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Earnhardt Jr. praises Keselowski's reaction to run-in with Hamlin

By SceneDaily Staff

Saturday, May 31, 2008

Article Rating: 3.7
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Nick Laham / Getty Images for NASCAR

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DOVER, Del. – Dale Earnhardt Jr. says he was disappointed by the penalties incurred by his JR Motorsports team for a pit road altercation after last Saturday’s Nationwide Series race at Lowe’s Motor Speedway but pleased with how his driver, Brad Keselowski, handled the situation.

NASCAR fined JR Motorsports crew members Michael Sandlin and Jordan Allen $1,500 apiece, suspended Sandlin for one race and fined crew chief Tony Eury Sr. $1,000 earlier in the week for their role in a postrace shoving match with members of Denny Hamlin’s Joe Gibbs Racing Nationwide crew.

The confrontation was the culmination of an on-track brush between Keselowski and Hamlin in which the drivers traded bumps under caution near the end of the race.

“My guys were a little bit aggressive and they did show their butts a little bit, but the penalties I was a little disappointed in because I felt like we sort of got the bad end of the deal before the penalties, you know,” said Earnhardt Jr. on Friday at Dover International Speedway. “And now we’ve got penalties. And I didn’t think [Eury Sr.] should get penalized. Man, he’s a veteran in this sport. He didn’t do anything wrong at all. I thought his treatment should have been a little bit better than that but the other guys, it was a good lesson for them – my tire changer and my tire carrier.”

Eury was penalized under a rule that makes a crew chief responsible for the actions of his crew. The crew members were penalized for ignoring a NASCAR official's directive and inappropriate contact with an official. Keselowski nor Hamlin was penalized for bumping each other on the track.

On Friday, Earnhardt Jr. lauded the postrace remarks of Keselowski, who seemed to take a more conciliatory tone than Hamlin in a news conference after the race.

“I was very, very proud of him and how he dealt with that situation,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “It’s a very difficult situation when you’re criticized by an accomplished driver in the sport or someone in the Cup level when you’re in the [Nationwide] Series and one of the Cup drivers criticizes you. I had the same situation happen a couple times and you’re wanting to go in there and get those guys respect and you want to race them and you want them to respect you and appreciate your talent and see your talent.

“Brad’s doing a great job of that. In struggling with Denny and maybe not having a friendship there, he made a lot of other people respect him with how he acted and how he handled that situation.”

Earnhardt Jr. conceded that he could do a better job as an owner of mentoring the 24-year-old Keselowski.

“I should give him more advice than I do. I’m a little bit hard on him,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “He’s doing really good and maintaining his respect for the sport and his position and his appreciation for where he’s at and his opportunity. He needs to keep that mentality. What he said in his comments about having the Busch or the Nationwide race being his time to race for the weekend and him getting everything out of it he can, that’s pretty true and that’s fair for him to feel that way and him to approach it that way.  As he does get in the Cup Series, he will learn there is a lot more give and take in the Cup Series than in the Nationwide Series.”

As for Hamlin, Earnhardt Jr. said the two have not discussed the incident and that he is not planning on discussing it with Hamlin.

Even so, Earnhardt Jr. says he can see both Hamlin’s and Keselowski’s sides of the incident.

“Denny has a valid point. How Denny expresses his point is a different [matter],” Earnhardt Jr. said. “Hopefully [Brad] learns to give and take and do that more because in the 500-mile races, it's very important to be patient. But right now, I understand his urgency. He wants a job. He wants to move out of that two-bedroom duplex and move into the $3 million houses.”

Average Rating: 3.7

Comments

8 responses to "Earnhardt Jr. praises Keselowski's reaction to run-in with Hamlin"
  1. 1
    Worm Dirt said:
    May 30, 2008 at 3:54 PM

    So how does this work 'Herd Nation'? After all the insults and venom and hatred spewed towards Denny Hamlin and Joe Gibbs Racing and towards those who tried to be objective and look at the big picture in this incident.....PLEASE EXPLAIN to me how you rationalize your behavior NOW?????....in light of your level-headed hero,Junior himself, gracefully remaining objective and making many of the same points that myself and others were making to counter your mob-mentality BLIND RAGE? I HONESTLY don't know how Junior is able to stay sane under these kinds of circumstances.

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  2. 2
    emily bagwell said:
    May 30, 2008 at 8:51 PM

    Junior is just palying the news media--he has more brains than Denny Hamlin or Kyle Busch for that matter. He leaves it to his fans to do his talking for him, WORM--Get it!?!? I'm not sure you are the right one to be judging sanity anyway!

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  3. 3
    Worm Dirt said:
    May 31, 2008 at 12:17 AM

    Fair enough emily....fair enough....IN FACT....the nurse in my mental ward just turned off the Truck Race and is clapping her hands to signal that computer-time is over....oh well!!....I had a great analogy I was going to describe about you being like the obstinate lady in the left lane on the interstate....who drives ten miles BELOW the speed limit WITH HER BLINKER ON for 100 miles.........BUT!!! my straight-jacket awaits!!!!! Tomorrow we go rollerskating. Goodnight Ms. Bagwell!!!

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  4. 4
    Virginia said:
    May 31, 2008 at 7:34 PM

    Aww, Worm Dirt, your name says so much more than I could. Ginger

    Report as Abuse
  5. 5
    Pearl Roll said:
    May 31, 2008 at 11:17 PM

    Jealous Jr. nation are just two-faced prim,proper pansies who always blame everyone else but themselves. GO JGR!! You and your drivers show the real side of racing and real emotions. Keep it real and keep on RACING!! That is what it is called after all and someone should tell Jr. nation there jealousy is showing through.

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  6. 6
    emily bagwell said:
    Jun 3, 2008 at 3:20 PM

    Don't break a leg rollerskating, Worm--that would be a shame. I'd only hold up traffic if I could get in front of you. I don't use a blinker--I still give hand signals!! I love Junior and Junior Nation Hope Pearl comes to visit you or better stll, she might need to stay away from a ward.

    Report as Abuse
  7. 7
    Worm Dirt said:
    Jun 4, 2008 at 1:28 PM

    Sadly, no visitors for me emily...I lost my 'visitor privileges' here at the 'nervous hospital' after having a SEIZURE during the race sunday when the announcers couldn't pick up on the fact that Tony was being..SARCASTIC..by taking the blame for hitting Sadler! The medicine they're giving me is GOOD though....it makes the furniture REALLY comfortable....and makes your comments three times FUNNIER than usual. Hoping to be well enough to go on the trip to the zoo this weekend. Wish me luck.

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  8. 8
    emily bagwell said:
    Jun 4, 2008 at 4:41 PM

    Worm, i still say you are a strange person---probably with a high I.Q. Why don't you channel it to somethinng besides slamming junior nation. However, I am happy the ward is letting you blog.Tony has been sarcastic at other races and I heard him with his same rhetoric Sunday. The news media should know better---not Tony's style to take the blame for anything. What makes you think I'm trying to make my comments funny? Be sure you visit your kin--oops! I mean the monkeys at the zoo. Good luck!

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