Busch leads the points standings with different teammates, and Earnhardt is second with a different sponsor. They’ll both start from the front row in tonight’s NASCAR Sprint Cup race at Chicagoland Speedway after rain canceled qualifying Thursday.
They both offer hope for drivers who are unhappy with their current status.
Both Busch and Earnhardt are more relaxed today, even as they’re wary of what the upcoming points race holds.
Busch, still a target of fan hatred, hears cheers sprinkled among the boos.
“As long as we are winning over some more fans each and every day, that’s all you can ask for,” said Busch, who has won six of the first 18 races this season.
Cheers have never been an issue for Earnhardt, the sport’s most popular driver.
Busch, aided by Toyota horsepower and Joe Gibbs Racing know-how, has dominated the series this season. His performance would make car owner Rick Hendrick look foolish for letting Busch go, but Earnhardt has been nearly as strong - just without many wins.
Earnhardt’s victory at Michigan last month broke a two-year Cup winless streak. His confidence, he admits, is up, but he remains critical of his performance, even with three top-10 finishes in the last five races.
“I ain’t run that good since I won, as good as I expected,” Earnhardt said. “I sort of got what I could in Sonoma (12th). I had a good car last week; I didn’t get myself the right opportunities last week at the end.”
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