With a powerful new Chevrolet built by mighty Hendrick Motorsports, Earnhardt hopes to return to his winning ways starting with tonight’s exhibition Budweiser Shootout. The first test of the most scrutinized move in NASCAR history is here, and he’s ready to get rolling in his new ride.
“I want to go out and run in the top-five regularly. I have to prove that to myself,” he said. “Once that is cool, I am fine. All I really wanted was to run up front every week and to go to the race track knowing that my car is good, my team is good.”
That’s not in question now that Earnhardt is driving for Hendrick, which won 18 of 36 races last season. He signed with the team last June after making the difficult decision to leave his late father’s company.
Choosing HMS capped a whirlwind six weeks in which all of NASCAR’s top teams chased its most popular driver. He picked Hendrick because of the potential the team gives him - he insists his résumé stands on its own but knows this pairing could make him one of the greatest drivers in history.
“I don’t think we have to prove I’m a good race car driver,” Earnhardt said. “I want to prove I’m a great one. When they make the next 50 greatest drivers list, I want to be on it.”
To get there, he’ll need to start winning again. He hasn’t been to Victory Lane for 62 races, and he last celebrated at Daytona with a Busch Series win in 2006.
Barring an early stumble by his No. 88 team, he shouldn’t have the same problem at Hendrick.
Earnhardt was OK in the first Shootout practice Friday, where he was 18th out of 23 cars. Tony Stewart paced the session, going 191.290 in a Toyota Camry. Toyota claimed three of the top four spots in the morning.
It unraveled in the second session when Stewart tangled with Kurt Busch. It began when Stewart knocked the back of Busch’s car, sending Busch into the wall. Stewart’s car went low and ran into teammate Denny Hamlin.
As both Joe Gibbs Racing cars headed to the garage, Busch deliberately hit Stewart’s car several times. Stewart then stopped his car in an attempt to block Busch from entering the garage.
