to him on the radio, if I close my eyes, it's like I'm listening to his father. You have to be very confident when you tell your crew chief what is wrong: short, confident and concise.''

A harder challenge may be overcoming perception.

"People are hard on him because they think he should be like his dad, they treat him like a name, not a person,'' said Debbie Wilson, 42, who was at Richmond International Raceway over the weekend dressed in full "Junior gear" to cheer on her favorite driver.

Jarrett, whose father Ned is a two-time Cup champion, understands the pressures of maintaining an accomplished legacy. It opens up doors and raises the bar.

"None us us can put ourselves in the spot he's in, him coming into his own just as his dad's untimely death,'' said Jarrett, referring to the seven-time champ Earnhardt's death on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500.

"But I don't know that he really signed up for everything that's been thrown on him as far as being "the guy" in the sport.''

Two years ago Earnhardt took a big professional risk, leaving the team his father started and heading to Hendrick Motorsports -- a risk because he knew the expectations would increase exponentially, as would his chances to win.

Hendrick drivers have won four of the last eight Cup championships, including the previous three straight with driver Jimmie Johnson.

Earnhardt's newest teammate, 50-year old Mark Martin is now leading the standings by virtue of being the winningest driver of the season (four victories). Tony Stewart, whose Stewart-Haas Racing team uses Hendrick Cheverolet engines and chassis, handily led the points up until the standings were re-set for the playoff.

Three of Hendrick's four drivers plus its two satellite teams qualified for the Chase.

The only things that match the expectations at Hendrick are the resources. And Earnhardt has always been the first to say there are no excuses.

So ... where does he go from here?

First of all, the pressure is off.

Earnhardt won't "have to" do the formal media interviews mandated by NASCAR for each of the top-12 drivers at each week's race, his demand at the race track lessened compared to the drivers who are actually challenging for the championship.

His only commitments now will be those to his race team and those he's made to his personal marketing pursuits, which keep his souvenir sales tops in the sport.

And there was a time when effort spent on the former, produced the latter.

No matter his current struggles on-track, Earnhardt is a proven commodity. He won back-to-back Nationwide Series championships in 1998-99 and his 18 Cup wins provide him as stellar and diverse a resume as any elite driver complete with the 2004 Daytona 500 crown, and wins on super-speedways, intermediate and short tracks.

And his name didn't drive the car. He did.

"I think they can stay below the radar now, but they need to get this fixed,'' McReynolds said. "Dale Earnhardt Junior needs to be a contender and a winner on a regular basis just like all his teammates are competing and winning on a regular basis. Next year is pretty pivotal for him and that 88 team.

"What does he need to do? I think he needs to win a race this year.''

Stressed Jarrett, "He does have the talent to be a winning and championship driver, he's proven that.

"But the next thing he has to prove is that he as the desire to pick it up when things are not going so good.

"And I believe he will."

Gut-Check Time for Struggling Dale Earnhardt, Jr. originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Mon, 14 Sep 2009 15:06:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Kevin Harvick Gets Past Dale Earnhardt Jr. Late to Win Nationwide Race

FanHouse Newswire — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kevin Harvick, Nationwide Series

HAMPTON, Ga. (AP) -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. won a late gamble on gas, but that wasn't enough to overcome Kevin Harvick's dominance.

Harvick led most of the race and then passed Earnhardt with two laps left to regain the lead and win the Degree V12 300 Nationwide Series race on Saturday night at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Harvick and Kyle Busch each went into the pits for gas and four tires with 14 laps remaining. Earnhardt and Brad Keselowski stayed on the track, gambling they had enough gas to finish the race.

More: Nationwide Race Results | Check Standings

Earnhardt and Keselowski had enough gas, but were still passed by Harvick and Busch, who finished second. Earnhardt was third, followed by Keselowski and Jeff Burton.

"I would have been glad to steal a win," said Earnhardt, who said the decision to remain on the track when the leaders stopped for gas was his only chance to beat Harvick.

"We had a pretty good chance of making it and that was our only real shot of getting a win. It didn't work out in our favor but that was the best call to make for us."

Harvick led 131 of the 195 laps. He led Busch by about 7 seconds and Earnhardt by about 15 seconds when Harvick and Busch made the late pit stops.

Busch's pit stop was faster than Harvick's, but Harvick had the advantage of the big lead before the stop.

Harvick's advantages of fresh tires and the faster car enabled him to pass Keselowski with six laps left before catching Earnhardt with two laps left.

"I cut it a little bit closer than I would like to at the end," Harvick said.

It didn't look so close to Busch.

"Harvick was gone," Busch said. "What a non-race that was, but hopefully it was a show at the end. ... Man that 33 was great. Flawless."

Harvick claimed his second Nationwide Series win of the season with the race team he built with his wife, Delana. He also won in Bristol, Tenn., in March.

Carl Edwards, racing for the first time since breaking his right foot playing frisbee with friends Wednesday, finished seventh.

Busch, Edwards and Keselowski have combined for 12 Nationwide Series wins this season, including six by Busch.

"It's tough when those guys are winning so many races," Harvick said. "We felt like we had been able to run with them a couple of times but hadn't been able to close the deal. Tonight we were able to close the deal."

Busch recorded his 22nd top-10 finish of the year. He is 221 points ahead of Edwards in the standings. Harvick is 15th in the points standings.

Harvick qualified 18th on Saturday for Sunday night's Pep Boys Auto 500 and is 24th in the Sprint Cup standings.

Harvick is winless in the Sprint Cup Series since winning the 2007 Daytona 500.

Owner Richard Childress said Monday that Harvick will remain with the team next season.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,localizationConfig,entry&id=512173&pid=512172&uts=1252211893

http://www.aolcdn.com/ke/media_gallery/v1/ke_media_gallery_wrapper.swf

Latest NASCAR Photos

HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 05: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #33 Jimmy John's Chevrolet, celebrates with a burnout following his win of the NASCAR Nationwide Series Degree V12 300 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 5, 2009 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kevin Harvick

Getty Images

Getty Images North America

Latest NASCAR Images

HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 05: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #33 Jimmy John's Chevrolet celebrates with wife Delana, in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series Degree V12 300 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 5, 2009 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Kevin Harvick;Delana Harvick

Getty Images for NASCAR

HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 05: Race winner Kevin Harvick (center), driver of the #33 Jimmy John's Chevrolet, is congratulated in victory lane by Kyle Busch (R), driver of the #18 NOS Energy Drink Toyota, after the NASCAR Nationwide Series Degree V12 300 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 5, 2009 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Kevin Harvick;Kyle Busch

Getty Images for NASCAR

HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 05: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #33 Jimmy John's Chevrolet celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series Degree V12 300 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 5, 2009 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images for NASCAR) *** Local Caption *** Kevin Harvick

Getty Images for NASCAR

Driver Kevin Harvick poses with the trophy after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series Degree V12 300 auto race at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Ga., Saturday, Sept. 5, 2009. (AP Photo/Glenn Smith)

Driver Kevin Harvick celebrates after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series Degree V12 300 auto race at Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Ga., Saturday, Sept. 4, 2009. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 05: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #33 Jimmy John's Chevrolet, drives during the NASCAR Nationwide Series Degree V12 300 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 5, 2009 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kevin Harvick

Getty Images

HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 05: Kyle Busch (L), driver of the #18 NOS Energy Drink Toyota, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (R), driver of the #5 Degree V12 Chevrolet, come in for pit stops during the NASCAR Nationwide Series Degree V12 300 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 5, 2009 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kyle Busch;Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Getty Images

HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 05: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #33 Jimmy John's Chevrolet, crosses the finish line to win the NASCAR Nationwide Series Degree V12 300 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 5, 2009 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kevin Harvick

Getty Images

HAMPTON, GA - SEPTEMBER 05: Kevin Harvick, driver of the #33 Jimmy John's Chevrolet, holds the checkered flag after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series Degree V12 300 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on September 5, 2009 in Hampton, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kevin Harvick

Getty Images

Kevin Harvick Gets Past Dale Earnhardt Jr. Late to Win Nationwide Race originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sat, 05 Sep 2009 22:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

New Car Is Safe, Now It's Time to Make it Race Better

Holly Cain — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 17:25:00 EST

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Car of Tomorrow

It was a familiar, slightly sick feeling watching the frightening collision in Monday's race at Watkins Glen, N.Y. when Sam Hornish Jr.'s Dodge crashed into a wall, spun violently back on course, hit Jeff Gordon's Chevy sending it head-on into a steel barrier with four other cars bouncing off in a frightening melee.

The difference between it happening this week and it happening five or 10 year ago, however, was that all the drivers climbed out of their cars on their own Monday. Other than bumps, bruises and being very sore, they were okay.

The safety innovations of NASCAR's current car, the COT, make it one of the most significant evolutions in the sport's history. Now Dale Earnhardt Jr. is urging NASCAR to raise the car's performance level to match its improved safety standards.

"I feel like in a way we are holding ourselves back," Earnhardt told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Thursday. "We're short-changing ourselves."

"We have the technology and the people to build a car that will make for exciting racing, dramatic, side-by-side racing, that will sell tickets, excite fans and thrill people, but we have yet to pursue and try to obtain that."

Earnhardt continued to strongly voice his opinion Friday from Michigan International Speedway, telling reporters, "I think we need to open our eyes a little bit. Everyone."

Then he added, "I'm not trying to start a crusade against nobody or cause nobody any problems.

"I think the drivers, myself included, we would all work together with NASCAR to do this. I'm just trying to remind everyone the optimal goal and prize for us is to have better racing.

"When things are good, we shouldn't rest on any success we may be having. We're not really where we want to be, I don't think, as a sport.

"We need to do things to excite corporate America and excite the fans. We need to be proactive immediately to make that happen.''

