Homestead, Fla. – Dale Earnhardt Jr. was reminded that he’s a longshot to win NASCAR’s championship, which will be decided in today’s season-ending Ford 400. Earnhardt, who did not make the 10-race Chase for the Nextel Cup last season, reminded the person who posed the question that at least he has a shot – and that’s more than five of the other nine playoff drivers can say.
Earnhardt, easily the sport’s most popular driver, is the last of five drivers eligible to win the prestigious championship. He’s 115 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson, who needs to finish 12th or better to clinch. Johnson also could finish much worse and still remain atop the points if Matt Kenseth, Kevin Harvick, Denny Hamlin and Earnhardt don’t win the race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Given Earnhardt’s 19th-place finish in last year’s standings, the son of legendary and late Dale Earnhardt Sr. said he’s more interested in capping a terrific comeback season with a strong performance today than discussing improbable championship scenarios.
“We’re just going to go in there and try to lead laps and win the race, and whatever happens with the points, happens,” said Earnhardt, who qualified 14th, one spot ahead of Johnson. “I think it’s pretty safe to say that odds are not in our favor, but we have a great shot to run well.”
For those die-hard Earnhardt fans clinging to hopes of seeing an eighth Earnhardt family championship develop today, the best scenario would have Earnhardt winning the race and leading the most laps, obtaining the maximum 190 points. If Johnson finished 30th, Earnhardt would overtake the Daytona 500 winner by two points.
But then there’s Kenseth, Harvick and Hamlin to factor in, and the litany of “what-ifs” causes Earnhardt to go back to just worrying about himself.
“It’s great to be racing these guys here for the Chase in the last nine races, and being competitive,” he said. “That’s really all I’ve ever wanted, so it’s been great. Really been one of the better seasons for me.
“I’ve had great cars every week and that was something I hadn’t had (last year). It really makes me look forward to the future with this team.”
Kenseth wins again
Kenseth passed teammate Carl Edwards for the lead with 11 laps to go Saturday night then pulled away for his second consecutive Busch Series victory.
Kenseth won last weekend in Phoenix, but had to hold off Harvick for a three-lap sprint to the finish to claim the win. This time he led 90 laps, lost the lead on a poor pit stop, and had to chase down Edwards to reclaim it.
Footnotes
Colombian hero Juan Pablo Montoya has gotten as much attention as any championship-eligible driver, and then some. The Miami resident, a former CART and Formula One star, will make his Nextel Cup debut today. He qualified 29th for a new team under the Chip Ganassi Racing stables.
Montoya, who won the 2000 Indianapolis 500 for Ganassi’s former CART team, has three Busch Series starts under his belt, but says that experience really hasn’t helped him for Cup.
“It’s really hard to switch from one to the other,” he said. “The wheelbase is different. The whole car is really different.” …
Furniture Row Racing, a one-car rookie team based in Denver and owned by Barney Visser of Cherry Hills, failed to qualify for today’s race with Kenny Wallace behind the wheel. Furniture Row’s No. 78 was one of 42 entries to attempt to qualify for all 36 point races, and it made 21 of them.
Mike Chambers can be reached at 303-954-1357 or mchambers@denverpost.com.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
