Emphasis on qualifying improving overall performance for Earnhardt Jr.
DOVER, Del. – Dale Earnhardt Jr. set a track record on Friday in Dover to capture the pole for Sunday’s AAA 400.
Earnhardt Jr.’s lap of 161.849 mph was enough to hold off point leader Matt Kenseth and Ryan Newman, both of whom came close to knocking him from the top spot. It’s the second pole of the season for Earnhardt Jr. and 13th of his career. And the fact that it came at a non-restrictor plate track, felt pretty good admitted the sport’s most popular driver.
“The car had really good speed and really good balance right off the trailer and felt like we were really competitive and more so than we’ve been here in the past, especially in practice,” Earnhardt Jr. said about his start to the weekend.
“When we put the car into qualifying trim, made a couple mock runs the car again showed really good speed. Wasn’t quite the fastest but the way the car drove was relatively easy and to make the runs we were making was very challenging and the grip in the car was really over the top so I was expecting to put a good lap down and thought we’d be competitive enough to get inside the top 10 pretty easily.”
The last time Earnhardt Jr. sat on the pole was Kentucky in June, he was leading but lost a potential shot at the win when an errant tire carcass came back up the track and into the grille of his No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet. His Chevrolet at Dover has been just as strong leaving the team with little work to do and Earnhardt Jr. pleased from the start.
Made much easier by the fact he’s not counting points or thinking about all the equations that can take place in terms of the Chase. Sitting 11th in points and over 60 points behind Kenseth, the championship is a long shot, but victories are not.
“We’re going to try to win some races before the year’s out,” he said. “I’ll be really disappointed if we don’t win a race this season because I think we’re a better team than we were last year and I felt we came so close so many times. So we’d just like to get out there and get some trophies and the points will take care of themselves when you’re doing that.”
He’s a past winner at Dover, winning the first NASCAR race after the September 11 attacks in 2001. But he hasn’t won yet in 2013 despite the last few weeks where he and crew chief Steve Letarte brought competitive cars to the track, qualifying their down fall. Earnhardt Jr. revealed how disappointed he was about last weekend in New Hampshire when he didn’t qualify better than the sixth place he earned.
Last season Earnhardt Jr. and Letarte started unloading with a better focus on where they started on race day. With such an emphasis on qualifying, it’s been expected to show in race results.
“The longer we work together the better we get at it and the more we understand each other and the more he understands what I need in the car,” Earnhardt Jr. said about his crew chief. “We’ve also kept the majority of the team intact from the beginning and that’s so important to keep that together if you can because everybody learns what they can about each other.”
Following their fast Friday, the driver wasn’t afraid to admit that Letarte was responsible in more ways than one.
“Steve’s really good and he’s made me a better race car driver and he makes his engineers better and he’s really good at his job,” he admitted. “He deserves a lot of credit for us improving and being able to get these poles and just qualifying better.”
AJ Allmendinger Writes Next Chapter with JTG Daugherty Racing
AJ Allmendinger is back at Dover International Speedway in the No. 47 House-Autry Toyota for JTG Daugherty Racing, where he will be full-time in 2014.
But according to the driver known as the ‘Dinger, this is not a comeback as much as the next chapter that he is writing in his personal and professional story.
“Whether it’s a comeback or whatever the media wants to make it, for me I just feel very fortunate and lucky,” Allmendinger said from the No. 47 hauler in the infield of the Monster Mile. “In a way, it’s a continuing story that we all write.”
“Our whole lives are about writing the next chapter until the end of it,” Allmendinger continued. “For me, it’s a new chapter but a completely different chapter.”
“And for me, it’s all about being a better person.”
“The values that Tad and Jody (Geschickter, team owners) as a family have and what values Brad (Daugherty, owner) has and what the values are of this race team and how people react to that, that’s what is just good to be around,” Allmendinger said. “It’s great for me to be around because that’s where I’m trying to get to.”
“It makes it just as a life thing to be able to talk to them,” Allmendinger said. “It’s the same thing that I have with Roger (Penske) being able to call him.”