Earnhardt agreed the double file re-starts instituted by NASCAR this summer have certainly spiced up the action. Prior to their implementation he said, "It was frustrating because 95 percent of the race wasn't worth the price of the ticket.''

As for tweaking the design of the car to better the racing: there are as many suggestions as their are drivers and crew chiefs.

"It's going to take time to develop it,'' Gordon said Friday. "There's no just one thing that's going to fix the issues that everybody's talking about. So, it's really comes down to whether NASCAR and the team owners really commit to wanting to make a change and what those changes would be."

NASCAR rules do not allow teams to alter the bodies. But most in the NASCAR garage agree that if put to task, engineers could come up with slight, easy modifications that would increase side-by-side racing and generate more passes on track instead of in the pits.

"I feel like, I just remember how the other cars drove," said Earnhardt, who is ranked 25th in the standings.

"I liked how they drove and I like how this car is safe but I want to be able to race it like we raced the other cars."

That's the heart of NASCAR's predicament with bringing out a new car design. It needs to be safe and sporty. And frankly, it got the priority right.

Racing cars at close-quarters at high speeds will be innately dangerous and, let's face it, that's part of the allure for spectator and competitor.

Since NASCAR introduced the COT to full-time Sprint Cup competition there have been no serious injuries to drivers despite head-on collisions and spectacular wrecks at places like Talladega, Ala. and Watkins Glen that have tested the limits of the COT's safety features.

The "soft wall" technology has been a key complementing element of this safer new era. But Monday at Watkins Glen, N.Y. it was all COT. There aren't any soft walls or SAFER barriers installed on this road course and many have asked, "why not?'' after the Hornish-Gordon wreck and a similar one the day before.

That we can expect drivers to survive frightening crashes is a new and welcome reality.

Even those of us who have had to interview family members, friends and fellow racers in the hours after a fatality or serious injury can especially appreciate this.

I still remember vividly rushing into the office at my former newspaper the evening of Aug. 20, 1994 sadly preparing to write an obituary for Ernie Irvan after he suffered life-threatening injuries at the two-mile Michigan Speedway. Irvan was given only a 10 percent chance to survive massive head injuries, but he did.

And in a sad irony, he triumphantly returned to racing only to be seriously injured again in a Busch Series practice at Michigan in 1999. He retired two weeks after that crash.

And we know the tragedies thereafter, including the fatal accident in the 2001 Daytona 500 that claimed Earnhardt's father, Dale Sr., a seven-time Cup champion.

Thankfully, after a renewed focus and years of development, the new car has drastically lessened the chances of serious injury.

Not only was Carl Edwards not seriously hurt after his car launched into the air and flipped into the retaining fence on the last lap at Talladega in April, he had the state of mind to climb from what was left of his mangled Ford and run across the finish line in a nod to the racing satire movie, Talladega Nights.

NASCAR has gotten the safety part of the equation right.

Now for the other half.

"NASCAR could probably be a little more urgent in improving our product, where the ultimate result is great, exciting racing that the fans will enjoy, that the drivers enjoy, so everyone is happy," Earnhardt said.

New Car Is Safe, Now It's Time to Make it Race Better originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 14 Aug 2009 17:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

FanHouse Warmup: Allstate 400

Geoffrey Miller — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 10:10:00 EST

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Juan Pablo Montoya, Kurt Busch, Mark Martin, Sam Hornish Jr., Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Sprint Cup

The Essentials

Race: Allstate 400 @ the Brickyard

Where: Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Time: Sunday 2:00pm/EDT
TV/Radio: ESPN, IMS Radio Network
Twitter: Updates @ FanHouseRacing
Forecast: 82 degrees, Partly Cloudy
Distance: 160 laps (400 miles)
Pole Winner: Mark Martin
2008 Winner: Jimmie Johnson

The Storylines

Bill Elliott was probably the happiest guy in Indianapolis Saturday afternoon when the skies cleared and, most importantly, NASCAR chose to avoid canceling qualifying.

Elliott put his No. 21 Wood Brothers Ford fourth on the starting grid for Sunday's race at the Brickyard with a lap of 180.357 mph. Had NASCAR chose to allow the rain to cancel qualifying and set the grid by points, Elliott and his part-time team would have packed up and gone home because they wouldn't have been one of the eight cars eligible per the rule book.

Instead, the 53-year-old former Brickyard winner is in the race and is hoping to make headlines as the 'other' graybeard in the field.

"I'm gonna give it my best shot," said Elliott. "If a 50-year-old can win, I think a few more years ain't gonna hurt a thing."

Dale Earnhardt Jr. may have been battling a nasty case of the stomach flu on Friday, but his hopes for Sunday's race seem to be raised thanks to the confidence he's seen this weekend in crew chief Lance McGrew. Sunday's 400-miler will mark the first race for the No. 88 team with a car that was prepared completely by McGrew.

"He seemed real excited the last couple of weeks talking about the car, some of the advantages the car seemed to have over what we've been using," Earnhardt Jr. said Saturday after qualifying 3rd -- his first Top-10 start of the entire 2009 season. "I guess I like it because if he feels this way or feels that much confidence and he knows the car as well as he does, then I have the ability to feel a little more confident in his decisions during practice and during the race on what to change, what's he's trying to do to improve the car.

"I feel like he'll know the car better."

As for Earnhardt Jr.'s health, it's apparently improved considerably from Friday as the team won't have Brad Keselowski or any other driver standing by in the pits during Sunday's race for relief.

NASCAR, and more narrowly, Goodyear need to be commended for the fantastic work they've done to make the tire right for racing Sunday at Allstate 400.

Words like debacle, disaster and anything else to describe the ugliness of last year's Allstate 400 Miles of 10-lap Feature Sprints have been completely erased from the stories of the media pool, and instead Sunday's race is promising to be a darn good show. The tires have rubbered in the track very well and most importantly, they are showing signs of wearing evenly throughout a run.

In fact, the tires have been so good that drivers have commented about being able drive more aggressively in the corners than in previous years and the possibility of making two-tire stops.

Anybody that's planning the build a new race track doesn't need to look at Richmond International Raceway as the ideal layout for stock car racing. Instead, they need to look no further than the .686-mile track just down the road from IMS at O'Reilly Raceway Park.

Both the Nationwide Series and the Camping World Truck Series competed at the mostly flat but variably-banked on Friday and Saturday night and the racing was just fantastic. ORP is different than any other short track because the fastest groove is often up top, which opens the inside lane for passing.

The only problem? It's not too easy to make a move on the low, flat part of the track and that creates a side effect that every race fan loves -- side-by-side racing nearly all night long.

ORP proves that flat tracks can be fun to watch, and before we get another 1.5-miler added to any NASCAR series, the brain trust of track designers need to take a good hard look at what their doing out at ORP. It's one heckuva show, every single year.

Kurt Busch's car bumped and bucked like a bronco Saturday afternoon during his qualifying run, and it was feat in itself that the backup wasn't rolling off of the No. 2 hauler to replace the primary machine. There was an obvious problem with the car's suspension, but the team wasn't saying much.

Busch surmised after his lap that it was an issue with the shocks or bump stops, but when his crew chief Pat Tryson was asked later about the issue, he declined to specify what the problem was. Team owner Roger Penske appeared on Sunday morning's ESPN NASCAR NOW and mentioned that the team had "tried" something in qualifying that didn't work, but didn't elaborate.

Generally, if the issue was a problem, a team will divulge the information, but it seems that Busch's team was trying something from way out in left field and didn't want the rest of the competition to know about it. Busch lines up 40th for Sunday's race.

There's plenty of storylines for Sunday's 400-miler, and each of those are making this race an appealing one to watch.

Does Juan Pablo Montoya or Sam Hornish Jr. have a chance to be the first crossover winner in Speedway history? Can Jeff Gordon become a 5-time winner at IMS? Is there a driver lurking the shadows that we haven't talked about ready to make a run at history? And -- gasp -- does Dale Earnhardt Jr. really have a car that can compete for a win today?

We'll know in just 160 laps. Until then, enjoy the race and we'll see you right here after the race for extensive post-race coverage, live from Brickyard.

FanHouse Warmup: Allstate 400 originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sun, 26 Jul 2009 10:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Mark Martin Wins Pole for AllState 400

Holly Cain — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 17:32:00 EST

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Juan Pablo Montoya, Mark Martin, Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Sprint Cup

INDIANAPOLIS -- The hits keep coming for 50-year-old Mark Martin. He leads NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series with four wins and Saturday won the pole position for one of the most prestigious events of the season, Sunday's AllState 400 at the Brickyard.

He is the oldest pole winner in the storied 100-year history of Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

"I like making history that's for sure," Martin said with a smile. "I can promise you one thing: no matter what, there is nobody in NASCAR having more fun than me. And ultimately that's what it's all about."

Martin will have veteran company at the front of the grid with 53-year old Bill Elliott earning the fourth starting position in a part-time entry fielded by the legendary Woods Brothers team.

Former Indianapolis 500 winner Juan Pablo Montoya will start alongside Martin on the outside pole. Dale Earnhardt Jr. will roll off third -- his first top-10 start of the season and an impressive qualifying run considering he's suffering from the stomach flu and has needed IVs to keep hydrated this weekend.

At one point, Earnhardt's team had made arrangements for Brad Keselowski to stand by in the pits Sunday as a possible relief driver. But Earnhardt said after qualifying that he would "man up" and that he's feeling better as the weekend progresses.

"I feel a lot more confident about coming in tomorrow," Earnhardt said. "Yesterday was just a frustrating and miserable day physically."

David Reutimann, Brian Vickers, two-time race winner Tony Stewart, Kasey Kahne, Reed Sorenson and Clint Bowyer rounded out the top 10. Defending winner Jimmie Johnson will start 16th and four-time Brickyard winner Jeff Gordon will roll off 22nd.

