Earnhardt Jr. says there's no way to compare the racing in NASCAR's first two events of the season, so he heads to California Speedway this weekend without looking back to the crash at Daytona International Speedway Sunday that cost him a possible top finish.
"It's a completely clean slate," said the driver of Dale Earnhardt Inc.'s No. 8 Chevrolet. "You can't compare the two. Daytona is like a season of its own, and the superspeedway program is different than the rest of the tracks. So, were not going out there feeling like we're in trouble in the points or [worrying] about being in a big crash at Daytona.
"That was only the first race, and if we do what we know we can as a team, we'll be in the top 12 in points when the Chase begins."
Earnhardt Jr. watched his chance of a top finish get sidelined in a crash late in the Daytona 500, relegating him to a 32nd-place finish. He's now heading to California for the Auto Club 500, a race in which he finished 11th last year. But after the team found something with its setups, the team was runnerup to Kasey Kahne at the track last fall.
Earnhardt Jr. says the team is using his favorite chassis for Sunday's Nextel Cup race.
"It's kind of like going out wearing your favorite jeans and T-shirt. ... With this chassis, the whole team knows we're going to be fast as soon as we roll off the trailer, so everyone seems more confident and focused.
"It makes that long trip out there seem a lot more worthwhile."
"It's a completely clean slate," said the driver of Dale Earnhardt Inc.'s No. 8 Chevrolet. "You can't compare the two. Daytona is like a season of its own, and the superspeedway program is different than the rest of the tracks. So, were not going out there feeling like we're in trouble in the points or [worrying] about being in a big crash at Daytona.
"That was only the first race, and if we do what we know we can as a team, we'll be in the top 12 in points when the Chase begins."
Earnhardt Jr. watched his chance of a top finish get sidelined in a crash late in the Daytona 500, relegating him to a 32nd-place finish. He's now heading to California for the Auto Club 500, a race in which he finished 11th last year. But after the team found something with its setups, the team was runnerup to Kasey Kahne at the track last fall.
Earnhardt Jr. says the team is using his favorite chassis for Sunday's Nextel Cup race.
"It's kind of like going out wearing your favorite jeans and T-shirt. ... With this chassis, the whole team knows we're going to be fast as soon as we roll off the trailer, so everyone seems more confident and focused.
"It makes that long trip out there seem a lot more worthwhile."
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