His name was once synonymous with winning there. He is second in wins among active drivers overall.
But will this Sunday’s Amp Energy 500 bring salvation for Dale Earnhardt Jr.?
His season hasn’t exactly been one to smile about. But last weekend at Martinsville, Earnhardt accomplished something that hasn’t happened in quite some time; he led 90 laps, more than he has the entire season. And when he took the lead for the first time on lap 285 the stands seemed to explode as his legions of fans finally found they had something to cheer for.
After taking the lead Earnhardt looked to be in contention for his first victory since 2008. In the end he came up a little short finishing seventh. But thanks to last Sunday the team brings a ton of confidence into this week’s race.
“I think that confidence from the Martinsville race is going to carry over to Talladega,” said Earnhardt’s crew chief Lance McGrew. “But as the race goes on, you start to lose some of your mental focus. I think confidence from the week before is going to carry that deeper into the race. As the race goes on it gets more and more complicated like the end of the chess match, your moves get more critical. I'm hoping that confidence carries over a little deeper into the race.”
While only a few years ago Earnhardt was the master at Talladega, he has won here five times, second only to Jeff Gordon’s six wins among active drivers, Earnhardt’s last win at Talladega came six years ago; in 2004.
Since his last win it’s been an up and down affair for Earnhardt at Talladega. In the last three races for instance he finished second in the spring 2009 race, 11th in the fall and 13th this past spring.
But that spring finish earlier this season wasn’t too far removed from his second place finish at Daytona. And the team hopes for that type of success as they plan to race the same car here this weekend that Earnhardt rocketed to his runner-up finish with at Daytona.
"I just look forward to going back to Talladega and always enjoy racing there.” Earnhardt said. “We've always been good and fast there. I hope we can get up front, lead a lot of laps and be there at the end. I want to be in position to make a move for the win. We haven't really been in position at the end of these races like we need to, so we'll try to be a little more aggressive throughout the race and try to keep ourselves in that position."
If Earnhardt does plan to turn up the aggressiveness this weekend, that might spell trouble for the rest of the field. And if he can continue the success he displayed last weekend he might just give his legions of fans something to stand up and cheer for again.
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