Qualifying results were similar to Friday's two practice sessions. Martin and Montoya were quickest then and also were fortunate to draw early qualifying positions. Heavy rains delayed qualifying for almost four hours and the temperatures were more than 10 degrees cooler for the early qualifiers than those that came later as the afternoon sun heated up the track.

Martin went out third, Montoya was 17th.

"You should have seen the light in all my guys faces," Martin said. "The most fun of everything we're doing here is to see their faces. It's just really really cool and we got to do that again today.

"I'm a pretty tough unit, I have a lot of disappointments but I feel like them, like I do my children. I don't want them to have to suffer through disappointments. I put a lot of pressure on myself to get a good lap today so I didn't let then down.

"The media had high expectations for me coming into the season, but my expectations were what eventually ground me into the ground and took the fun out of racing for me -- being burned out, tired and frustrated,'' Martin said. "So to be rejuvenated after a couple years of catching my breath and then have this crazy success we're experiencing is even beyond my dreams."

Mark Martin Wins Pole for AllState 400 originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sat, 25 Jul 2009 17:32:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Daytona's 'Big One' Takes Earnhardt Out Of Race Early

Holly Cain — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:45:00 EST

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne, Daytona Int'l Speedway, NASCAR Crashes, Hendrick Motorsports

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- The "Big One," a 13-car accident at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday night took out fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr. before NASCAR's Coke Zero 400 was even halfway complete.

The accident on the backstretch was triggered when Kasey Kahne's Dodge tapped David Stremme's Dodge from behind. Eleven more cars were collected, including Earnhardt and his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jeff Gordon -- both truly innocent victims of the smoky melee.

Earnhardt, the 2001 winner of this race, entered the weekend needing a good run, acknowledging Friday that his championship chances are dwindling. He was 285 points behind 12th place Juan Pablo Montoya entering the night. Only the top 12 drivers qualify for NASCAR's version of playoffs and there are only eight more races before the championship field is set.

"I guess there were a couple of guys going for the same piece of real estate and I tried to stay high, '' an obviously disappointed Earnhardt said. "The National Guard Chevrolet was just getting going. I thought we had a shot of getting up there and mixing it up with the leaders. ''

Gordon's Chevrolet was able to continue, although badly damaged. Their teammate Mark Martin was involved in an accident on lap 14 and the fourth member of the Hendrick stable, Jimmie Johnson, was a top-five car all evening, ultimately finishing second.

Earnhardt ended up being credited with 39th place and dropped two positions in the standings to 21st - 356 points behind new 12th place driver Kasey Kahne.

Daytona's 'Big One' Takes Earnhardt Out Of Race Early originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sat, 04 Jul 2009 22:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

FanHouse Warmup: Coke Zero 400

Geoffrey Miller — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Clint Bowyer, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Sprint Cup

The Essentials

Race: Coke Zero 400 @ Daytona

Where: Daytona Int'l Speedway
Time: Saturday 8:00pm/EDT
TV/Radio: TNT, MRN Radio
Twitter: Updates at FanHouseRacing
Forecast: 74 degrees, Partly Cloudy
Distance: 160 laps (400 miles)
Pole Winner: Tony Stewart
2008 Winner: Kyle Busch

The Storylines

Harking back to the DEI days of old, it's not hard to assume why Dale Earnhardt Jr. is finally coming to a track in 2009 where he'll have a legitimate shot to win.

Not only does Daytona afford Earnhardt a chance to get away from the tracks that his No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports machine has so mightily struggled at, but it also puts him back at a track he's won at twice. Additionally, for current drivers who have raced at Daytona more than 15 times, Earnhardt holds the best average finish overall.

The first trip to Daytona in 2009 for Earnhardt didn't end well with pit road miscues and a bad move on the backstretch that triggered a big crash in the Daytona 500. In fact, the number of mistakes Earnhardt made in the season-opener should, theoretically, not leave room for anymore in Saturday's 400-miler.

There'll be some fireworks off the track, but with the frustration seen by the No. 88 camp in 2009, don't be surprised if Earnhardt is looking to ignite his own with bold moves in an effort to finally find victory lane again.

If you got a look at last night's Nationwide race, you saw the first implementation of the double-file restart rule for that series and also a look at how dramatically the rule could shake up a race with a late caution.

Sure, two-wide, three-wide or four-wide aren't out of the realm of possibilities at NASCAR's restrictor plate tracks, and the cars generally don't have a problem getting side-by-side after a single-file restart. The biggest change, though, is how hairy a green-white-checkered finish at the plate tracks can now become.

It didn't pan out like it could of in the Nationwide Series race, but when Clint Bowyer took the white flag of Friday night's festivities on a GWC finish and nearly immediately saw a yellow flag, he knew right away that he had avoided a wild last-lap dash for the win.

Simply, the double-file restarts are going to give more drivers a chance to win a plate race thanks to a multiple drafting lanes already in place before the final green flag falls. And that, my friends, should make things just a little bit more exciting.

Time to break out the decal machine at Richard Childress Racing for Bowyer's win because of a deal that the three drivers of the No. 29 Holiday Inn machine made at the start of the year.

Because they didn't know which name to put on the car (Bowyer's, Jeff Burton's or Stephen Leicht's), the trio made a deal that whoever wins the most races by July's Daytona races got their name permanently on the car for the rest of 2009.

Bowyer's win is the only one for the RCR camp in 2009, so look for a Clint Bowyer Nationwide Series No. 29 near you.

It got a mention in our FH midseason report card, but isn't it amazing how NASCAR has seemingly done nothing from the public's point of view about keeping race cars from flying into the fence -- or worse -- at restrictor plate tracks?

Carl Edwards' catchfence ballet at Talladega Superspeedway (that injured some 7 fans, of course) was horrendously scary and showed just how close to the edge these cars are from going through or over the designated fencing. In fact, you know its a big deal when Edwards ends up on Larry King to talk about his unexpected fence-climbing exploits.

Yet, NASCAR hasn't released any statements or discussed any further investigation to the matter.

I'm not saying that NASCAR has avoided trying to look at the problem, but we honestly don't know if a team of experts have been summoned to look at Edwards' wreck or if NASCAR is just sticking its head in the sand and claiming that problems don't exist.

The Prediction

Geoffrey Miller: Kyle Busch

FanHouse Warmup: Coke Zero 400 originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sat, 04 Jul 2009 18:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Daytona Trackside: Earnhardt and Petty

Holly Cain — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 14:41:00 EST

Filed under: Carl Edwards, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Daytona Int'l Speedway, Chase for the Sprint Cup

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Catching up on the news and notes trackside at Daytona International Speedway.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. met with reporters briefly Friday and seemed pretty much resigned to the fact that he won't be making the 12-driver Chase for the Championship this season. He's currently ranked 19th, 285 points behind 12th place Juan Pablo Montoya with nine races remaining before the Chase field is set Sept. 12.

"It's going to be a real challenge for us to make the Chase,'' Earnhardt said. "We're still mathematically in it but we're not trying to catch just one guy. .. we're trying to catch four or five guys. And it's unrealistic to expect all them guys to have enough trouble.

"For us to top-ten 'em to death ain't gonna get it done. So we've got to run better and even though we have improved it seems, we still need to get better and be able to compete."

Earnhardt, who has 12 wins at Daytona International Speedway (counting all series races), conceded that getting to victory circle is the more pressing goal right now. That would give his team and new crew chief Lance McGrew the kind of momentum it needs for the off-season.

"At the end of the year when you're done racing at Homestead and you've run the last lap and you get out of the car, what kind of feeling do you want to have?

"The one I want to have is that we've fixed it. We've got something that we can feel good about and work on and get all our stuff ready for next year and feel like we can go in and get the job done.

"Right now, that's not how we feel as a team.

"We want to have some wins and some consistency and end the year going,'all right, can't wait 'til next year.' ''

*Lost in the all breaking news and controversy regarding embattled driver Jeremy Mayfield is the good news that the first inductees have been nominated for the soon-to-open NASCAR Hall of Fame in Charlotte.

A voting panel will select five people from the ballot, which includes a long list of stock car pioneers from NASCAR founder Bill France Sr., to the original moonshiner runner Junior Johnson to legendary champions Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt to accomplished team owners such as Richard Childress.

It's pretty obvious that that first inductees will have to include France and Petty but there are several schools of thought on who should make the inaugural class beyond those two men.

"If I was doing it, I'd take some from the 1950s, 60s then go to next level,'' Petty said Friday. "I would put the people that got NASCAR started, the people that planted the seed. Then the people that came along next.

"It's going to be a tough decision on the Bill Frances do you put one in or both of them? I would look at history, the people that really got it started. ... If you're not careful you're going to start putting personalities in. ... You have to be careful not to make it a popularity contest.''

*In honor of the 25th anniversary of Petty's 200th and final NASCAR Cup win, which came in this race, the icon will drive the pace car prior for the Coke Zero 400.

"They're going to start me in the front and I haven't got a restrictor plate,'' Petty joked with reporters. "When they throw the flag and I'm getting ready to lap them, they'll throw the flag and I'll come in like a 'start and park' car.

"It really brings back a lot of good memories. This is a very special deal.''

*With rain cancelling Sprint Cup qualifying Friday for the fifth time and shortening three races this year, NASCAR has been under the gun to consider time changes for race starts - specifically, making it more uniform.

The National Football League, for example, starts its Sunday games at 1 and 4 every week. Fans can count on it and schedule their day around the games. As it is now, NASCAR has 1 p.m., 2 p.m., 3 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. starts.

Driver Kyle Busch said he'd be in favor of setting earlier, more definitive race times.

