Enough Fuel Gambles: Earnhardt Jr’s Gotta Out-race ‘em Sunday

by Charlie Turner

Thanks for stopping by OnPitRow.com and the Bench Racing with Steve and Charlie blog. The best NASCAR and IndyCar news and opinion, exclusive pictures and video. I'm Charlie Turner. Follow me on Twitter @onpitrow

September 5, 2009 9:32 pm UTC No Comments

Dale Earnhardt Jr finished third in the just completed Degree V12 300 Nationwide Series race. At the end, Junior stayed out while the other contenders pitted – gambling on saving five laps worth of gas. Five laps!

The problem was, Earnhardt had to tool around Atlanta Motor Speedway about two seconds a lap slower than the dominant Kevin Harvick, who was only about 12 seconds back. With 11 laps left. The math wasn’t that tough.

Rusty Wallace called it a good confidence builder for Junior and his team. I call it a trend that needs to end. Fuel mileage strategies and moral victories when those strategies fail, seem to be what some think are Earnhardt’s best expectations.

Bull.

Dale Earnhardt Jr has really good stats and a history of success at AMS. He needs to strap it up, and tell that no. 88 team of his that he’s going to go out there Sunday night and beat the field. It’s time to show something.

Photo credit: Round girl Jen by BethAnne Heisler for OnPitRow.com

Filed under: Atlanta Motor Speedway, Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR, Nationwide Series

Tagged with: Degree V12 300, Round girl Jen

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