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Sunday at Talladega, Earnhardt finished second to Brad Keselowski after a terrifying last-lap collision that sent leader Carl Edwards’ car airborne and into the catchfence protecting the main grandstand.
That spectators and/or Edwards weren’t maimed or killed was a by-product of advanced technology and amazingly good fortune.
Few have been as measured and insightful as Earnhardt.
Maybe it’s natural maturation — at age 26, Junior was not prepared to confront his father’s violent death and assume his role as racing icon. Or maybe it’s the influence of Hendrick Motorsports combined with his divorce from the team owned by his stepmother.
Regardless, despite standing a pedestrian 15th in points entering Saturday’s race at Richmond, Earnhardt has rarely measured better.
“Now everybody associates that type of action with Daytona and Talladega, which is fine if you’re going to celebrate it. But now you can’t sit here and turn around and change your opinion, because everybody knew this was the possibility of the style of racing. …
“It’s amusing to me that everyone’s interest is all of a sudden perked by what happened when that possibility was there all along.”
Moreover, Earnhardt does not deny his taste for plate racing.
“I really enjoyed the race other than (the final wreck),” he said. “I enjoyed the hell out of it. I enjoy racing at Talladega. I kind of like running in the big packs.”
“People have raced in this sport under far, far more dangerous situations,” Junior said. “We’re in pretty good shape right now with how safe the cars are, what NASCAR’s done to try to keep things within reason. ...
“It’s hard to tell whether the wreck Sunday was an oddity or whether that’s something that could easily happen again, because we haven’t seen it since Bobby’s wreck at the same track at the same spot. We haven’t seen it in years. But how easily could that happen again? I think that’s the question you’ve got to ask yourself.”