"Definitely, for sure,'' Busch said. "With the way NASCAR runs now you need a TV program or you're all confused. If it's a night race, start it at 7 and if it's a day race, 1 or 2. If you're on the West Coast, start it there at 10 a.m."

*After his car went airborne into the catch fence along the front grandstands at Talladega, Ala. in April, Carl Edwards crawled out of the mangled mess, ran across the finish line and then told the television audience that restrictor plate racing might end up killing someone.

In the days after the race, Edwards backed off the strong comments, but many others called for a change in rules that would better prevent the kind of last lap melee that has the potential to send cars airborne endangering the driver and spectator.

Many others felt the incident - when eventual winner Brad Keselowski bumped Edwards from behind - was just a racing incident - severe, but one-of-a-kind and a consequence of the sport.

Edwards moved to block Keselowski from passing him and the two cars collided sending Edwards Ford into the grandstands, where six people were injured from flying debris.

Edwards said at Daytona this week that he really hasn't thought much of the wreck in months and was completely comfortable for Saturday's restrictor plate 400-miler at Daytona.

"Honestly, I've had wrecks that were worse feeling than that by far,'' Edwards said. "That one was pretty wild and the potential for something bad to happen was maybe a little higher.

"If I had to do it over again, I think it would end up probably the same way. At least I'm aware more of the fact that, hey, there's something that can happen that I hadn't thought of before.

"It's funny. In racing you forget about those wrecks quick and then you go do the same stupid stuff again and again.''

Edwards Roush-Fenway Racing teammate said that the calls to change rules or car components as a reaction to the crash weren't really practical.

"Change it to what?'' Kenseth asked. "That's the question.

"Everybody's like, 'the rules have got to change.' They'll (NASCAR) say, what to you guys want to change it to? and then everybody's like, 'I don't know.'

"Certainly the wreck that he (Edwards) had and even me being upside down that Saturday at Talladega, those are the guys that are probably going to make the comments.

"I just don't know what you do. ... You're going to have wrecks, no matter what the package was.''

Daytona Trackside: Earnhardt and Petty originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sat, 04 Jul 2009 14:41:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

FH NASCAR Grades: Midseason Report

Geoffrey Miller — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 06:47:00 EST

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Sprint Cup

Saturday night's Coke Zero 400 at Daytona will mark the official midway point of the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup season. Naturally, it's a great time to review what we've seen so far from the Cup boys, their teams, the series and the tracks. First, we'll start with the not-so-hot performers:

Motorsports FanHouse Grade: F

Dale Earnhardt Jr. - It's been easy to see why the season for driver No. 88 has earned a failing grade. He's been slowly -- very slowly -- improving of late, but still has no chance for the Chase in 2009 and has one track left with a great chance to win at -- Daytona.

NASCAR's handling of Carl Long - NASCAR claims that their $200K fine and suspension of part-time driver Long for an engine that was too big in practice of the All-Star qualifying race was just and fair. But tell me, should a guy's livelihood be irreparably harmed for bringing an engine that didn't race, much less, wasn't tainted with an additive like, oh, jet fuel?

Danica Patrick Rumors - There's been plenty of snooping and scooping on the front of IndyCar driver Danica Patrick coming to NASCAR, but she's yet to sign a deal. Until then, the erroneous reports are getting very old quite fast, just like Danica's insistence that she should compete in the Sprint Cup Series right away. Perhaps she should ask a guy named Montoya about that.

Motorsports FanHouse Grade: D

Richard Childress Racing - With nary a win or a driver inside the top-12 of the Sprint Cup point standings, 2009 has just been a miserable year for the RCR outfit. New Hampshire saw improvements, but for at least half of the drivers (Casey Mears and Kevin Harvick) the Chase is a foregone conclusion -- meaning it ain't gonna happen. Jeff Burton blamed it on a lack of offseason preparation, and you can imagine the testing ban hasn't helped.

Kyle Busch's post-race celebrations/tantrums - He's broken a guitar, stashed a Nationwide Series car on the opposite side of the track for his team and avoided the only communication tool he has with fans like the plague when things haven't gone right. Yet, he's done some freakin' awesome burnouts and apologizing for the wreck at New Hampshire was the right step to take. Baby steps.

Race Start Times - NASCAR standardized most start times to an estimated 2:15pm/ET reading on the clock in 2009, but the starting time of races has burned the sanctioning body many times because of rain. Take Daytona and Charlotte as the main examples (started too late, of course). It's supposed to help the west coast viewers, but come on, fans will watch when their sport is on. Just ask anybody who digest a season of F1 racing.

Motorsports FanHouse Grade: C

Roush-Fenway Racing - Carl Edwards who? The rise of David Ragan? Jamie McMurray finally coming into his own? This whole team has backfired in 2009's first half, and it's been quite surprising. Don't expect it to continue for the top drivers at the organization, though.

Catch-fencing improvements - To me, Carl Edwards flying into the Talladega catchfence was simply too close for comfort. I've listened to NASCAR and track folks talk about how the wreck required the right circumstances that are highly unusual, but that's foolish. It happened once, it'll happen again, and who's to say the cars won't fly above the catchfence next time? Can we then blame a calamity on circumstances, too?

Joe Gibbs Racing - I can't help but think if there's any connection to the reduced dominance of this team (namely, Kyle Busch) since the Nationwide Series inspection scandal at Michigan at the end of last summer. Not that the team was cheating, but would it surprise you if Joe or J.D. Gibbs ordered the team to retreat from gray areas that were helping with competition? I don't think so.

Regardless, this team was expected and expected a lot more so far in 2009, and it hasn't happened to the full extent.

Motorsports FanHouse Grade: B

Hendrick Motorsports - It's hard to fault a team that is holding down a combined win total of 6 in 2009 with three drivers qualified at the moment for the Chase. But then, of course, one turns to the No. 88 side of things and you see why an 'A' isn't in the cards. The economic figures in the sport, though, hope he is triumphant in his comeback.

Fuel Mileage - Already a handful of races have been won by fuel mileage in 2009, and to me that's a very cool thing. It doesn't translate as well onto the television broadcast, but when you're at the track, listening to the in-car audio of the stretching drivers, fuel mileage races become high-speed dramas. Look no further than Michigan for how exciting a last lap can get with drivers on fumes.

Motorsports FanHouse Grade: A

Ambrose/Reutimann side of JTG/MWR - Some will cry foul about David Reutimann's Coca-Cola 600 win, but the dude and his team simply deserved it. They've been noticeably more competitive than his likely-retiring owner Michael Waltrip, and another race win isn't out of the spectrum.

As for Marcos Ambrose, the Australian's driving talent is really starting to show through on many tracks, which is doubly awesome for NASCAR because of his infectiously humorous and happy-go-lucky lifestyle. Face it: It's fun to watch Marcos Ambrose finish well.

Tony Stewart's cunning moves - Yes, Stewart-Haas Racing gets an 'A' for two race wins in 2009, but more importantly, a big pat on the back to Tony Stewart is owed. Not only did he start a new, successful team, but he also roped in the best equipment in the business to supply it, Hendrick Motorsports.

The partnership will probably bite Hendrick down the road, but in the meantime, Stewart's a competitive guy when no one thought he'd be. Talk about icing on his self-proving cake.

NASCAR's ears - Let's give some credit to NASCAR for actually opening up for once, and also for making a needed rule change. The town hall meeting? A nice gesture for everyone involved in the sport, and to see the double-file restarts implemented so quickly thereafter? You've got to like the new face of NASCAR we're seeing as fans.

Agree or Disagree? Make your grades in the comments below!

FH NASCAR Grades: Midseason Report originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 03 Jul 2009 06:47:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

FanHouse Warmup: LifeLock 400

Geoffrey Miller — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Brian Vickers, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Sprint Cup

The Essentials

Race: LifeLock 400

Where: Michigan Int'l Speedway
Time: Sunday 2:00pm/EDT
TV/Radio: TNT, MRN Radio
Twitter: At-track updates at FanHouseRacing
Forecast: 75 degrees, Partly Sunny
Distance: 200 laps (400 miles)
Pole Winner: Brian Vickers
2008 Winner: Dale Earnhardt Jr.

The Storylines

It's now been a full year since NASCAR's most popular driver was in victory lane and a Dale Earnhardt Jr. win on Sunday would be a nice-sized upset -- though we can't really expect it.

After undergoing the crew chief change we all thought would never happen two weeeks ago, the No. 88 hasn't taken the world by storm, but it has certainly showed marked signs of improvement.

Earnhardt Jr. even commented on Saturday after posting the second-fastest lap time in practice about the level of support he's seen from his Rick Hendrick-owned team.

"I think Rick has gone far beyond what I anticipated in trying to get us assistance and trying to help me. More so, I'm surprised by how much the crew chiefs and drivers are participating and trying to help us," said Earnhardt Jr.

In other words, nearly any excuse to not start contending for Top-5s has started to lose credibility because of the resources Earnhardt Jr. has. I get the feeling, though, he wants it that way.

I can't say I'm disappointed to hear that Bruton Smith doesn't think there will be a Sprint Cup race at his 1.5-mile Kentucky Speedway in 2010.

The track hosted its annual Nationwide Series event on Saturday night with Joey Logano taking the checkers. From the laps I saw, the track has a little wider groove than most of the flatter, d-shaped tracks on the schedule, but still doesn't offer any 'wow!' factor to the average race viewer.

Have no fear, though -- Smith will get his way eventually and have Sprint Cup racing in Kentucky, but ya just might have to wait awhile.

Impeccable might be the best word to describe the forecast for Sunday's weather in Brooklyn, Mich., home of MIS, after a downright evil system or 12 threw off many racing plans over the past few weeks.

