Coca Cola 600: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Preview
May 20, 2008
CIA Stock Photo, Inc.
At Lowe’s:In 17 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series starts at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has recorded four top-five finishes and eight top-10s. The Kannapolis, N.C., native has one win at the 1.5-mile track—when he claimed the 2000 all-star, non-points event. He has led 236 laps overall and recorded 175 during the 600-mile event on May 28, 2000 when he notched his only pole position at the track. He finished fourth that day.
Pocono Testing: Earnhardt and the No. 88 team will participate in the NASCAR-sanctioned test at Pocono Raceway on May 27 and 28 to prepare for the June 8 Cup race. This will be the first outing for the Chevrolet Impala SS at the 2.5-mile triangular track known as the “Tricky Triangle.”
600-Mile Chassis: Crew chief Tony Eury Jr. and the No. 88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevy engineers have chosen Chassis No. 88-499 for Sunday night’s race. This is a new car that Earnhardt and the crew tested earlier this month at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.
Hendrick At LMS: In 48 races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, Hendrick Motorsports has posted 15 wins, 43 top-five finishes and 65 top-10s. Earnhardt’s teammates Casey Mears and Jeff Gordon won both points-paying events at the 1.5-mile track in 2007, marking the third time in four years that Hendrick Motorsports has pulled off the LMS sweep.
Dale Jr., Reporting: In an effort to enlighten himself and his fans, Earnhardt has decided to forego the role of interviewee to play reporter for his official Web site.
We Salute You: Earnhardt will run “Salute the Troops” decals on the No. 88 National Guard/AMP Energy Chevrolet for Sunday’s 600-mile event at Lowe’s. The decal, placed on the hood and in front of the rear wheel, represents the United Service Organization’s program honoring the United States military. The USO and Speedway Children’s Charities are the major parties working together to promote the Salute the Troops Memorial Day Tribute and support the event’s fundraising efforts.