“It’s just another chapter and hopefully it leads to another good chapter.”
Allmendinger also hopes to write his next chapter at Dover International Speedway, affectionately known as the ‘Monster Mile.’ And with a record of three top-ten finishes since 2009, Allmendinger thinks that monster track perfectly suits his driving style.
“When it comes to an aggressive driving style, this is probably one of the tracks that you can be more aggressive at,” Allmendinger said. “You look at a place like last week at New Hampshire and that’s all finesse.”
“It’s fast and it’s just enjoyable,” Allmendinger continued. “The hardest thing with this place is that the two ends drive a lot different, especially when it gets hot out because three and four get really tight.”
“Both ends of the track may look the same but they drive very differently.”
Allmendinger cited not only the challenge of dealing with the rubber build up on the track, but also the challenge of getting through each lap in setting realistic goals not only for himself but for his race team.
“It’s really lap by lap, session by session,” Allmendinger said. “The past few years the way the rubber built up would really change the race track after 100 laps.”
“I don’t know if it will be the same but for me, that’s what makes it fun because you really have to think about how to get around the rubber,” Allmendinger continued. “It changes the line and makes you search around which is also fun.”
“We’ll see how it plays out with this car and this tire,” Allmendinger said. “I look for anything in the top-20 as a decent day and anything in the top-15 as a good day and top-10 as a great day.”
While enjoying the opportunity to pilot the No. 47 House-Autry Toyota at Dover, Allmendinger acknowledged that it is a bit of a challenge being in and out of the car as he shares it with Bobby Labonte, who is still recovering from broken ribs due to a cycling accident.
But he totally agrees with this approach, given his respect and the respect of the team for veteran and champion Labonte.
“The end of this year, I’m in the car and then out of it,” Allmendinger said. “It’s difficult but it’s the situation as well.”
“I respect what Tad and Jody and Brad as owners decided,” Allmendinger continued. “They are very loyal to Bobby (Labonte) and what he’s done for the company the last couple years.”
“I’m OK with that,” Allmendinger said. “Of course, I’d like to be in the car every weekend but at the same point I’m in total agreement that they need to go about it the way that they decided.”
As Allmendinger writes the new chapter in his career, he is also excited to work with crew chief Brian Burns as they both build the No. 47 team together.
“It’s just about building that team chemistry between myself and Brian,” Allmendinger said. “As driver/crew chief, he’s still learning me a little bit and I’m still learning him.”
“He’s relatively new, not even really a year into him being a crew chief,” Allmendinger continued. “So, we’re just learning each other and trying to learn from start to finish of a weekend.”
Allmendinger also acknowledged that one of the biggest challenges is simply being with a one-car team. And although Kurt Busch has made the Chase in that type of position, Allmendinger feels that situation is totally different from theirs, particularly without the advantage of an alliance.
“Honestly what the 78 is doing and what Kurt is doing is fantastic to see but it doesn’t affect me either way,” Allmendinger said. “Kurt’s an amazing driver and there is no secret that he can wheel anything.”
“But they’re in a situation where they have an alliance with RCR and that helps,” Allmendinger continued. “Right now, we’re by ourselves.”
“But I look at the reason why I came here and I realize it’s not overnight,” Allmendinger continued. “There are lot of good things about this team that we can build on.”
“You’ve got to have realistic goals,” Allmendinger said. “You look at the team right now and it’s 30th in points.”
“When you go into next year, you have to start running top 20s and then top-15s and top-tens and slowly progress,” Allmendinger continued. “You cannot expect to go from 30th to first.”
“The ultimate goal is to be first but it’s going to take time,” Allmendinger said. “It’s a lot of fun to get there and everyone has the same goals and the same passions.”
“That’s what makes it most exciting.”
While Allmendinger looks forward to the 2014 season, he also is pleased that for one of the first times in his career, he will actually be able to celebrate an off-season without the angst of looking for a ride.