In fact, forecasters are saying it will be a mostly sunny day with a high of 74 degrees in the Irish Hills Region.

The Prediction

I'd feel beyond terrible if Brian Vickers handed Red Bull Racing their first team win ever and I didn't pick him. That leaves me without any options:

Geoffrey Miller: Brian Vickers

FanHouse Warmup: LifeLock 400 originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sun, 14 Jun 2009 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Busch, Earnhardt Jr. Spar Again at MIS

Geoffrey Miller — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:07:00 EST

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch, Sprint Cup

A year removed from Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s last victory and a week removed from Kyle Busch's controversial guitar smash, the latter couldn't help but sway the conversation back to the driver who has become his primary off-track target.

And this time, Busch not only went after the commander of the No. 88 ship, but Earnhardt Jr.'s army of fans, too.

"I got no issues with Junior; it's his fans that are crazy," said Busch.

More Coverage: Vickers Wins Pole, Eyes Red Bull Win

That, folks, is how you get even further to the wrong side of NASCAR's largest fan base.

Busch was talking about the fan reaction to his attempt at rock stardom last weekend at Nashville Superspeedway, and had previously said during his Friday interview time with the media at Michigan International Speedway that Earnhardt Jr. fans were the ones who were most against it.

"A lot of people enjoyed it," Busch said of his post-race antics. "A lot of people hated it. I guess those are the ones with 88s tattooed on their arms, or maybe still 8s."

Busch, of course, was referring to Earnhardt Jr.'s current and past car numbers.

Wild NASCAR Fans

Fan Of: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Where: Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Speedway, Ind.
When: 2005

Click through the gallery to see more NASCAR fanatic photos.

Rusty Jarrett, Getty Images

Fan Of: Jeff Gordon
Where: Daytona International Speedway
When: 2009

Rusty Jarrett, Getty Images for NASCAR

Fan Of: Dale Earnhardt
Where: Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Ala.
When: 2005

Nick Laham, Getty Images

Fans Of: Matt Kenseth and Bobby Labonte
Where: Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn.
When: 2007

Jason Smith, Getty Images for NASCAR

Fan Of: Driver Autographs
Where: Lowe's Motor Speedway in in Concord, N.C.
When: 2008

Rusty Jarrett, Getty Images for NASCAR

Fan Of: The Earnhardts and Beer Bongs
Where: Atlanta Motor Speedway in Hampton, Ga.
When: 2005

Nick Laham, Getty Images

Fan Of: Denny Hamlin
Where: Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Ala.
When: 2007

Chris Graythen, Getty Images

Fan Of: Flags
Where: Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del.
When: 2008

Chris Graythen, Getty Images

Fan Of: Carl Edwards
Where: Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del.
When: 2008

Chris Graythen, Getty Images

Fan Of: Team Owner Ray Evernham
Where: Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tenn.
When: 2007

Chris Graythen, Getty Images

The jab was the second in three weeks aimed from Busch to Earnhardt Jr., but this time Earnhardt felt compelled to respond.

"I really don't see how that argument really is that relevant to anything and I don't even know really what kind of problem he has or what kind of solution he wants. I don't really get into it," said Earnhardt Jr. later in the afternoon.

"My fans will handle themselves. They're good people," Earnhardt Jr. said. "We've got a lot of great fans that follow this sport and they're very loyal to us and we need them more now than ever right now, so I think anyone who would be calling them out and stirring them up is causing problems not only for himself but everyone else in this sport."

While Busch certainly is just adding the driest of kindling to an inferno of fan spite thanks to his both his on-track winning percentage and his off-track decisions, I can't really see what he said impacting the sport negatively.

Instead, it's more likely to inject more support of Earnhardt Jr. from his fans and a few more boos come Sunday during driver introductions for driver No. 18.

But, come on, after attempting to smash a Gibson Les Paul trophy in victory lane, can Busch really fall any lower in the eyes of those who don't call him a favorite or wear the M&M's T-shirts?

All together now: That's just Kyle being Kyle.

And that's how it'll be, whether we like it or not.

Busch, Earnhardt Jr. Spar Again at MIS originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 12 Jun 2009 19:07:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Junior's Free Ride With Fans Must End

David Whitley — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 16:32:00 EST

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Hendrick Motorsports

There's been a lot of hubbub recently over Dale Earnhardt Jr. becoming the Frank Sinatra Jr. of NASCAR. However you feel, everybody should agree on one thing.

Thank goodness the Junior Nation wasn't running the show back in 1776. If it had we'd all have British accents and be curtsying before royalty.

Junior fans obviously believe in the Divine Right of Kings. Nothing else can explain why Earnhardt Jr. still sits on NASCAR's throne.

In the last 112 races, he has won once. That's 12 fewer checkered flags than Kyle Busch, 20 fewer than Jimmie Johnson and only one more than Stevie Wonder.

If he were a baseball player, Junior would have been sent to the minors a year go. If he were a football player, he would have become an Arena League tackling dummy. If he were a basketball player, Isiah Thomas would have traded for him.

But he is Little E, so he still rules everything in NASCAR, except the winner's circle.

Earnhardt has been voted the sport's most popular driver six straight years. Unless he is spotted on a bin Laden videotape, he will probably make it seven in a row this season.

Junior Nation, pardon the rest of the world if we just don't get it.

Everybody understands the legacy part. Dale Earnhardt Sr. was beloved in life and has become Elvis in death. His son would naturally inherit a lot of the love, hopes and dreams.

If only he had inherited more of his father's driving ability. Forget dad, too bad he doesn't have Kyle Busch's skills.

That comparison infuriates Junior Nation, a large portion of which is in serious denial. At first Earnhardt's problems were caused by the evil stepmother who seized control of the family racing business.

Then Junior escaped her clutches last year and signed with Hendrick Motorsports, the best team in the business. It has produced Johnson, Jeff Gordon and even turned 87-year-old Mark Martin back into a winner.

All that, and Earnhardt was barely in the top 20 season in this season's standings. That led to last week's removal of his crew chief/cousin Tony Eury.

Yeah, it was all his fault.

Part of it undoubtedly was, just as part of the problem was Teresa Earnhardt, just as part of it was the fact the dog ate Junior's homework. A lot of people share some blame, but the man behind the wheel admits you don't go 1-for-112 without some contribution from the driver.

"There really isn't one thing you can put your finger on as to why it didn't work," Earnhardt said. "I take full responsibility for making some mistakes along the way, especially this year. ... I would definitely say that I haven't been on my game."

But is his best game good enough to justify being proclaimed the King of NASCAR? Something about that contradicts what the sport is all about.

If you cut open NASCAR's heart, it would bleed red, white and blue. Daytona is "The Great American Race." NASCAR Moms and Dads vote for traditional values.

Fans flout their independence from those other stuffy leagues. Drivers aren't raised with a sense of entitlement. Guys go to work and come home dirty. It's Americana, which is why there was a near revolt when Toyota started running those darned Japanese cars around our homeland tracks.

All that makes racing a sport our Founding Fathers would be proud of. Yet Junior Nation's attitude would leave Thomas Jefferson scratching his head.

His "all men are created equal" was a direct rebuttal of Divine Right. It's the belief that a monarch is appointed by God, and any attempt to depose him will be considered heresy.

It reached it zenith with the House of Tudor and House of Stuart. We fought the Revolutionary War to escape King George and his divine lineage. Now the most American of sports has given us the House of Earnhardt.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Photos

Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s team manager Brian Whitesell, left, and interim crew chief Lance McGrew, right, watch from the pits during the NASCAR Autism Speaks 400 auto race Sunday, May 31, 2009, at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s interim crew chief Lance McGrew watches from the pits during the NASCAR Autism Speaks 400 auto race Sunday, May 31, 2009, at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

DOVER, DE - MAY 31: Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 DuPont Chevrolet, races Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Autism Speaks 400 at Dover International Speedway on May 31, 2009 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Chris Trotman/Getty Images)

Getty Images

DOVER, DE - MAY 31: Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet, races David Ragan, driver of the #6 UPS Ford, and Jeff Burton, driver of the #31 Caterpillar Chevrolet, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Autism Speaks 400 at Dover International Speedway on May 31, 2009 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Mark Martin (5) and Dale Earnhardt Jr. (88) head into turn one during the NASCAR Autism Speaks 400 auto race Sunday, May 31, 2009, at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

Dale Earnhardt Jr. waits on pit road prior to the start of the NASCAR Autism Speaks 400 auto race Sunday, May 31, 2009, at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

Scott Speed, left, and Dale Earnhardt Jr., right, talk during driver introductions before the NASCAR Autism Speaks 400 auto race Sunday, May 31, 2009, at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del. (AP Photo/Rob Carr)

DOVER, DE - MAY 31: Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet, stands on the grid prior to the start of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Autism Speaks 400 at Dover International Speedway on May 31, 2009 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Getty Images

Members of Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s pit crew work on his car before the start of the NASCAR Autism Speaks 400 auto race, Sunday, May 31, 2009, at Dover International Speedway in Dover, Del. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

DOVER, DE - MAY 31: Joey Logano, driver of the #20 Home Depot Toyota, races Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Autism Speaks 400 at Dover International Speedway on May 31, 2009 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Dale Sr. ruled NASCAR, and his son will inherit the kingdom no matter what he does. Or doesn't do, like win.

The thing is, Junior never really asked to be King. He has no choice because of his bloodline and the fact millions of fans want to be his loyal subjects.

That's put untold pressure on him over the years. I'd feel sorry for him if he hadn't made $35 million last year living the royal lifestyle. Imagine what Junior would make if he wasn't batting .010 in his last 100 plate appearances.

Maybe his revamped team will turn things around. Or maybe what we have here is just a good driver with a great name.

