TALLADEGA – The streak continues.Unfortunately when used in reference to Dale Earnhardt Jr. the streak is not something he’d like to be reminded of. The driver of the No. 88 Chevrolet hasn’t been to Victory Lane in 71 races.
Many thought Sunday at Talladega Superspeedway would be he best chance, since Earnhardt has had so much success at the track, but it wasn’t to be.
Earnhardt looked strong throughout the race but wasn’t in the right position at the end and got caught up in a crash on the last lap. The Hendrick Motorsports driver still managed a 10th-place finish – the best of the Hendrick drivers.
Earnhardt tried to take a positive approach to his finish at Talladega rather than dwelling on the fact he still hasn’t made it back to Victory Lane.
“I was hating it there for Tony (Stewart) that he got that flat tire and got in the crash and all,” Earnhardt said after the race. “I was upset because we had worked so hard there at the end to stay together. It would have been a nice finish and he would have finished up there with me there at the end.
“Getting another top-10 is something to be really proud of. If you look at my career over the last several years, we are definitely in a better position. It would be foolish for us not to appreciate the good things we have going for us and not get frustrated and decide you aren’t running good or try to figure out why you aren’t running good.”
Earnhardt is confident he’ll get back to the winner’s circle. Right now he’s not faring too bad in his first season with Hendrick Motorsports. He’s currently third in points, highest of the Hendrick drivers.
“The wins will come,” Earnhardt said. “I know that. I want them to and we are going to have to keep talking about it until they do.”
Earnhardt’s first win could come this Saturday at Richmond, a place he’s won at before.
“We have had some great success there,” he said. “With Tony (Eury) Jr’s help and Hendrick motors, we are going to run good again. I don’t think there isn’t a race on the circuit that we shouldn’t show up and not run like we have been running every week. There really isn’t. We will just have to keep trying to get that win. At least we didn’t come in on the hook today.”
