Junior's victory takes the pressure off … at least for now

BALTIMORE (Map, News) - It may sound strange, but there was almost a collective sigh of relief across NASCAR on Sunday afternoon when Dale Earnhardt Jr. pulled into victory lane after winning the LifeLock 400 at Michigan International Speedway.

Junior’s teammates, friends and most importantly, his fans, finally got to celebrate something they have not seen in the past 76 races — a win.

With the level of competition in the Sprint Cup Series, there is always pressure on drivers to win. But as Earnhardt has discovered this season, when you are the most popular driver in the sport, dealing with that pressure can become a full-time occupation.

Ever since Earnhardt announced last season he was leaving DEI for Hendrick Motorsports, expectations were incredibly high, with talk of multiple wins, championships, and establishing himself as a worthy successor to his father, seven-time champion Dale Earnhardt Sr., at the top of the NASCAR world.

By regular standards, Earnhardt Jr. had not disappointed in his debut at Hendrick. He entered Sunday’s race in Michigan with six, top-five finishes and a solid third-place standing in the points race.

For any other driver in his first year with a new organization, his season would already be considered a success, but for Earnhardt, Jr., each top-five performance brought another week of questions — and even criticism — all because he wasn’t in victory lane.

Surprisingly, the person who was least concerned was Earnhardt. Having suffered through two consecutive years of inconsistent results with DEI, Junior was one of the few who could truly appreciate his situation.

“You know, the winless streak didn’t frustrate me as much as most people would think,” Earnhardt said. “I was so happy to be where I am and so satisfied with how we’ve ran to this point, that I wasn’t that frustrated about not winning.”

Still, you could clearly see a sense of relief on Earnhardt’s face after Sunday’s race, especially when talking about the fans who stood by him throughout his streak of futility.

“My fans are happy, and I’m happy for them,” Earnhardt said. “I got to see my team and my owner and my family tonight as happy as they have been in a long time — so the win is pretty special to me.”

Sunday's victory may have silenced his critics — at least now.

“There will be a new question, and it will be just as persistent,” Earnhardt said. “Don't know what it is yet.”

And it did not take Junior very long to find out; his statement was immediately followed up in the post-race news conference with what will inevitably be the next burning question: Now that the win is out of the way, will he be able to win his first Sprint Cup championship?

That is what happens when you are the most popular driver in NASCAR.

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