That would be enough for his Nation to keep him on NASCAR's throne. But our Founding Fathers, Earnhardt's father and even Jr. would prefer he get the job the old fashioned way.

By earning it.

Junior's Free Ride With Fans Must End originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 05 Jun 2009 16:32:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Dover a Monster Success for Dale Jr.

Geoffrey Miller — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 22:30:00 EST

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Sprint Cup, Hendrick Motorsports

Sure, he didn't get the race win and he certainly didn't challenge for it. The No. 88 didn't finish in the Top-10 and it never led a lap.

But was Sunday's Autism Speaks 400 at Dover International Speedway a rousing improvement for Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s, uh, lackluster season? Can we really say a 12th-place finish is a good thing for a Hendrick Motorsports driver?

Well, in this situation, your darn right we can -- even though driver No. 88 may not exactly agree.

"There was eleven other guys out there that deserve an interview better than I do," said Earnhardt Jr. immediately after the race when what looked to be a hefty swarm of reporters surrounded him and the No. 88 hauler.

And it's not that you can blame the guy for thinking that, it's just that the way his season has progressed until the green flag of Sunday's race seemed to completely change when the flagman displayed that starting flag.

He ran high, ran low and -- most importantly -- seemed to be giving improved feedback to his crew in a manner that a nervous employee during his first day on the job would. Earnhardt sounded nervous and probably was because his cousin and longtime crew chief Tony Eury Jr. wasn't calling the shots anymore. Now, it was the Hendrick brain trust of guys to handle the No. 88.

And for a while, it worked. The No. 88 moved as high as third place at one point after seemingly handing the bad driving karma off to his Hendrick teammate Jeff Gordon. In its place? A more sensible setup and a comfortable car to drive.

The finish wasn't perfect, but the mission was -- restore a little bit of confidence in Earnhardt and go from there.

You can bet that Earnhardt Jr. wanted more than anything to not get the Danica Patrick-like treatment from the reporters who only really were looking to capitalize on how this 18-time Sprint Cup race winner was suddenly coming alive again. That'll happen, though, when 1) the sport's single most popular driver has been in the tank and 2) when you actually have a good line of communication and rapport with the racing media (Ahem, Kyle Busch, that one's for you.)

Let's face it: NASCAR does need Earnhardt Jr. to pick up the pace and make it interesting as we head towards the Chase for the Sprint Cup in September. Moreso, we need more of Earnhardt Jr. vs. Kyle Busch to happen thanks to the villian status the mute driver of the No. 18 has turned into in the Cup Series.

Don't get me wrong -- I'm not saying Earnhardt Jr. can win the championship now, but I am saying that Sunday we saw a team that with a little more cohesion and time to work on the cars from the pit box can definitely compete NASCAR heads down the stretch. More importantly, though, we saw a race car driver that can in fact race with the big teams in the pack, contrary to the claims of a lot people who felt Earnhardt Jr was a no-good has-been.

Frankly, that's not the case. Dale Earnhardt Jr. can win and will win again in this series -- it'll just take a matter of time.

Dover a Monster Success for Dale Jr. originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Mon, 01 Jun 2009 22:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Busch Takes Shot at Earnhardt Jr.

FanHouse Newswire — Fri, 29 May 2009 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kyle Busch, Sprint Cup, Hendrick Motorsports

DOVER, Del. (AP) -- Kyle Busch couldn't resist taking a poke at the driver who replaced him at Hendrick Motorsports.

Busch's career has skyrocketed since signing with Joe Gibbs Racing, while Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s sagging career has hit an all-time low. On Wednesday night, team owner Rick Hendrick had enough, firing Earnhardt's longtime crew chief Tony Eury Jr. in an attempt to salvage the season.

"It's never Junior. It's always the crew chief," said Busch, who wonders when fans might finally blame NASCAR's most popular driver for his slumping start.

Earnhardt is 19th in points and coming off a season-worst 40th-place finish at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

"Eventually, I'm going to be the one that has to answer about how much I lived up to my father's name," Earnhardt said Friday at Dover International Speedway.

And he's ready to take the heat from anyone who wants to take shots -- even Busch.

"He's always had a chip on his shoulder for me," Earnhardt said. "I expect any opportunity to throw a jab at me, he'll do it. That's just his personality."

Earnhardt understands that without Eury Jr. around to deflect criticism, it's up to him to find the spark that will jolt the No. 88 into contention for the Chase for the championship.

Earnhardt couldn't say why the pairing with his cousin flopped, but he pointed the finger for the back-of-the-pack finishes at himself.

"I take full responsibility for making some mistakes along the way, especially this year," he said. "I would say I haven't been on my game. I shoulder any amount of responsibility that's necessary and everybody feels is fair."

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Photos

DOVER, DE - MAY 29: Dale Earnhardt Jr. (C), driver of the #88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet, talks with interim crew chief Brian Whitesell (R) and a crew member in the garage during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Autism Speaks 400 at Dover International Speedway on May 29, 2009 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

Getty Images

DOVER, DE - MAY 29: Dale Earnhardt Jr. (L), driver of the #88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet, talks with interim crew chief Brian Whitesell in the garage during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Autism Speaks 400 at Dover International Speedway on May 29, 2009 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)

Getty Images

DOVER, DE - MAY 29: Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet, stands on pit road during qualifying for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Autism Speaks 400 at Dover International Speedway on May 29, 2009 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Getty Images

DOVER, DE - MAY 29: Dale Earnhardt Jr., drives the #88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Autism Speaks 400 at Dover International Speedway on May 29, 2009 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Todd Warshaw/Getty Images)

Getty Images

DOVER, DE - MAY 29: Dale Earnhardt Jr., stands by the #88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet, during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Autism Speaks 400 at Dover International Speedway on May 29, 2009 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Getty Images

DOVER, DE - MAY 29: Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet, stands in the garage during practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Autism Speaks 400 at Dover International Speedway on May 29, 2009 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Jerry Markland/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Getty Images

DOVER, DE - MAY 29: (L-R) Interim crew chief Lance McGrew and team manager Brian Whitesell of the #88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet, driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr., speak to the media prior to practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Autism Speaks 400 at Dover International Speedway on May 29, 2009 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Getty Images

DOVER, DE - MAY 29: Interim crew chief Lance McGrew of the #88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet, driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr., speaks to the media prior to practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Autism Speaks 400 at Dover International Speedway on May 29, 2009 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Getty Images

DOVER, DE - MAY 29: Team manager Brian Whitesell of the #88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet, driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr., speaks to the media prior to practice for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Autism Speaks 400 at Dover International Speedway on May 29, 2009 in Dover, Delaware. (Photo by Jason Smith/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Getty Images

Team manager Brian Whitesell will call the shots this weekend at Dover. Next week, Lance McGrew, who has previous crew chief experience in the Cup series with former Hendrick driver Brian Vickers, will take over on an interim basis at Pocono Raceway.

McGrew, who was working with Brad Keselowski this weekend, said making the Chase for the championship is still the goal this season.

Earnhardt finished last in the 12-driver Chase field in 2008. This season, Earnhardt is a whopping 203 points out of the 12th place cutoff for the Chase. He's had three top-10 finishes and six finishes of 27th or worse.

Hendrick driver Jimmie Johnson said Eury will work with his team next week on road course testing because crew chief Chad Knaus will be unavailable.

Earnhardt and Eury spent Tuesday and Wednesday testing on the road course at Virginia International Raceway. Hendrick told them he was splitting them up when they returned Wednesday evening.

Busch said the Eury-Earnhardt combination hasn't been clicking since last summer.

"You've got to make the most popular driver in the sport competitive, so you got to do what you got to do," Busch said. "He's the one who brought that crew chief on. He's the one who pulled so hard to bring Eury in."

Busch has 11 Cup wins for JGR since the start of the 2008 season. Eury Jr. and Earnhardt left Dale Earnhardt Inc. last season for Hendrick Motorsports. Despite driving for NASCAR's top team, they had just one win in 48 races.

Earnhardt is well behind teammates Jeff Gordon (first), Johnson (fourth) and Mark Martin (12th) in the points standings.

"There's no substantial differences in how the No. 88 is being run versus the other teams," Whitesell said. "I do feel the personalities and the fact of them being family may have been a factor."

Earnhardt said he has not talked with Eury since Hendrick made the move.

Whitesell and Earnhardt got their first crack at working together on the No. 88 during qualifying later Friday. Earnhardt turned a lap of 154.799 mph and qualified 22nd, his best start since Talladega.

"I feel his talent is exactly where he needs to be," Whitesell said.

Keselowski, the rookie Talladega winner, ran a lap of 152.265 and failed to qualify.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. The information contained in the AP news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press. Active hyperlinks have been inserted by AOL.

Busch Takes Shot at Earnhardt Jr. originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 29 May 2009 21:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Drivers React to NASCAR's Drug Testing

Holly Cain — Fri, 15 May 2009 20:32:00 EST

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Greg Biffle, Jeff Gordon, Mark Martin, Sprint Cup

Mark Martin was worried about taking an anti-inflammatory pill so the 50-year old veteran driver called up the head of NASCAR's new drug testing program to see if he could take an Advil without violating policy.

Greg Biffle was concerned enough about taking a simple over-the-counter pain medicine to help with an injury, he just opted to tough it out.

We still don't know what Sprint Cup driver Jeremy Mayfield tested positive for two weeks ago, resulting in him becoming the first Cup driver indefinitely suspended under a new random drug testing policy. And it has prompted many drivers to publicly ask for a definitive list of can-dos and should-nots.

More Coverage: No Need to Reveal Mayfield's Test

The sport's most famous driver has a simpler way of looking at it.

"The policy is a rule and don't violate it and that's that. ..." Dale Earnhardt Jr. said. "Don't take drugs. ... Regardless if you drive race cars or not, it's a dumb idea.

