Earnhardt poised to make move for Sprint Cup title

LOUDON, N.H. - Dale Earnhardt Jr. has 18 career victories, more than $52 million in winnings and a perpetual hold on NASCAR's most-popular-driver award.

The only thing missing from his resume is a coveted Sprint Cup championship.

What would adding that elusive title mean?

"It would improve my overall awesomeness," Earnhardt declared.

Awesomeness?

"Yeah. I worked on greatness for a while," he explained, "but I tapped it out."

The quest for "awesomeness" begins today in the Sylvania 300 at New Hampshire International Speedway, where Earnhardt starts the Chase for the Championship seeded fourth in the 12-driver field. After a one-year absence, he's back in the title hunt and couldn't be more thrilled to be in the Chase.

He's statistically had better seasons - "I won six races in 2004, remember?" - but Earnhardt said last week he believes he lost the championship that year because he wasn't prepared to win one. He finished fifth in the points standings that season, the first year of the Chase, and can rattle off a list of mistakes he made that took him out of title contention.

He still drove for Dale Earnhardt Inc. then, and before this season, it was his last legitimate chance to win a title. He missed the Chase in 2005, was fifth in 2006, and missed it again last year in his final season driving for his late father's race team.

Now he's with mighty Hendrick Motorsports, where Earnhardt has the equipment, support and freedom from both the pressure and drama that he was saddled with at DEI.

"I think he's got a lot more confidence this year," said two-time series champion Tony Stewart. "... I think you see it in his driving on the track that he's got a renewed confidence."

Kevin Harvick, who had the unenviable task of taking over the late Earnhardt's ride after his 2001 death, has also noticed a change in Junior this season that he equates to cutting ties with DEI and the troubled relationship he had with stepmother, Teresa.

"He seems a lot more relaxed than what he used to be," Harvick said. "There is probably a lot more stress with the family business and having to answer to his dad's name. ... It's getting into a situation where he is in more control of his own career."

The pressure still remains, though, coming square at him from a rabid fan base that demands the son of the seven-time champion to win a title or two.

"I love the pressure. That means I'm in the middle of it," he said. "I wouldn't change anything about my world as far as in this garage and how I'm treated by my friends and drivers, and really what my position is in this sport. I wouldn't give it up for nothing."

At 33 years old and in the best equipment of his career, Earnhardt no longer has any excuses for falling short in his goals. He's come up empty in each of his previous eight full seasons.

"I'm probably only at about 50 percent in meeting my goals," he said. "I'd like to change that number."

Car owner Rick Hendrick is eager to help Earnhardt succeed, but intimated in the closing laps of last week's race at Richmond that the driver needs to take a large share of responsibility in achieving his goals. As Earnhardt rattled off a laundry list of things he "needs" for the 10-race Chase, Hendrick got on the radio to remind the driver "you get paid a lot of money to overcome some of that."

Now it's up to him and crew chief/cousin Tony Eury Jr. to step up to the challenge.

There have been times this season has been tough. From the stress of a 76-race winless streak that he ended in June, a budding rivalry with NASCAR's hottest driver, Kyle Busch, and the constant criticism Eury has faced from Earnhardt's ardent fan base.

He's fiercely loyal to his cousin, who left job security at DEI to follow Earnhardt to Hendrick, and pours his heart and soul into giving Junior fast race cars.

"There are times when he simply can not win. No decision he makes is going to be the right one," Earnhardt said. "And the fans have been pretty rough on him this year. But I lean on him. He's my man and I think he's the best in the business for me.

"I want to win with him. I don't want to go to the race track and see any other driver celebrating in victory lane with my cousin."

Related topic galleries: International Speedway Corp., Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR

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