“I was joking around telling Tad that this was the first off season I could take a vacation instead of being on my phone, being hey, what am I doing next year?” Allmendinger said. “ It’s been tough through off seasons, whether it’s Red Bull wondering if I would have a ride or RPM not knowing what was going to happen with sponsorship and if there was going to be a team the next year.”
“All kidding aside, to go into the off-season and really have a goal to be focused on, it gives me confidence and energy to work really hard to be prepared for next year,” Allmendinger continued. “And to be able to work with the team, I just enjoy being here.”
“We’re doing this for fun and this brings the fun level back,” Allmendinger said. “And that to me is what makes me most excited.”
Part of Allmendinger’s new chapter is an entirely new outlook on racing and on life in general. And in his new world, he is no longer allowing numbers, whether good or bad, to define himself.
“You look at the ultimate goal to be a winner but to me it’s about trying to be at your best in life every day,” Allmendinger said. “I used to just look at the end result and the position after my name.”
“That was the way I determined my life that weekend or that week,” Allmendinger continued. “Unfortunately in this sport, you get those bad finishes next to your name and it just spirals down and I just let that affect me.”
“I didn’t look at the process just the end result and whether it was a good result or I put everything into it and had a bad result, that result determined what I thought about it,” Allmendinger said. “Now it’s about the process.”
“My ultimate goal is to say every week that I was mentally prepared and that I knew that I did everything I could,” Allmendinger continued. “As long as we give our best efforts, that’s all you can ask for in life.”
“That’s more my outlook now,” Allmendinger continued. “Before it never was and I’d let that kill me.”
“If it was a good race, it made me happy for a week and if it was a bad race, it would keep taking me down the wrong path,” Allmendinger said. “That’s why I say that I just have a better outlook overall and I think that’s what I need to continue.”
“I feel like for me, I’m in a really good place,” Allmendinger continued. “I’m always trying to be in a better place in this new chapter in my life.”
Jimmie Johnson at ‘Other End’ of 2007 Scenario. Who wins this weekend?
Jimmie Johnson is in a very familiar spot. He once again is in contention for another championship and if he can pull off the feat it will be his sixth title in the past 8 years, an incredible feat under any points system. As we come to the Dover International Speedway, Johnson has to be smiling. Why? This is by far Johnson’s best track. He is tied with the King Richard Petty in all-time wins here with 7, but Johnson is also in a very unfamiliar scenario at the same time.
For those of us that have watched Johnson since his debut at the Daytona 500 back in 2002, I have never seen Johnson in such a tight spot since his first championship in 2006. For the first time, Johnson is not benefiting entirely from the points reset. What does this remind you of? Does the 2007 season ring a bell? Jeff Gordon dominated the first 26 races, but he did run into some trouble on his way to the Chase cut-off with spins at Michigan and the Auto Club Speedway, respectively. There is no doubt that Johnson got the raw end of the stick here, but this is the system we have and that is what these drivers will have to deal with until something changes. I picked Jimmie Johnson this weekend because it’s obvious. This is his track, but he isn’t necessarily the favorite.
Johnson is a favorite don’t get me wrong, but the scenarios that play out today in NASCAR compared to lets say 2004 are far different. With the type of fuel that is used in NASCAR today and how last years event played out, I see this coming down to a fuel race. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I haven’t really seen Jimmie Johnson perform too well in fuel mileage situations. Whenever we mention the 48 in a fuel mileage race we tend to see the 48 run out of fuel. Last year was certainly an exception. Jimmie Johnson simply had to accept the fact that he was not going to win the race and they needed the points, so they had to settle for fuel conservation mode and was able to hold on for a 4th place finish, despite leading 43 laps. Can you imagine if the 48 tried to push the tank too far? Not only would Brad Keselowski have won the race, but that would have been devastating to the rest of the remaining races. Yeah, Johnson would have lost either way, but at this point in the year last year it was a really tough call, but they made the right one.
