Dale Jr Returns

February 3, 2010 by RacingWin
Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr 

Dale Jr Autographed Items

 

Dale Earnhardt Jr is Looking Forward to Seeing You!

Dale Earnhardt Jr

What does returning to Daytona mean for Dale Earnhardt Jr?

“I look forward to seeing everybody. Seeing the other drivers and crew members and everyone we haven’t seen all offseason,” Dale Jr said. “I look forward to hitting the track and getting some speed and going fast. We get down to Daytona and get to go right into drafting practice with the Shootout car, so you get to do a little racing right off the bat. It’s good to get to the track and get it out of your system.”

Junior likes the new larger opening in the restrictor plate being used at Daytona – and the added horsepower it brings. “I’m pretty happy about the new plate,” said Earnhardt. It’s going to give the car a little more throttle response.”

“The restrictor plate gives a throttle response, and you aren’t as scared to let off the gas because you can build momentum back quicker if you have a little more power,” added crew chief Lance McGrew.

It sounds like Dale Jr is planning on being a little more aggressive on the racetrack this year. I am not sure who he is planning on showing personality to – could be Kyle Busch. “I’m glad that NASCAR isn’t going to police the bump drafting so we can all police ourselves and show our personalities,” Earnhardt said. “Hopefully our personalities will be a little more visible on the racetrack.”

“Daytona is Daytona. It’s just really rough. You have to work on the chassis handling. It doesn’t matter how good your body is or how much horsepower you make; if you aren’t on the gas because the car’s not turning then it doesn’t work.”

Lance McGrew summed up what winning the Daytona 500 would mean for the entire No. 88 team. “It’s just one of those places you go that you remember the whole week,” said McGrew. “You remember how you felt, where you were standing during the pre-race. You remember who was there. The crowd and the electricity as you are standing on pit road before the race starts are amazing. It’s like a rock concert, hair-standing-up-on-your-arms kind of deal. Winning there would make your whole season.

Earnhardt has 2 wins in The Shootout, and one win in the Daytona 500. In his career he has won 12 times at the 2.5 mile superspeedway.

He will be driving a newly built race car for the Daytona 500. It is Hendrick Motorsports chassis # 88-563. The car was built specifically to win the Daytona 500. It will carry the Green Amp paint scheme for this race.

What does returning to Daytona mean to you?

Photo Courtesy Hendrick Motorsports

 

 


 

 

Tags:

Comments

25 Comments on Dale Jr Returns

  1. 88alltheway!! on Wed, 3rd Feb 2010 8:28 pm

    2. woo i cant wate til racin starts bac…..its almost heree and im ready…jr can do it this is his year!!

  2. Debbie Roberts on Wed, 3rd Feb 2010 8:35 pm

    3. We can’t wait either JR! It can’t come soon enough for us – ready to watch you drive like an Earnhardt! Cause that’s what you are, and everybody knows it, and everybody wants you to win! JR Nation is still strong and this year it will grow even stronger. I can feel it in my 55 yr old bones!

  3. Brian Groen on Wed, 3rd Feb 2010 8:41 pm

    4. Great a Black 88 car!, hope this brings a little luck, can’t wait to get the season going.

  4. MEME on Wed, 3rd Feb 2010 6:48 pm

    5. Hey I agree, lets have a #88 in black.

  5. Carylon Robinson on Wed, 3rd Feb 2010 6:58 pm

    6. Wouldn’t a black #88 be just totally awesome for us Earnhardt fans!!!!!

  6. Tom McDonnell on Wed, 3rd Feb 2010 7:16 pm

    7. 2010 is your year Jr.

