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Dale Earnhardt Jr. could win at Daytona International Speedway
Junior Nation could really have something to cheer about at Daytona.
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There is life in Junior Nation – and that is a good thing for everybody. You might say Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a measuring stick for the fans. So it’s great to see he and his Hendrick Motorsports team are making improvements.
The other exciting part of the equation is there are tracks coming up, starting with this weekend at Daytona International Speedway, that he is really good at. Those fit right into his wheelhouse and he has the opportunity to knock one out of the park.
Junior Nation has to be thrilled about their driver’s chances this weekend in Daytona. Let’s face it, he is still an Earnhardt and it’s still Daytona, so he can get the job done there. So these are all positives for him working his way into the Chase for the Sprint Cup. That’s the key right now for this No. 88 group, they have to take advantage of their opportunities right now.
Two other teams that have to get it done are the No. 99 of Carl Edwards and the No. 5 of Mark Martin. Both are barely hanging onto a slot in the Chase. They have to step it up and get things done. They are going to have to race harder and smarter.
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The thing is, they have to race now. We are looking at a different type of NASCAR than we have seen in many years. The wave-around rule, the double-file restarts and the multiple attempts at a green-white-checker finish have had such a positive effect on our sport.
Drivers and teams are starting to figure this stuff out. The key, in my book, is I think we are seeing guys care more and try harder than we have seen in recent years. So my point is, as long as a guy has a fire in his belly, anything can happen for those final spots in the Chase.
Obviously last Sunday, Kasey Kahne and Juan Pablo Montoya each took a pretty good hit. Earnhardt Jr., like I mentioned, has a great opportunity to move up. He has to get up on that wheel and make it happen. We are also starting to see life out of Tony Stewart. This summer swing of races is going to be very important to a lot of folks. Everyone with a chance to make the Chase has to make a real hard run to Richmond in September.
It starts this weekend though. Earnhardt Jr., for example, needs to go out there and win. That team has one of the best drivers when it comes to Daytona and restrictor-plate racing, so they need to take advantage of it. That man can take you to Victory Lane, so don’t worry about a good points day. So that team needs to go out there and get that win.
It will get the heat off him, the team and it gets you the momentum you need to possibly make the Chase. This weekend is a chance to step up and swing for the fence.
No one is saying it will be easy. Remember, this is the first time the Sprint Cup teams will race with the new spoiler at Daytona. They will also be racing with a somewhat different restrictor plate. By having a guy behind the wheel that understands the draft so well, like a Dale Earnhardt Jr., well then you have to take advantage of it.
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