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Controversy doesn't surprise Earnhardt Jr.
By Kenny Bruce - Assistant Managing Editor
Friday, May 09, 2008
Chris Graythen
Getty Images
DARLINGTON, S.C. – Dale Earnhardt Jr. said on Thursday that he’s not surprised by the storm of controversy generated by last weekend’s wreck at Richmond International Raceway.
Earnhardt and Kyle Busch Jr. were battling for the lead with less than three laps remaining in the race when contact sent Earnhardt Jr.’s Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet backing into the wall.
Busch went on to finish second, putting the Joe Gibbs Racing driver atop NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series point standings while Earnhardt Jr. finished 15th and saw his winless streak reach 72 consecutive races.
“It was a big deal,” Earnhardt Jr. said of the wreck after Thursday’s first Cup practice session at Darlington Raceway, site of Saturday night's Dodge Challenger 500. “Somebody was saying the other day, ‘Ah, that was a bad deal.’ It was a bad deal for me and I was pretty frustrated by it, but it’s exciting for the sport and whether I want to deny it or not, there are people out there that enjoyed it.
“Kyle, he’s got some fans I’m sure. And there might be a lot of people that aren’t his fans but just don’t like me.
“It wasn’t good for us, and that was disappointing; I wanted to get a better finish than 15th.”
That he had to be back in his No. 88 car on Monday for a test session at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, he said, helped put the incident behind him.
“Get back in the car, get to racing, get to working, that’s the best way to get over that,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “You sit at home, it’s hard to get over it because you’re thinking about it, what you could have done, should have done, how it could have played out differently. There’s no real answer for that [so you just] get back in the car and get to work.”
Earnhardt Jr. called the incident “avoidable” and said neither he nor Busch were at fault, regardless of how it looked to the sold-out crowd and a national TV audience.
“I blew turns 1 and 2 real bad so I pushed way up the track,” he said. “He saw that and almost had me cleared off of [Turn] 2. I got back beside him down the back straightaway, had a pretty good run. I went in the corner ... I didn’t go in there as high as I’d been going; I was about a half a car length lower, and I think he was anticipating me going in where I’d been running. I anticipated him going in on the bottom because he’d been running real tight on the apron. We both sort of ran into each other.
“... A lot of people think it was intentional; I don’t think it was. I’m pretty sure it wasn’t.”
Mentioned Drivers: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
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13 responses to "Controversy doesn't surprise Earnhardt Jr.". Post a Comment.
Anonymous said:
May 9, 2008 at 7:39 AMI wish Dale Jr. would hold a news confrence and tell his fans to smarten up.He is being a man about this , why can't his fans see it. thank you, Millie from Maine.
Teresa Geer said:
May 9, 2008 at 10:04 AMMillie in Maine, Jr is being a man about it. But let me tell you that I am a BIG fan of JR's and not all of us need to smarten up. When someone intentually wrecks someone to keep them from winning; how do you expect them to react. JR is always in the spot light and gets fines for this and that but let it be another Nascar driver and they wreck someone, they get a slap on the hand.
Rosemary May said:
May 9, 2008 at 10:07 AMAll I can say is Dale Jr has lots of class, looking forward to the next race, he WILL get a win or two this season.
alanna geer said:
May 9, 2008 at 10:23 AMJr has alot of class.He is the Class act of Nascar Jr has more heart and passion than half of the Drivers out there.As for Kyle Busch he said it all Friday night at Richmound He doesn't care how many cars he has to wreck to win and then proceeded to go up to Stephen wallace and start something with him...Newsflash Kyle If you want respect in any series you run with respect for your competitors until then your nothing but trash that doesn't deserve to race in any series! Back to Jr, I am a Big fan of Jr and No other fans have more compassion for there driver than us.We're Jr Nation and without us There would be no sold-out Grandstands, Jr will win He's been running consistently good all season.The last 2 weeks he's almost won but he's been taken out because of other driver's stupidity. This weekend al Darlington should be interesting I know Jr he won't retaliate against Kyle because he's not that kinda person and Kyle could learn a few things from Jr.