  7. Toni on Wed, 3rd Feb 2010 7:20 pm

    8. Jr. can and will be the best on the track

  8. LINDA S on Wed, 3rd Feb 2010 7:34 pm

    9. THE DAYTONA 500 MEANS…..RACING IS BACK !!!!! GO 88

  9. Mama Donia on Wed, 3rd Feb 2010 7:52 pm

    10. That black car is looking good, GOOD LUCK JUNEBUG, we love ya, can’t wait to see you back out there!!!!!

  10. John Gee on Wed, 3rd Feb 2010 8:14 pm

    11. GO 88, you can do it this year, it’s an even number year, I know you hate odd number years.

  11. Susie Powell on Wed, 3rd Feb 2010 8:31 pm

    12. Read my Lips……JR. is IT in 2010! GO JR.!!!!!!!!!

  12. AZomah on Wed, 3rd Feb 2010 8:35 pm

    13. Daytona means end of a boring 2 months. Sharp looking car Jr. Really glad it is time for you to put the pedal to the metal and releive our boredom. Good luck and enjoy yourself.

  13. marcel on Wed, 3rd Feb 2010 8:59 pm

    14. Sorry JR. I cant be a fan of yours, personally I don’t have a problem with you. Your doing what you think is the way to go. I can’t agree with that, I call it as I see it. I know your fans are not liking what I’m saying. I still wish you a good 2010 season.

  14. Deborah on Wed, 3rd Feb 2010 11:31 pm

    15. Dale Jr lookin good by his black 88!!!!!

  15. goldie on Wed, 3rd Feb 2010 11:50 pm

    16. I’ve got that sneaky feeling that “watch out boys” Jr. will show his aggressiveness this year and this will be his year. I think Hendrick has really put his all in trying to weed out the so called bugs from last year and will give Jr. the car he needs to do the job he wants to do. I am so glad to know that most of Jr. fans are still loyal and can’t wait to see that #88 do a little bumping and grinding especially to some that tried to spin others and Jr. out. I’m not saying I want to see wrecks, I only want to see good racing and no backing down. (Just like the good ole days) I am waiting patiently for the Daytona 500, not to mention the shootout , the qualifying and even the Speed TV program. Make your fans happy, Jr. Good Luck

  16. REGAN on Thu, 4th Feb 2010 3:27 am

    17. ODD OR EVEN I JUST HOPE JR GETS EVEN WITH A FEW THIS YEAR !!!!!!

  17. Robin on Thu, 4th Feb 2010 7:51 am

    18. Awesome car. GO JUNEBUG>

  18. Marie on Thu, 4th Feb 2010 9:04 am

    19. I am confident that Dale Jr. is going to “smoke ‘em” this season! He seems upbeat and confident and I am looking forward to some good racing this year. 2009 was the most boring season I’ve ever seen and I have a feeling, that with the changes NASCAR is making, 2010 is going to be what racing should be. I’m getting excited now!

  19. Randy King on Thu, 4th Feb 2010 9:58 am

    20. i’ll watch but i’m NOT excited… jr will disappoint me and his fans AGAIN…

  20. Randy King on Thu, 4th Feb 2010 12:36 pm

    21. looks good in black but the 88 is still junk

  21. Deborah on Thu, 4th Feb 2010 1:55 pm

    22. For someone who does not like Jr you sure do talk about Jr alot. The 88 Is not junk now or has ever been junk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  22. Deborah on Thu, 4th Feb 2010 1:58 pm

    23. Do not say you are a Jr fan because Jr fans do not talk about him the way you are.

  23. REGAN on Fri, 5th Feb 2010 6:30 am

    24. AND JUST WHAT ARE YOU CALLING OLE WISE ONE?

  24. REGAN on Fri, 5th Feb 2010 6:32 am

    25. THEN DONT WATCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  25. barbara on Wed, 10th Feb 2010 1:39 pm

    26. GOOD LUCK TO JR AND HIS NEW CREW!! It looks like he has a good feeling and I feel the same way. They just need to work together. Sometimes the driver knows what’s best and sometimes the crew chief, it takes both, that’s why Jimmie does so well. RACING IS LIKE FOOTBALL SOMEWHAT IN THAT IT IS A TEAM SPORT. GOOD LUCK JR!!!!! GRAMMY 68

Tell me what you're thinking...
and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!