Earnhardt Has Just Enough To End Winless Drought

BROOKLYN, Mich. — “It don’t get no sweeter than this.”
Words Dale Earnhardt, Jr. had waited 76 races to say became a huge statement Sunday at Michigan Int’l Speedway — a split instant after the fuel tank on the No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet ran dry.
It came after an agonizing final few laps made even worse so by Sam Hornish, Jr.’s spin that put the race into green-white-checker overtime.
Concerned that he didn’t have enough fuel for the 200 laps, Earnhardt nursed and saved every drop of fuel possible by coasting and running on the bottom of the track.
The moves paid off as Earnhardt held off Kasey Kahne and Matt Kenseth to end a victory drought of two years and 76 races.
It was Earnhardt’s first Cup victory at MIS and Chevrolet’s first at MIS since 2001.
For much of the race, it was a battle among the likes of Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson, Brian Vickers, Carl Edwards and Kenseth.
The time of caution periods created the usual fuel-mileage consternation that set up the final-lap histrionics. Earnhardt, running 10th with 15 laps to go, moved to the top spot as cars ahead of him went to pit road for fuel and tires.
Earnhardt inherited the lead on lap 196 and was still there when Hornish spun off turn four.

BREAKING THROUGH: Dale Earnhardt, Jr. (88) leads Kasey Kahne and Matt Kenseth across the finish line to win Sunday’s LifeLock 400 at Michigan Int’l Speedway. (HHP/Alan Marler Photo)

From there to the end, neither Earnhardt nor crew chief Tony Eury, Jr. knew whether the fuel would last to the finish.
“We came in on that last stop (on lap 154) and knew we were six laps short (on fuel),” Earnhardt said. “So I saved six laps (of fuel). I have to hand it to Tony, Jr. for being a risk-taker. Normally, we wouldn’t trade the top five for the chance to win, but we did the right thing today.”
For Eury, it was a no-brainer after the last stop.
“I told Dale if we kept going and were a lap short, we’d finish 25th,” Eury said. “If we stop for gas, we finish 25th. So we went for it.”
There came a time after that where another decision had to be made.
“Jamie (McMurray) came up there and I knew he could probably make it and I told Dale we had to race that guy,” Eury said. “Then when the caution came out, it was pretty sickening, and I said OK, we’re done. We could make 200, but with 202, we’re in trouble.
“As soon as the caution came out, I told him to shut it off and coast. Doing that probably got us the win. I’ll be honest, my nerves are pretty well tore up right now.”
Kahne, who was second in the Budweiser Dodge, battled a loose car until it got better in the final run, but too late to challenge for the victory.
“We took fuel as late as we could under caution because of all the green flag runs,” Kahne said. “I saved for 42 laps (at the end). We had enough to finish, dead green, and I guess it’s just a good finish.”
For Kenseth and the Carhart Ford, it was a good day with a little too much frustration.
“We just got beat on the pit deal again,” he said, “and we had an official in front of our pit that cost us two spots leaving the pits and that really hurt us. And we had a miscue on our tire stop.”
Kenseth said he hoped NASCAR would make good on the official who was in his way.
“I’ve seen them before in cases where officials made a mistake and they have corrected it,” he said. “You always hope for that possibility.”
For the third time this season, rain washed out qualifications. The rain halted trials after 11 cars had qualified.