VALIRE PARRISH said:
May 9, 2008 at 10:23 AMYES YOU LET JR HIT SOMEONE AND HE WILL GET FINED BUT LITTLE BUSCH HIT JR JUST TO KEEP HIM FROM WINNING THAT IS OK BUSCH SEEMS LIKE HE IS THE PET OF NASCAR BUT HE WILL GET HIS JUST REWARD SOON
Francine D'Alonzo said:
May 9, 2008 at 3:03 PMThe fact is that Hamlin stopped on the track to bring out caution for Busch...no conspiracy...just the way it was. Junior is a gentlrman and has been cheated out of 2 wins this season. I am proud of him and wouldn't want him any other way. Hamlin and Busch are not fit to be on the same track with him.
Anonymous said:
May 9, 2008 at 4:12 PMCome everyone, get over it! We all love Jr. But it was racing. give Kyle a break. Everyone can't be ready to kill any driver who gets in his way. That's racing and anyone with a brain in their head knows that
Rita Martin said:
May 9, 2008 at 4:22 PMIf Kyle was not on record saying he would wreck anyone for a win I might feel differently about last weeks race. I respect junior, will let it go and move on.
Renee Hallum said:
May 9, 2008 at 5:45 PMJr. is handling this situation with class as always. Rest assured Jr. Nation, it's called karma and it will come back to bit Kyle in the but if it was intentual. Kyle can run but he can't hide!!
Anonymous said:
May 10, 2008 at 7:48 AMWhine, whine, whine! It was a racing accident. Aren't you hard headed Jr. fans willng to admit your drive is human and can make mistakes. He even admited he was partly at fault for changing his line on the last lap. Changing is line is also called blocking. Ya get what ya get.
Anonymous said:
May 10, 2008 at 4:19 PMI don't think that anyone really saw what I saw in that wreck. I saw a #1 class act on Jr's part, but I also saw some driving skill second to none. In the heat of battle, when the outcome was absolutely assured that both cars were going to be taken OUT, a quick upward move of the wheel, averted the inevitable and one person was able to prevail. Busch made a move that enabled him to finish the race in second place instead of being wodded up in the wall with Jr. Anyone else at that steering wheel and both cars would have been collected. I applaud Busch on a beautiful move, and I applaud Jr. for waiting until he saw for himself how it all happened, and honestly, even though he probably won't admit it, he knows that it was a good move, and so do you all!
Lois Merrill said:
May 11, 2008 at 6:34 AMKyle Busch is a bonehead and that will never change.............we don't even watch the races when he starts acting like the rookie he will always be, because it isn't worth the stress he conjures up. Dale has matured into a wonderful man, on and off the track with tremendous, competitive values and talent. Too bad that Kyle can't do the same.......but, when you are 'sore as a blister' because you got canned and one of the best took your place....well, some immature people can't handle that!!!!!!!!!!
Jacki Stevens said:
May 16, 2008 at 8:12 AMRichmond is over........the dust is still flying. Now Darlington is over with too, this with no JR/Busch incident. Well......maybe. The Nationwide race. In a incident involving Kyle Busch (NO SURPRISE) and the 88 Navy car (owner? JR Motorsports) Kyle got the worst of it. Of course, the 88 car was to blame, and in his post WRECK interview, the twerp promised revenge. Now, in basically the same situation in the Sprint Cup, involving Tony and Elliot..no one got angry, Elliot took the blame, but Tony knew that what occured was not intentional. Kudos to both those drivers. And as to Jr taking partial responsibility for Richmond? He ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS takes some responsibity whether or NOT he indeed needs to. That, my friends is MATURITY. IMMATURITY, on the other hand, shows itself by ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS point ing the finger of blame elsewhere than where it belongs, on yourself. Resembles a certain driver that I don't care for a whole lot, and he drives for J.Gibbs.