Guard-car team notched 9th at Bristol
Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the No. 88 National Guard car races at Bristol Motor Speedway, Tenn., Aug. 22. Earnhardt and the Guard-car race team earned a 9th place finish. (Photo courtesy of Hendricks Motorsports)
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hi-res photoBRISTOL, Tenn. – Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the No. 88 National Guard car team had a strong run in Saturday's NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Bristol Motor Speedway and finished ninth.
Earnhardt drove specially-painted silver to the 27th starting position and began his climb through the pack at the drop of the green flag.
He immediately noted a tight-handling condition. The evening's second caution flag waved on Lap 63 with the team the 17th position. Crew chief Lance McGrew called Earnhardt down pit road where the crew put on four fresh Goodyear tires and fuel. They also made an air-pressure adjustment before sending Earnhardt back to the track on Lap 69.
Earnhardt continued to report a tight-handling from the center of the racetrack’s corners through exit, but he continued his ascent through the field. By Lap 144, he was in the top ten. The evening's fourth caution occurred on Lap 163 with the team running 11th. McGrew kept the car on the track while a majority of the cars behind Earnhardt opted to pit. The field went back to racing on Lap 170.
Earnhardt had slipped to the 25th position when the evening's fifth caution flag waved on Lap 253. The crew bolted on four fresh tires, made an air pressure and chassis adjustment and refueled the car. Earnhardt then restarted the race running 25th on Lap 263.
The adjustments seemed to do the trick, and Earnhardt radioed that the car was running better on Lap 278. Earnhardt confirmed the sentiment by reclaiming his spot inside the top 10 on Lap 400.
The final 100 laps of the 500-lap event was affected by a series of five caution periods, a disadvantage for the No. 88 Chevy that excelled on long runs. Earnhardt was scored as high as fourth on Lap 486, but ultimately crossed the finish line ninth.
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