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NO. 88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet Post-Race Recap / Budweiser Shootout At Daytona International Speedway
Dale Earnhardt Jr. showed signs of a promising run by leading the most laps in his No. 88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet. But his hopes of repeating as the Budweiser Shootout race winner were dashed after he was collected in a late-race incident of another competitor's making. The Budweiser Shootout qualifying format changed this season, and the field was set at a record 28 cars. The top six teams from each manufacturer based on the 2008 owner standings clinched berths, for a total of 24 cars. In addition each manufacture could add a "wild card" driver, bringing the total to 28 cars. Earnhardt qualified by finishing as the sixth Chevrolet in the 2008 championship standings. This year's event was made up of a 25-lap segment followed by a 10-minute break and a 50-lap sprint to the checkered flag. Earnhardt's ninth starting position was determined by random draw during Thursday night's traditional Draw Party, which established the field for the season's first exhibition event. At the drop of the green flag, the 34-year-old driver powered his way through the field. By Lap 4, he took over the top spot and led the field for the next six circuits. A loose-handling condition developed on Lap 14, and Earnhardt was shuffled to the 10th position when the evening's second caution flag was waved on Lap 23. Following the clean-up, Earnhardt steered his No. 88 Chevy onto pit road for the 10-minute break. The crew bolted on four fresh tires and made air pressure and chassis adjustments to the National Guard/AMP Energy machine. The field went back to green for a 50-lap dash, and Earnhardt quickly noted that his blue and white Chevy was better but still on the loose side. Earnhardt was leading the field when the caution flag was displayed on Lap 54 for a multi-car incident on the frontstretch. This delay allowed crew chief Tony Eury Jr. an opportunity to ease the continuing loose-handling condition. Eury called for four tires, fuel and a pair of chassis adjustments. The No. 88 pit crew sent its driver back to green in the fourth position on Lap 58, and two laps later he moved back into the top position with 15 laps remaining. Earnhardt appeared to be the favorite but on Lap 62, the veteran racer lost the draft and was shuffled all the way back to the 18th position. Despite the setback, he regrouped and began his climb back up the leaderboard. On Lap 65, a spinning competitor made hard contact with the No. 88 machine, causing heavy damage. Eury called his driver to garage and called it a night. Earnhardt was credited with an 18th-place finish. QUOTING DALE EARNHARDT JR.: EARNHARDT (ON THE MULTI-CAR INCIDENT ON LAP 65): "Me and Kyle (Busch) were drafting on the inside, and he gave me a real good run back in to the lead. I just lost the right rear cause I just couldn't hold my car on the bottom and got up in to Jeff (Gordon) a little bit and kinda got shuffled through the middle to the back. I was just trying to regroup back there and figure out what to do. I knew there was going to be a wreck -- I was figuring on getting through the pack before it started happening, and we didn't. My team did a good job. The car was good. It was just too loose on the long run. We were real good on new tires. We could drive right up to them. I want to thank my sponsors National Guard and AMP Energy. We got a good car. We got a good little package, and we learned a little bit. Hopefully we can take what we learned to the (Daytona) 500. It was a fun race. It was a wild race. I think it was good for the fans. But I just hate tearing the cars up."  ***** Courtesy of Hendrick Motorsports. Media Relations | No. 88 AMP Energy / National Guard Racing ***** Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Official Site - www.dalejr.com |
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