Short tracks have bell to bell action all over the track. There is always something worth watching.

This, as you all know, had been Junior’s best start to a season. He hadn’t finished out of the top ten. He was leading in points going into the race. I, of course, brought him bad luck. His worst race so far this season. His car wouldn’t get traction coming out of the turns and it wouldn’t turn going into the curves. It was not good. In fact, towards the end, it was almost painful to watch. Especially since early in the race he looked pretty good. He was as high as fourth at one point.

In the end, he was one of the worst cars on the track. he didn’t finish in the top twenty. He dropped to third in points. he finished two laps down.

Not a good day, to say the least. The very least.

But things still look good. Dale is only 12 points behind Jimmie Johnson and two tracks coming soon are two of his best. In two Saturdays is Richmond and the following week is Talladega. Known as  the track the Earnhardt’s built. Junior has five wins there (his dad had 10).

I think he will rebound from this week. This season, the 88 team, looks as good as anyone out there. The bad weeks look like flukes. Not like a couple of years ago when the good weeks were the flukes.

I wouldn’t be surprised if he wins at either track or both. After all I am staying home. Not because I want to but for the sake of the team.

It’s the least I can do.

One reason I didn’t like it was; Dale had a fifteenth place car. Not much more, not much less. Just middle of the pack and this year we have gotten used to better. Granted, last year, we would have been praying for a car that good. Thankfully those days are gone – I hope.

It did look, for a moment, Junior was going to bring home another top ten but that was spoiled by who knows who. Someone spun him on the next to last lap. We have no idea who it was because TNT didn’t have a decent camera angle plus Kyle and the boringtones, would have had to stop another useless, boring story to comment on the spin and God knows Petty and his booth partners are not going to shut up long enough to describe action on the track.

Now the good news – we have Sonoma behind us and we are third in points. This is the part of the season Junior has been known to fade. I don’t see that this year. Next Saturday is an intermediate track in Kentucky and then on to Daytona. Both of these are tracks Junior should excel if not win. Then it’s all down hill to the Chase with the exception of Watkins Glen. Even at the soccer game at the Glen there is a breath of fresh air. Unlike Sonoma, which follows Michigan, Michigan follows Watkins Glen. So the memory of a decent finish at the Glen could be erased by another great run at M.I.S. Instead of the other way around.

It’s a good year to be a Junior fan and I am enjoying it with of course the exception of the two road course but that’s why the NASCAR gods gave me a DVR.

In fast forward it almost looks like a race!

Today is Talladega in the Spring. Today Dale Earnhardt Jr is second in points. Today Dale Jr is only five points behind Greg Biffle for the Sprint Cup points lead. Tonight Dale Earnhardt Jr will be leading the points!

Talladega the giant speedway hidden away in Alabama is known as the house the Earnhardts built. Dale Earnhardt won there ten times including his last victory when he came fron eighteenth place to the win in the last five laps. Dale Jr has won it five times with several near wins. Last year he pushed Jimmie Johnson to the victory with what looked like the fastest car. Tonight feels like his time.

This has been a good year for Junior. It has the feel of his glory years when every week he was in contention. It feels like 2004 when he won six times. I am excited and every other Earnhardt fan in the nation should be too.

Lets stand proud tonight and roar when the 88 goes to the front and I guarantee he will go to the front.

Trust me this is a race you will not want to miss.

Go Junior!

He ran well all day but never looked like he was going to compete for the win, like his team mate Jimmie Johnson but at least he didn’t drop a cylinder like Jeff Gordon.

Junior dropped one spot in the standings and now sits fourth behind Biffle, Truex and Kenseth and just two points ahead of Kansas winner Denny Hamlin.

It is definitely feels like a better year after eight races especially with Richmond and the super speedway in Talladega coming next where Dale  has won a total of eight times between them. Both good tracks for Dale Jr – obviously.

Believe it or not, feel or not, Earnhardt Jr was third in points after eight races last year. Maybe the reason 2012 feels better is because last year Talladega was the eighth race and Kansas came later in the year. Who knows but I firmly believe this is going to be a better year for the 88 team and that’s not bad considering last year he finished seventh in points.

Can you say?

Dale Earnhardt Jr Sprint Cup Champion!

Last week, at Phoenix, Dale Jr had a rough day but still finished with a top fifteen. If top fifteens are going to be the rough days I am going to have a good time watching races this year.

I am not going to jinx this by saying Junior will break his win less streak this weekend but it wouldn’t surprise me one bit.

I was wrong, obviously, when I predicted a Nationwide and Sprint Cup race sweep by Junior. That’s okay I will be wrong again this season. Probably every time Dale doesn’t win a race but I am still pretty excited about the momentum the 88 team takes in Phoenix next week.

At the end of a 500 marred by rain and fire it looked like Dale Jr had set up his victory. He pushed Greg Biffle the last two laps and that should been enough to pass Kenseth and set up a sling shot move on Biffle, in the last stretch, to win. Why it didn’t work I am still confused. Did Biffle not make the move on Kenseth because they are team mates or because Matt’s car was just that strong? We will never know but my guess is the latter. However, I would of been real interested in seeing Biffle pull wide, to the outside of Kenseth, on the last lap backstretch and finding out if the best pusher in the business could of gotten them around Kenseth’s 17.

