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DALE EARNHARDT JR. NO. 88 NATIONAL GUARD/ AMP ENERGY CHEVROLET POST-RACE RECAP/LAS VEGAS MOTOR SPEEDWAY DATE: Feb. 28, 2010 RACE: Shelby American START: Fourth FINISH: 16th POINTS POSITION: 15th RECAPPING THE RACE: Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a promising start to the weekend by qualifying the No. 88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet fourth. The team was challenged with different weather conditions between Saturday’s practice laps and Sunday's race conditions at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, which resulted in a 16th-place finish. The 43-car field took the green flag under mild temperatures and sunny skies, and Earnhardt maintained his footing inside the top 10 during the opening laps. The 35-year-old driver radioed to crew chief Lance McGrew that he was experiencing a loose-handling condition. The team took advantage of a caution period on Lap 45 to fine-tune the handling on the No. 88 Chevy. Earnhardt was running fifth as he made his way down pit road for four tires, fuel and air pressure and chassis adjustments. The field went back to green-flag racing on Lap 52 with the No. 88 scored seventh on the leader board, and Earnhardt radioed that he was experiencing a loose-handling condition. The team continued to work on the handling of the No. 88 Chevy during the middle stages of the race. Earnhardt was running 10th when a round of green-flag pit stops began on Lap 161. McGrew called his driver down pit road the following lap for four tires and fuel. Earnhardt was scored 13th when the field cycled through on Lap 167. He held his footing inside the top 18 during the closing laps and eventually crossed the finish line 16th behind race winner and teammate Jimmie Johnson. QUOTING DALE EARNHARDT JR.: "I think the National Guard/AMP Energy team has been a better team this year. We have been mentally prepared the first few races. Sixteenth isn't the finish we wanted. We are just around the corner from having some really good races, and we need that. Being outside the top five in today's race was tough. The traffic is so rough and you need that clean air to run well. I'm looking forward to Atlanta. It's been a good track for me so hopefully we'll get a better run there." ***** 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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