Despite Chase hopes being over, Dale Earnhardt Jr. optimistic about Richmond Sprint Cup race
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. has won three races at Richmond International Raceway.
// LaDon George, NASCAR Illustrated
Though Dale Earnhardt Jr. won’t be battling for a spot in the Chase Saturday night at Richmond, there is reason for optimism heading to the 0.75-mile short track.
Earnhardt Jr. has three wins at Richmond, which ties him with Jimmie Johnson and Tony Stewart for most wins there among active full-time drivers.
In 22 career starts at Richmond, Earnhardt Jr. has eight top-five finishes, matching his personal best at a track. And his average finish of 13.2 at Richmond is third-best among all tracks for Earnhardt Jr.
And he typically runs better at Richmond in September than he does in May. He led 90 laps and finished fourth there in September 2008.
Though he has slumped to 19th in points and is out of Chase contention – 219 behind 12th-place Clint Bowyer – Earnhardt Jr. is poised for a good run this weekend.
"Richmond fits my driving style,” he said. “I grew up racing at Myrtle Beach [S.C.], and it's got the same characteristics of that track. It's got multiple grooves and multiple ways of racing around there.
“The car changes quite a bit over the night, and you've got to be able to move around and find different grooves. We've struggled there the past couple of times but we've been doing a lot of testing to get ready for this weekend."
Crew chief Lance McGrew says his Hendrick Motorsports crew tried some new setups recently in preparation for the Richmond race.
"We went testing at a track that is comparable to Richmond,” said McGrew, whose team recently tested at Gresham (Ga.) Motorsports Park. “It was more of an effort to try some new things. It's not a race that we prepare any different for other than the fact that you can't go to a place that compares to say, Atlanta and test. You've got to learn some lessons at a smaller track and hope they carry over to some of the larger tracks."
A big challenge at Richmond is practicing and qualifying during the day, and then racing under the lights.
"It's difficult because you have to look back at the history and changes you've made at the race the last time you went there,” McGrew said. “It does throw a big wrinkle in it because the grip level is so different from day to night that sometimes your car will do something completely different.
“Ultimately, you try to build some adjustability into your car for the night time."
Despite the challenge, both McGrew and Earnhardt Jr. like racing on a Saturday night.
“I've always liked Saturday night racing because it is more the way you grew up racing,” McGrew said. “For those of us that grew up racing, you were racing Friday and Saturday nights. The way the lights reflect off the cars, usually the crowd's a lot more excited because they've done some tailgating and are in a pretty good mood.
“I like it. It reminds me of simpler times."