Maybe Biffle thought the gamble wasn’t worth it because he knew it could cost both him and his team mate the victory. That is a noble thought but this was The Great American Race and in my mind any gamble is worth it especially if could of helped Junior.

Either way, whatever happened, Dale Jr is second in points (tied with Biffle and Hamlin) and headed to Phoenix – a track he has won on twice.

This is looking like the start to a beautiful relationship between Dale Jr and the 2012 Sprint cup trophy.

Hail to the Earnhardt Nation!

Danica Patrick was the fastest car among the 50 drivers attempting to qualify for Saturday’s Nationwide race at Daytona.

Johanna Long qualified twenty-first. With Kelley Earnhardt  listed as the owner of Danica’s Go Daddy Chevrolet and Long’s effort, women had a very good day at Daytona.

Dale Jr qualified fourth keeping his momentum alive for Speed Weeks.

It still looks like this weekend will be a very good time to be an Earnhardt fan.

With a promising seventh place finish in points, during 2011, Earnhardt Jr is looking to end his win less streak on the big oval in Daytona. I believe it will happen. I have been watching him since he first crawled into a NASCAR ride and he has never looked more confident.

Yesterday in the first duel, just like in the Shootout, he did whatever he wanted whenever he wanted. He drifted to the back, he came to the front and he took the lead seemingly at will.  There never was the urgency of a desperate driver. Just the confidence of a driver who has won the 500 before and wants to win it again.

If it wasn’t for the last lap wreck, featuring a bone jarring crash by Danica Patrick after she was punted across the infield by the 43, I would of liked to seen if reigning NASCAR champ Tony Stewart could of held off Earnhardt to win the duel. I am not saying Junior would definitely of beat him but I am saying, either way, it would of been fun to see and my money would of been on Dale Jr.

If you are an Earnhardt fan this may be a weekend of racing you won’t want to miss. Take the day off, cancel your honey do list, set your DVR but don’t miss this weekends races.

I look for Junior to make another statement in the Nationwide race on Saturday and 500 on Sunday by winning both races. Just like in 2004 it will be an Earnhardt sweep.

If I am right then who knows what 2012 may bring to the 88 team.

I am guessing a big old shiny Sprint Cup.

Remember you heard it here first.

Hail to the Earnhardt Nation!

With a car this fast I would look for Junior to earn a very good starting spot during his Duel heat.

Last night he looked like his old self and today his 500 car was very stout. I am starting to get real excited about his prospects next Sunday.

Can you say?  Dale Earnhardt Jr – two time champion of the Daytona 500!

If not you may want to practice before now and next Sunday.

Dale Jr looked better than he has since he left D.E.I. He looked like the racer who dominated plate tracks with his Red Budweiser 8. He went to the front when he wanted. He went to the lead seemingly at will. He also got scooped up in a wreck that was just wrong place, wrong time but at least he didn’t skid 1000 feet on his top or barrel roll like Jeff Gordon. Kasey Kahne and Jimmie Johnson made it a complete loss for Hendrick when they also wrecked during the Shootout.

Kyle Busch showed some skill and a whole lot of luck when he wrecked like 52 times but somehow still passed Tony Stewart in the last 6 feet of the race to win. It is fitting that the younger, of the whining Busch brothers, is from Vegas because he rolled box cars with a whole lot of luck tonight.

I was excited to see racing again after the Winter break but it would of been a whole lot better if the Diet Mountain Dew car could have stayed out of trouble and won the race. Dale Jr had the moves and the car but he rolled craps tonight.

Lets hope for better luck in the 500 on Sunday.

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Other things;

I like Danica Patrick and I think she is good for the sport but if tonight is any indication NASCAR will have us sick of her by Wednesday afternoon. Really Fox? Danica as a NASCAR expert? Last I checked, her and I are tied in total NASCAR wins and I bet I have seen at least twice as many races as she has. Please, please NASCAR let her be like every other racer and not force her down our collective throats.

With about ten laps to go Darrell Waltrip , Larry McReynolds and Mike Joy made me throw up. Sure, some people may think it was the tequila from playing the drinking game, “Every Time They Say, Danica, take a Shot” but we all know I can drink a lot more than that without losing my lunch so I am sure it was those three stooges.

It was at the point when they began to verbally kiss Kurt Busch’s ass. Talking about how great it would be for him to win one.  In case Fox forgot, Kurt didn’t lose his ride with Penske because of a deadly illness. He was fired for being an asshole to his crew and finally Dr. Jerry Punch. You would think the broadcasters would have some loyalty to Punch. It was a classless display by three guys who are usually annoying but usually not disloyal to anyone as nice as Jerry Punch seems to be.

That’s all I got for tonight.

Hail to the Earnhardt Nation!