The affable Dale Earnhardt Jr. captured Sunday’s Sprint Cup event in Michigan, ending a 76-race winning drought.
But it was more than that. NASCAR’s superstar won on Father’s Day, and we all know what his late famous father meant to the sport.
“Happy Father’s Day to everybody,” Earnhardt, who is not yet a father, said in a post-race news conference.
The late Dale Earnhardt would be proud. His son has become as wise and humble as Dad was wise and intimidating.
Junior is a fabulous NASCAR role model — just like his dad, who has adapted to the times. Dale Sr. was a Southern legend, but the well-spoken and considerate Junior has the ability to become an All-American legend. “I felt really fortunate to have what I had. . . . As much as I wanted to win, I couldn’t get away from just feeling really fortunate and feeling really lucky,” Junior said. “Man, I’ve got a great team. Look at my cars. They are so awesome, and look how well they are built. And look at my guys, they are so dedicated and everybody believes. I just feel so lucky.”
NASCAR is lucky to have such a man in its garages, one who can lead by example and bridge barriers between economic and racial problems.
By winning Sunday, Junior helped NASCAR temporarily escape from the worst storm it has seen in some time.
Record fuel prices have some questioning if we should really promote a gas-guzzling sport that on any given Sunday probably consumes more fuel than every lawn mower in America.
A week ago, the gas issue was pushed to the back burner when a former NASCAR official announced she is suing NASCAR for $225 million. Mauricia Grant, who is black, alleged 23 sexual harassment incidents and 34 incidents of racial and gender discrimination during her time as a technical inspector for NASCAR’s then-named Busch Series.
Many of Grant’s stories are frightening, and if true, a huge step back for an organization that is trying hard to squash racial barriers that seemingly exist in the Southern born-and-based sport.
Junior was asked if his win might diminish the dark cloud that has NASCAR’s public relations people working overtime.
“Oh, I don’t know,” he said. “There’s other people in this room that know that answer and probably could do a better job.”
For once, he’s wrong.
In this era, he is NASCAR’s best spokesman.
Red Bull renaissance.
Brian Vickers left Hendrick Motorsports after the 2006 season to join the startup Red Bull Racing Team. The seemingly downward career move appeared to stem from the fact that Vickers had just one victory and 10 top-10 finishes in 110 races with Hendrick, arguably the sport’s top team.
Vickers is proving that he has game. He has finished second and fourth, respectively, in the last two races, and has improved to 16th in the standings. He finished 38th last year with the first-year team.
“We have definitely been running better lately, that’s for sure,” Vickers said in Tuesday’s national conference call.
Vickers’ teammate is A.J. Allmendinger, the former Thornton resident and 2006 Grand Prix of Denver champion. Allmendinger also is having more success this year.
“I think here the biggest difference is just Red Bull and everybody back at the shop,” Allmendinger said. “They’re building new race cars. That’s why you see Brian running so well; that’s why you see myself starting to run so well.”