"Don't be ignorant."

And really isn't that what this all comes down to.

NASCAR's new drug testing policy includes random in-season testing for the first time as opposed to only testing under reasonable suspicion as it has done the previous five decades. Names are generated by a computer and typically a half dozen drivers are tested during each race weekend.

Obviously the list of banned substances would include any illegal drug like marijuana or cocaine. And it would include any prescription medicine that impairs your judgment. If the prescription has one of those little red stickers suggesting you don't operate machinery while taking the medicine. ... that would include driving 180 mph in a stock car race, too.

It gets a little more complicated with nutritional supplements and allergy medications, but each driver has the cell phone number for Dr. David Black, who is overseeing the testing program and who claims to be available around the clock for questions.

Four-time champion Jeff Gordon, for example, takes Allegra daily for severe allergies and said Friday that the drug policy program was fully aware of that. Gordon, however, also said he hasn't been tested randomly yet.

"It would be nice to know if I took too much Robitussin, if that was going to be something that was going to test positive and if that is considered a false positive," driver Ryan Newman said.

Providing the competitors with a list of banned substances -- as NASCAR does for crew members -- seems like a practical first step and it shouldn't be taken as a direct threat to the benevolent NASCAR dictatorship.

It's just the fair thing to do. The drivers can hand the list to their doctors and know specifically what to avoid and NASCAR has given fair notice.

Common sense goes both ways.

Why not test the drivers' A and B sample at the same time. If there's no appeal anyway and suspension comes only after a B sample also fails, let's cut to the chase.

Almost a full week passed between Mayfield's A sample coming back positive and then -- upon Mayfield's request -- testing the B sample he gave at the same time.

If NASCAR thought there was something questionable in Mayfield's system, why would they even allow him to take practice laps at Darlington, much less try to qualify for the race?

Talk about reasonable suspicion. To me, that is the most egregious part of this whole situation.

Mayfield has driven for some of the most respected team owners in NASCAR -- men like Roger Penske and Ray Evernham who hold high character standards. Most of his fellow drivers have withheld judgment because they don't know the full story yet.

"Everybody wants to know what the hell Jeremy did," Earnhardt said. "That's his business and NASCAR's business, and they'll handle it."

NASCAR isn't talking specifics and unless Mayfield, 39, reveals what he took and takes his case to the court of public opinion, we'll never know if this was a policy that worked well or needed a tweak.

The bottom line is, if a driver has a question, he should err on the side of caution.

This is the last thing NASCAR wants dominating headlines during its All-Star race weekend so there's no motivation in acting without certainty.

Drivers React to NASCAR's Drug Testing originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Fri, 15 May 2009 20:32:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Earnhardt's Answer: Control the Speeds

Holly Cain — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 17:01:00 EST

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR Crashes, Sprint Cup

Dale Earnhardt Jr. sees it quite simply. It's a numbers game.

The way to decrease the likelihood of a car going airborne into the grandstand fencing is to make the restrictor plates smaller (more restrictive), not to get rid of them. Not to change the track. Not to force fans to sit 50 rows back.

And not to overreact or sensationalize.

Earnhardt believes Carl Edwards' Ford slamming into the fence at Talladega, Ala. on Sunday -- injuring seven fans -- wasn't caused by careless and aggressive driving, but because the cars are going faster than what the current restrictor plates can safely handle in this kind of pack racing.

"If you really want to know what the situation is, that last lap of the race was the fastest lap ran, I do believe, by anybody,'' Earnhardt said Tuesday. "And Brad (Keselowski) ran a lap average of 199 miles an hour pushing the 99 car (Edwards).

"NASCAR is really wanting to see cars run around 190 mile-per-hour range. We are doing 10 more miles an hour being able to tag up and go bumper to bumper like we are. That's where the threshold is for cars getting airborne, is about the 195 mile-an-hour range. We have to think what we can do to get back under that threshold a little bit and not create this situation in the future," Earnhardt said. "It's always been there. We just have been lucky."

Terrifying Finish at Talladega

A push for victory takes a disastrous turn for Carl Edwards at Talladega Superspeedway. Contact from race winner Brad Keselowski on the final lap sends Edwards into a tailspin before he's lifted into the air by Ryan Newman (39). Click through to see more photos from Sunday's incredible race.

Rainier Ehrhardt, AP

Edwards' car went airborne and into the safety fence, scattering debris into the crowd and injuring multiple fans. "I'm glad the car didn't go up in the grandstands," he said. "I don't know if I could live with myself if I ended up in the grandstands."

Glenn Smith, AP

After landing back down on the track, Edwards had to climb out of his car as it sparked flames. "I just want to tell my mom, I'm OK," Edwards told the television audience. "I'm very fortunate."

Christian Petersen, Getty Image

Edwards was quick to put some blame on NASCAR's use of restrictor plates to combat the high speed of the two fastest tracks -- Talladega and Daytona. The plates keep cars packed together, and all it takes is one wrong move to trigger "The Big One," a nickname for the recurring pileups.

Jerry Markland, Getty Images

As Edwards was derailed on the final lap, Keselowski surged into the lead to win a Sprint Cup Series race for the very first time. Keselowski felt sorry for the fans who were hurt, but wasn't about to make excuses for his maneuver. "Holding your line was the way to do it," said Keselowski.

Christian Petersen, Getty Images

"Either way, it was a great show, and I hope the fans had fun with it," said Keselowski, seen here celebrating in Victory Lane. Restrictor-plate races are both loved by fans for the thrills they provide and dreaded by drivers who fear for their safety.

Rusty Jarrett,, Getty Images

Edwards' stunning flight wasn't the only major crash during the Aaron's 499. On the seventh lap, a 13-car accident caused havoc for top drivers like Mark Martin, far left, Kevin Harvick (29) and points leader Jeff Gordon (24).

Dale Davis, AP

NASCAR issued a strong warning before the race, telling the drivers to avoid aggressive driving. But that didn't prevent the mayhem from taking over Talladega again. "You expect it," said Gordon. "You just hope to survive it."

Russell Norris, AP

Like Edwards, Jeremy Mayfield also had to leave his burning vehicle after a wreck Sunday. There were four major accidents between the Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide race over the weekend.

Dale Davis, AP

Edwards, who crossed the finish line on foot, said that drivers fear these type of races. "NASCAR has put us in this box and we'll race like this until we kill someone and then they'll change it."

Christian Petersen, Getty Image

NASCAR officials suggested as much Monday addressing the situation with reporters. The size of the carburetor restrictor plate can vary in a given race weekend and officials have the flexibility of deciding which size to mandate for the race as late as the final practice.

But far from a traditional technical answer, the most immediate "fix" NASCAR officials offered this week was harsher scrutiny of aggressive driving and the possibility of more in-race penalties.

"Part of me gets sort of a little bit angry because it's like it's almost as if they're shoving the responsibility for what happened Sunday, totally on the drivers' shoulders, as if all our crazy blocking and weaving has just ruined the day, which isn't the case, you know,'' Earnhardt said.

"I mean, as a driver, I share responsibility, but I don't feel like it's entirely ours for anything that happens.

"A lot of it's a product of how the car races and drafts and how the plates work. There's a lot of different things that put us in those situations. I think it's fine the way it is," Earnhardt said. "If they get involved any more than they are currently, you run the risk of, you know, causing a lot of trouble, 'cause judgment calls are highly arguable.

"I'd hate to be in the middle of one that didn't go my way."

The series returns to the 3/4-mile Richmond (Va.) International Raceway this week where the speeds are considerably slower than the massive 2.66-mile Talladega speedway, but the action and excitement are just as great. Earnhardt has three wins at Richmond and made a strong case for a fourth last year before he was wrecked by Kyle Busch as they battled for the lead with three laps remaining.

Even at Richmond -- a driver favorite -- much of the talk will still remain at Talladega.

"We all have to get out there and race no matter what the circumstances are,'' Earnhardt said. "And people have raced in this sport under far, far more dangerous situations. I mean, we're in pretty good shape right now with how safe the cars are, what NASCAR's done to try to keep things within reason.

"It's hard to tell whether the wreck Sunday was an oddity or whether that's something that could easily happen again, because we haven't seen it since Bobby's (Allison) wreck (in 1987) at the same track at the same spot.

"But how easily could that happen again? I think that's the question you got to ask yourself."

DYST V3 test

LeBron James #23 of the Cleveland Cavaliers watches as Mo Williams #2 takes a shoe to the face by Kobe Bryant #24 of the Los Angeles Lakers after a steal in the closing seconds of the first half at The Quicken Loans Arena on February 8, 2009 in Cleveland, Ohio. (David Liam Kyle, NBAE/Getty Images)

David Liam Kyle, NBAE/Getty Images

Brazil's Diogo (L) vies for the ball with Paraguay's Hernan Perez during their U-20 South American Championship football match in Puerto La Cruz, Venezuela on February 8, 2009.(Juan Barreto, AFP/Getty Images )

Juan Barreto, AFP/Getty Images

A Dalmatian looks at its handler as a judge goes to touch the dog during the first day of the 2009 Westminster Dog Show in New York February 9, 2009.(Lucas Jackson, Reuters)

Lucas Jackson, Reuters

Denver Nuggets forward Chris Anderson touches his head during a time out in the first half of their NBA basketball game with the New Jersey Nets in East Rutherford, New Jersey February 7, 2009. (Ray Stubblebine, Reuters)

Ray Stubblebine, Reuters

Margarita Marbler, of Austria, skis to a bronze medal finish the ladies moguls freestyle FIS World Cupskiing qualification at Cypress mountain in West Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009. (Jonathan Hayward, The Canadian Press/AP)

Jonathan Hayward, The Canadian Press/AP

West Virginia guard Darryl Bryant (25) is fouled by Providence guard Jeff Xavier (1) during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game in Morgantown, W.Va. Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009. West Virginia won 86-59. (Don Wright, AP)

Don Wright, AP

Missouri's DeMarre Carroll, top, celebrates the Tigers' 62-60 win over Kansas in Columbia, Missouri, Monday, February 9, 2009. (Rich Sugg, Kansas City Star/MCT)

Rich Sugg, Kansas City Star/MCT

David Clarkson #23 of the New Jersey Devils fights Erik Reitz #4 of the New York Rangers during their game on February 9, 2009 at The Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey (Al Bello, Getty Images)

Al Bello, Getty Images

Driver Patrick Sheltra (60) begins to spin coming out of the fourth turn during the ARCA 200 auto race in Daytona Beach, Fla. Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009.

