Even strong desert winds that blew his No.88 Chevrolet from the top groove of the racetrack to the bottom couldn’t shake Dale Earnhardt Jr’s enthusiasm during testing at Las Vegas Motor Speedway this week.

During a mid-day break for lunch Dale Jr paid a visit to the track’s infield media center. “I'm having fun testing, doing work,” Earnhardt said.

“I just want to be working, doing something. The guys have been preparing for the season, getting the shop and the cars ready. It's good to be here testing. It feels good to be working, driving the car, talking, giving input, being an asset. You know, that's really good enough for me.”

During the two day test the No. 88 team battled howling winds as much as other race teams as they worked to set up their cars for maximum handling and speed.

Earnhardt described how he was still getting accustomed to his role with a new team. “I'm just taking it in, man,” Earnhardt said. “I mean, I'm just listening to what they're saying and trying to find out what kind of drivers they are and how serious about their work they are. Listening to the crew chiefs.”

“I'm just trying to figure out how serious they are about their jobs, what the temperature is, you know. Sort of how to be or how to act around them, what they want from me, what they'd like to know from me.”

Officially billed as NASCAR Preseason Thunder, the annual round of preseason tests began earlier this year in Daytona. The test sessions take on a new importance this year as the new NASCAR Race Car that was once known as the Car of Tomorrow makes its first full time debut in the Sprint Cup series.

For Dale Earnhardt Jr the test took on even more importance – it gave him a chance to spend more time working with new crew members -- forming a bond that he hopes will lead to race wins and championships

“I definitely never really was the kind of guy that's a stand-up leader,” he said. “If I end up leading, that's fine. But I never really try to take those types of situations under my own control. I mean, I think every other week there's going to be a different guy that's sort of helping run that deal, being at the top of it, as far as drivers go. Hopefully we're all sort of enjoying some of that.”

Time will tell if Junior is on the right road, but if his attitude is any indication the competition had better watch out.