Dale Earnhardt Jr., with his playoff window and racing career closing, needs a win at Pocono

Kyle McFadden
Jul 30, 2017 · 5 min read
Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, is introduced prior to the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motorspeedway on July 23, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Credit: Sean Gardner/Getty Images.

LONG POND, Pa. — Less and less needs to be said as the weeks subside, still winless. Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s playoff window, in his final season as a stock car driver, is inching toward closure with every missed opportunity.

Something seems out of sort with the 42-year-old, currently on pace for the second worst statistical season in his 19-year career at the NASCAR Cup level. Running for one of, if not, the most accomplished race team in the history of the sport, Earnhardt Jr. has struggled and labored to just crack the top 15 on race day.

“It’s just not having speed,” Earnhardt Jr. told ESPN last week at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. “We want some speed. We’re sitting there at one point, Jimmie [Johnson], [Chase Elliott] and me running eighth, ninth and 10th as hard as we could go. It’s a little disheartening.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, drives on the apron after an incident during the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motorspeedway on July 23, 2017 in Indianapolis, Indiana. Credit: 350252Daniel Shirey/Getty Images.

Sure is. And for his massive flocks of fans — formally known as Junior Nation — who root and cheer and scream on the №88, the final chapter is venturing to a depressing end. Earnhardt Jr., with a lone top-five and four top-10’s in 20 races, sits 22nd in the point standings heading into Sunday’s Overton’s 400 at Pocono Raceway. In addition, he’s finished 30th or worse seven times. Positioned well behind the final provisional spot for the 16-driver playoff, Matt Kenseth — 213 points to be exact — Earnhardt Jr. needs at least one win these next six races just to be considered on having a shot at his first career Cup title.

If it’s going to happen, this is the week. Disregarding June’s 38th-place blunder because of an engine failure, Earnhardt Jr. has finished second, fourth, 11th, first, first, fifth and third his previous seven races at “The Tricky Triangle” dating back to 2013.

“I’ve enjoyed racing here,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “It took a while for me to figure that out, or understand how to enjoy the track itself.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Axalta Chevrolet, practices for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Axalta presents the Pocono 400 at Pocono Raceway on June 10, 2017 in Long Pond, Pennsylvania. Credit: (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images).

On Saturday, Earnhardt Jr. placed 21st in the first practice session with a fastest lap of 52.047, nearly a second slower than Matt Kenseth’s 51.114 mark. In the final session, Earnhardt Jr. climbed four spots to 17th, picking up a few ticks at 51.919. After that, he made his way to the deadline room to address the media, where he unloaded eventful memories of racing at Pocono Raceway and the burdening anxiety of trying to give everyone, including himself, a memorable send-off.

“You gotta keep trying,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “Like I said on social media the other day, we got to go into [every race] like we can win. We gotta go in there with that attitude if we want to win. If that opportunity falls in your lap, you have to have your head on straight. We’ll go to all these tracks with a great, positive attitude, and see how it works out for us.”

If I’m the №88 camp or an anxious fan, I wouldn’t be too worried about another sub-par hot lap performance. During his Pocono sweep in 2014, Earnhardt Jr. led just 25 of the 320 combined laps — 11 the first trip, 14 in the second. The track record of finding strategic ways when he doesn’t have top-tier speed is there.

That philosophy, however, hasn’t panned out this season.

TALLADEGA, AL — MAY 06: Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, talks to crew chief Greg Ives on the grid during qualifying for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series GEICO 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on May 6, 2017 in Talladega, Alabama. Credit: 348960Tim Bradbury/Getty Images.

Back in New Hampshire, Earnhardt Jr. had a car capable of finishing in the back half the top-10. But that result, though a respectable one, wasn’t going to make a dent in his points deficit at the final provisional spot for The Chase.

So crew chief Greg Ives and Earnhardt Jr. went for it and gambled, doing the opposite of what those ahead of him did when a caution waved with 38 laps left: Staying out instead of pitting. The decision propelled Earnhardt, who had 12 laps on his tires, into the lead but with faster cars with fresher tires directly behind him.

Earnhardt Jr. eventually finished 18th.

When things snowballed, the 88’s gameplan emphasis heightened on pulling the Hail Mary. Now, it’s all they can lean on.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, poses with a painting presented to him during a press conference at Daytona International Speedway on June 30, 2017 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Credit: Photo by Matt Sullivan/Getty Images.

“I know we’re here this weekend. We got [Watkins] Glen [next week]. I think Richmond is the last one. What else do we got? … Michigan is a good one. Michigan is a good track for us,” said Earnhardt Jr., pondering his chances. “Bristol? I can probably win there. What was the other one? Darlington? Oof. Darlington, man, when we come close, it’s like a win. That place is tough. You never know. We just have to keep showing up and see what happens.”

Little E never speaks about living up to his father’s expectations — Dale Sr., a seven-time Cup champion and quintessential NASCAR legend — and the pressure of having to please the largest fan base in the sport’s history. Earnhardt Jr. isn’t a guy to bank on those as excuses. He just wants to ride off the right way: Bask in one more triumph.

Dale Earnhardt Sr. & Dale Earnhardt, Jr. pose together at the raceway in Daytona Beach, Florida on February 4, 2001. The Earhnardts and Andy Pilgram earned second in the GTS category during the 2001 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. Credit: 349783Photo by ISC Archives via Getty Images.

“You’re gonna be disappointed if you don’t make the chase. They’ll be a big hurt in your heart because you feel like you deserve to be in that group,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “You feel like you’re good enough. You feel like your team is good enough. And when you don’t make it, and I’ve been there before, it doesn’t feel good. … If we win any race before the end of the season, just to go back to victory lane and know that feeling one more time before it’s over with, that would be awesome.”

Dale Earnhardt Jr., driver of the #88 Nationwide Stars and Stripes Chevrolet, celebrates in Victory Lane after winning the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Coke Zero 400 Powered by Coca-Cola at Daytona International Speedway on July 6, 2015 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Credit: 349772Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images.
Kyle McFadden

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Freelancer covering college & prep sports in Md. Contribute: @BaltSunSports @frednewspost @HMMediaSports @TerrapinSports. 2 Corinthians 12:1-10. Views = mine.

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