Matt Kenseth is the Jimmie Johnson of 2007. He hasn’t necessarily been the top dog because of inconsistency throughout the year, but winning races and performing in the final 10 is the key to winning the title. Kenseth is red hot at the right time of the year and the 48 team needs to pick up the pace. Johnson is obviously still in contention to win this title. He is not done by any means, but if he continues to finish behind drivers like Matt Kenseth and Kyle Busch, then the 48 will have to rely on a big wreck at Talladega that takes out a majority of the field to make any gains.
Another thing to watch out for at Dover is engine failures. Keep in mind, Kenseth has a pair of wins here, but he did blow his engine earlier the season which relegated him to a 40th place result. JGR has had engine difficulties for the past couple of seasons. Will Kenseth’s engine last? Can Kyle Busch capitalize on his 4th place finish earlier this season? Watch out for the 18. It was strategy that won the race for Tony Stewart back in June. Busch led 150 of the 400 laps, but was unable to close the show. With that being said, I think Jimmie Johnson gets his 8th Dover win this weekend still.
Who are you guys picking and why? Let me know and follow me @RyanPrakOHara on Twitter!
Scott’s rocky Nationwide career now finding stability at RCR
DOVER, Del. – The Nationwide Series career of Brian Scott is still relatively young, but the 25-year-old knew by the end of the 2012 season it needed a shakeup.
Scott left Joe Gibbs Racing after two seasons and headed to Richard Childress Racing with sponsor Shore Lodge. He’s seventh in points with six races remaining. For a driver who admits he wasn’t sure what he was getting into at RCR, he couldn’t be more pleased with the environment he’s in.
“Since I came into the Nationwide Series, I really just been kind of been beat up. I spent a year over at Braun Racing and that folded into Turner and kind of had a hectic end of the last season [there],” Scott said on Friday in Dover about his NNS beginnings following success in the Camping World Truck Series.
“Landed at Joe Gibbs Racing, which was a great opportunity, and we just never produced the results that I think was expected from myself or anybody else. I didn’t know what to expect with Richard Childress Racing but I did know that at the end of my second year with Gibbs a change of scenery was going to be the best thing for me. And since coming here it’s really reinvigorated me, it reminds me of the [CWTS] days.”
The 2009 CWTS was Scott’s best season with a win and seventh place in points, but it was also painful. He broke his wrist and suffered the side effects for the remainder of the year into 2010 as he moved into the NNS. Then the ups and downs began before signing with RCR.
Through 27 races his numbers have far exceed those he put up in two years with Gibbs. Driving for another one of the premier organizations in the series, Scott has found his comfort zone and the results that eluded him the last few years:
- He’s led more laps in 2013 than he had in 2011 or 2012 combined, a difference of 231
- He had 11 top 10s in 2012 but has 12 in 2013 after just 27 races
- He had four top 5’s in 2011 and 2012 combined but has three already this season
- He currently sits higher in points than he’s finished in his previous three NNS seasons
A few weeks ago in Richmond it appeared for 239 laps that Scott was on his way to a dominating first career win. Instead, circumstances and Brad Keselowski got the best of him and Scott is still trying to break through. However, there’s a feeling now for him in knowing that he can win and there’s confidence that he will.
“I feel like I can go out there and compete, I can run in the top five and I can win races. We’ve established consistency this year that I think a lot of people didn’t think I was capable of after a couple of hard seasons over at Joe Gibbs Racing,” he said.
“With recent developments I feel like we can be up there in contending for the win week in, week out and win some races. I don’t think there’s any race from now until the end of the season that’s a track we are incapable of winning at.”
It was also announced this week that he’ll make his Sprint Cup Series debut at Charlotte next month. And he hopes to run about five NSCS races next year as he continues to run in the NNS for a championship. Which now for Scott, doesn’t seem as far fetched as once thought.
“I’m excited, I like the change, I like the consistency that’s developed at Richard Childress Racing,” he said. “I like my group of guys on this No. 2 and I think our performance has shown this year. I think we’ve performed at a higher level.”