Darryl Graham, AP

Spain's Nuria Llagostera Vives serves the ball, in this multiple exposure, to Iveta Benesova of the Czech Republic during their Fed Cup tennis match in Brno February 7, 2009.

Petr Josek, Reuters

Earnhardt's Answer: Control the Speeds originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Tue, 28 Apr 2009 17:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Drivers Irate After Terror at Talladega

Holly Cain — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 18:33:00 EST

Filed under: Carl Edwards, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Talladega Superspeedway, NASCAR Crashes, Sprint Cup

TALLADEGA, Ala. -- It wasn't Junior but his junior, Brad Keselowski, who seemingly came out of no where to survive a wreck-filled, spectacular last-lap crash and win his first ever NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday.

Keselowski, who drives full time for Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the triple-A Nationwide Series, was behind Carl Edwards about 100 yards from the checkered flag. As Edwards tried to block Keselowski's final push to win, the cars collided, launching Edwards' Ford airborne, which flipped wildly in the air. His car bounced off the hood of Ryan Newman's car and then rolled, roof up, hard into the catch fence along the front grandstand.

More Coverage: Keselowski Capitalizes | NASCAR Culpable

Edwards climbed out of the car and jogged to the finish line, jumping over it in a symbolic way to finish the race.

"I just want to tell my mom, I'm OK," Edwards told the television audience. "I'm very fortunate.

"NASCAR has put us in this box and we'll race like this until we kill someone and then they'll change it."

Keselowski motored on for his unlikely, maiden victory for the low budget team owned by Florida businessman James Finch. Earnhardt finished second -- his best effort of the season -- followed by Newman and rookies Marcos Ambrose and Scott Speed.

As soon as the race field cleared the finish line, a half dozen ambulances lined up on track and medical personnel went into the grandstands to treat any fans injured by the debris that came flying off Edwards' car.

The Speedway's medical director said eight fans suffered minor injuries such as bumps and bruises and perhaps a couple fractures. Two fans were airlifted to a local hospital, one with facial injuries and possibly a broken jaw, the other with a medical problem unrelated to the crash. They were airlifted because of heavy traffic -- not because the injuries were serious.

Edwards wasn't the only one with strong words.

Three-time defending Sprint Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson -- who was involved in a 10-car accident with 10 laps to go -- put it this way, "It sucks racing here."

Sunday's version of Talladega was typical of the close-quarter, ultra-fast races we've become accustomed to at the series' two restrictor plate tracks, Talladega and Daytona Beach. There were two huge multi-car accidents.

Terrifying Finish at Talladega

Rainier Ehrhardt, AP

Glenn Smith, AP

After landing back down on the track, Edwards had to climb out of his car as it sparked flames. "I just want to tell my mom, I'm OK," Edwards told the television audience. "I'm very fortunate."

Christian Petersen, Getty Image

Jerry Markland, Getty Images

Christian Petersen, Getty Images

Rusty Jarrett,, Getty Images

Dale Davis, AP

Russell Norris, AP

Like Edwards, Jeremy Mayfield also had to leave his burning vehicle after a wreck Sunday. There were four major accidents between the Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide race over the weekend.

Dale Davis, AP

Edwards, who crossed the finish line on foot, said that drivers fear these type of races. "NASCAR has put us in this box and we'll race like this until we kill someone and then they'll change it."

Christian Petersen, Getty Image

The first one -- less than 15 minutes into the race -- was a 13-car affair that eliminated points leader Jeff Gordon from contention. Johnson was involved in the second large accident. On Saturday, Cup regular Matt Kenseth was involved in a fiery airborne accident in the Nationwide Series race.

"Cars don't need to go up in the air for sure," Earnhardt said. "But we've slowed the cars down and put air flaps on, now we're pack racing so much it's about all you can do, to not be in a wreck."

"I wish we could get away from each other a little bit. I wish it came down to handling. I wish it came down to power. Everybody has the same piece, in the equivalent of IROC cars at Talladega. That kind of racing is exciting as hell to watch, but I've wrecked two or three times in these."

Keselowski's Cinderella win may likely be overshadowed by the dramatic finish and torn-up sheet metal strewn around the Talladega garage.

"There's no such thing as an overreaction for safety," Newman said. "I'm sure NASCAR will spend some time looking over the video tapes and seeing what we can do to help the situation. It's just crazy."

Drivers Irate After Terror at Talladega originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sun, 26 Apr 2009 18:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Talladega Junior's Best Shot at Victory

Holly Cain — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 11:49:00 EST

Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Sprint Cup, Hendrick Motorsports

TALLADEGA, Ala. -- You fly two flags here: the red-white-and-blue and the red double-eights. Every third fan is wearing some version of Dale Earnhardt Jr. merchandise -- hats, t-shirts, face tattoos honoring the No. 88 Chevrolet he'll drive at Talladega Superspeedway Sunday.

The cars, campers, converted school buses and pick-up trucks come from Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee and faraway places like Wisconsin and New York, making the trek to NASCAR's biggest track located in the serene Birmingham foothills to witness stock car racing at its fastest, most dicey best.

And based on souvenir sales, Internet popularity contests and grandstand audibles, most of the nearly 200,000 people here this weekend will be pulling for Earnhardt.

This is a stock car pilgrimage. Talladega is NASCAR's version of Woodstock. And Earnhardt is its Jimi Hendrix.

Like no other stop on NASCAR's Sprint Cup Series schedule, Talladega cheers, supports, worships the 34-year old Earnhardt, son of the late seven-time NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt Sr.

"I think some people might think Alabama is his hometown," said 6-year-old John David Ingram, completely decked out in junior-sized Junior gear.

No one has led more laps or won more races (10) on these 2.66-mile high-banks than Earnhardt Sr. And only a few years ago, no one owned the track like Earnhardt Jr. His five wins here are second only to Jeff Gordon (six wins) and his father. And his string of four straight victories from 2001-2003 is a milestone on its own.

So even over the deafening roar of engines tuning and a car running on track, there was no mistaking that united cheer Saturday morning when the scoreboard showed the No. 88 fourth-best early in qualifying.

These days that's reason enough to hoot and holler.

But Junior Nation expects more. Junior expects more.

Earnhardt has only two top-10 finishes this season -- his best is eighth place -- and he is ranked 19th in the championship, a three-position free fall after crashing last week at Phoenix. Meanwhile, his three Hendrick Motorsports teammates -- including 50-year old Mark Martin -- have won the series' previous three races. Gordon and Jimmie Johnson are ranked first and second in the championship.

Martin has rocketed 18 positions in the standings in the past four races and sits 13th, one spot out of the Chase for the Championship.

"It's important for our season to get it turned around," said Earnhardt, who will start Sunday's race 11th in the Amp Energy drink-sponsored Chevy. "We're very cognizant of what's going on -- we're not in denial."

Earnhardt's loyal legions may flock to Talladega, but elsewhere others are starting to doubt.

Anonymous bloggers are calling for crew chief changes and caustically throwing out the "he's not his daddy" cheap shot.

Here at Talladega fans are at least more thoughtful, more philosophical about his circumstance.

"I always just saw something in him," said Charles Ingram, 66, of nearby Prattville, Ala. "But I'd like to see him be a little more aggressive like his dad. He can drive a race car, but I think he needs to get rid of the nightlife and start concentrating on driving a race car."

Everyone, it seems has an answer. Everyone has an opinion.

The honeymoon period that greeted Earnhardt when he arrived in NASCAR's big leagues with a pair of Nationwide Series (formerly called Busch Series) championships and plenty of talent and potential, seems to be waning. It's almost as if people forget the 2004 Daytona 500 victory, the three top-five finishes in the Cup championship.

A move to the dominant Hendrick team last year has raised the expectation bar, as if carrying the burden of his pedigree weren't enough already.

"Junior is good at dealing with pressure because he walks around with the weight of NASCAR on his shoulders every day," said his Hendrick Motorsports teammate Mark Martin. "I really admire Junior for the enormous load that he carries gracefully all the time with this sport.

"There is nobody on the racetrack driving harder than Dale Earnhardt Jr. So when everything lines up for him those guys are going to win and they are going to have a lot of success."

Earnhardt nearly won Saturday's Nationwide Series race. He was running second on the last lap and felt good enough that he told his crew, "let me handle this'' on a final race re-start. He ultimately got shuffled around and finished fifth. But when he climbed out of his car, there was a new energy about him. It was the first time in a while he had put himself in position to win a race and clearly it felt good.

Every time Earnhardt gets within eyesight of the lead Sunday afternoon, the vast crowd of green will rise to its feet and yell its encouragement. Earnhardt won't hear it, but he'll feel it. And just maybe Talladega will be the track where he gets back on track.

"It would mean a lot to win here," Earnhardt said. "We're a team that needs a win pretty bad."

Talladega Junior's Best Shot at Victory originally appeared on Motorsports FanHouse on Sun, 26 Apr 2009 11:49:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments