Earnhardt Jr. ready to get on the ‘road’ after Michigan win

Dale Earnhardt Jr. arrives to Sonoma this weekend with one thing finally
behind him — a four-year winless streak. To the delight of his millions of
fans, Earnhardt Jr. made it back to victory lane last Sunday at Michigan,
ending a string of 143 races without a win.

Earnhardt Jr. — NASCAR’s most popular driver — is having one of his best
season’s in Sprint Cup so far. With the win at Michigan, Earnhardt Jr. moved
to within four points of leader Matt Kenseth. He has scored 12 top-10 finishes
in the first 15 races this year.

“We started off (the season) pretty quick and we have gotten quicker and
quicker, especially these last couple weeks,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “We’ll just
try to keep doing that and win the next race and see what happens.”

Earnhardt Jr. is now focusing on more wins during the regular season to help
him secure extra bonus points before the start of the Chase for the Sprint Cup
championship. Eleven races remain before the Chase begins on September 16 at
Chicagoland.

“I feel like we want to win some more races before the Chase starts,
obviously,” he said. “We’ll think about where we are points-wise when that all
happens after Richmond (September 8). But I don’t want to get too far ahead of
myself.”

Sunday’s race at Sonoma is the first of two road-course events in the series
this season. Watkins Glen, NY is scheduled for August 12.

Earnhardt Jr. has struggled on the road courses, particularly Sonoma. His best
finish in 12 races there is 11th, which came three times, most recently in
2010.

“We have to go to Sonoma and figure out how to get around there and how
to get my first top-ten at that place,” he noted. “We have a lot to accomplish
this year.”

While Earnhardt Jr. is in a great shape right now to qualify for this year’s
Chase, several drivers, including four-time series champion Jeff Gordon, have
their work cut out if they want to make it into the playoffs.

Gordon, who is Earnhardt Jr.’s teammate at Hendrick Motorsports, is currently
20th in the point standings. He trails 10th-place Brad Keselowski by 83
points. Gordon holds the series record for most wins on road courses with
nine, including five at Sonoma. However, it’s been six years since his last
trip to victory lane at a road course.

“While we haven’t had the same success we once had on road courses, I look
forward to those events,” Gordon said. “The road courses bring a different set
of challenges, and those challenges are fun.”

Gordon has finished ninth or better in the last six races at Sonoma, including
a win in 2006. He placed second there one year ago.

Since he is presently in the top-20 in points, Gordon is in “wild card”
territory, but he desperately needs a win to get back into playoff contention.

“When you’re back where I’m at, you just have to win; it’s the only chance you
have,” he said. “If we finally start to put it together, we’ll make it in. And
if we don’t, we’ll start working on it next year.”

Carl Edwards is 11th in the rankings and trails Keselowski by just two points.
Following Edwards in the standings are: Kyle Busch (12th), Ryan Newman (13th),
Paul Menard (14th), Joey Logano (15th), Kasey Kahne (16th), Marcos Ambrose
(17th), Jamie McMurray (18th) and Juan Pablo Montoya (19th).

Busch, Newman, Logano and Kahne have one victory each so far this season.

Ambrose, who is in his second season with Richard Petty Motorsports, won the
most recent road-course race last August at Watkins Glen. The Australian
claimed his maiden Sprint Cup victory there. He has also performed well at
Sonoma, finishing sixth or better in the past three years there.

“I’m in a great team, and I’m in the best position I’ve ever been in the
sport,” Ambrose said. “Right now as I sit here mid-season, we still feel we
have a chance to make the Chase if we can win some races. We have speed. We
have to convert them into results.”

Ambrose won his first pole in the series last Saturday at Michigan. He did so
in record-setting fashion, turning a lap around the newly repaved two-mile
track at 203.241 mph.

Forty-four teams are on the preliminary entry list for the Toyota/Save Mart
350.

Series: NASCAR Sprint Cup. Date: Sunday, June 24. Race: Toyota/Save Mart 350.
Site: Infineon Raceway. Track: 1.99-mile, 12-turn road course. Start time: 3
p.m.(ET). Laps: 110. Miles: 218.9. 2011 Winner: Kurt Busch. Television: TNT.
Radio: Performance Racing Network (PRN)/SIRIUS NASCAR Satellite.