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Prep Roundup
Columnists Brian Meadows Brad NormanMembersLocal Connection› Iredell County Young Athletes Association› South Iredell Athletics Association › SHS athletics › WIHS athletics › NIHS athletics › SIHS athletics › LNHS athletics Syndicate RSSAP NASCAR NASCAR Features A look at this year's schedule A look at this year's drivers Differences between stock car and open-wheel racing NASCAR Research & Development Petty Enterprises splitter testing Aerodynamic testing in Concord's wind tunnel Top 10 moments in Daytona history Site StatisticsThis page has been viewed 800743 timesPage rendered in 0.2057 seconds Total Stories: 2136 Total Comments: 34 Most Recent Entry: 08/15/2008 01:53 pm Most Recent Comment on: 04/17/2008 11:54 pm Most Recent Visitor on: 05/22/2012 09:32 am |
• Racing
2007 Sep-14
All eyes on Earnhardt, regardless of Chaseby Mike Mulhern That may well depend, ironically, on how well Dale Earnhardt Jr. does, even though he’s not in the official Chase. As NASCAR’s biggest headliner, Earnhardt carries an unenviable burden. And the Chase will also be his last 10 races with the team his father built. “We led the most laps (in July) and finished fourth, so we certainly have shown we can take the car of tomorrow to the front,” Earnhardt said. “We’re all frustrated and let down by not making the Chase. But we can wash that bad taste out of our mouths by running wide-open and grab a win or two in the last 10. “There’s no way we can keep running up front and not have the breaks go our way at least once. It’s bound to happen. But even if it doesn’t, we’re going to close out the year with integrity.” Burton stepping it up “The way we have been running, we need to improve. But we are prepared. Instead of going into the Chase and sputtering through it, I want to go in and be a force.” But Burton knows he must temper that attitude: “You can’t win the thing in the first few races, but you can lose it if you have a few bad runs right off the bat.” Crunch time Since NASCAR guarantees the top-35 in the season-ending standings a spot in the field for 2008’s first five races, that battle back in the pack bears watching, too, because it could determine who is safely in the Daytona 500 and who is in danger of missing the sport’s biggest event. Brian Vickers, 38th, is one of the men in that Chase. “We’re 233 points outside the top 35 and only 10 weeks to break through,” Vickers said. “It’s really crunch time. We can’t miss races, and we can’t make mistakes. “It’s been an interesting and challenging year. Having been outside the top-35 this year, I have a new appreciation of what it means to be sitting on this side of the bubble. Fridays can be your best day if you make the race or ruin your weekend if you don’t.” Pole qualifying and bubble runs for those not in the top 35 are set for 3 p.m. this afternoon. Sunday’s 300-lapper is set for a 2 p.m. start. Kevin Harvick beat Tony Stewart to win at Loudon last September. “We didn’t make Loudon in July, but our cars have improved since then, and so has the driver.” Kahne hopes to pick up season So what can they salvage? “Track position is critical at New Hampshire, so in the final 100 laps some teams will gamble on two tires as a trade for track position,” Kahne says. “If we can handle in the corners, that will be key. When the car doesn’t handle in the corners at New Hampshire, you’re in for a difficult day.” Elliott Sadler, Kahne’s teammate, isn’t that optimistic: “We’re in a chase, but not the chase for the Cup. We’re chasing a solution to handling issues with our Dodge. We just haven’t been able to pinpoint how to make our car of tomorrow handle in the corners for an entire race.” Car testing Bookmarkz |
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