Though the calendar has changed, it’s not too late to look back at last season. SB Nation is counting down its top 15 most-viewed NASCAR stories of 2010 during the first two weeks of January.
No. 7: Dale Earnhardt Jr. ‘Lost’ After Poor Dover Race
There were several races in 2010 that could have qualified as low points for Dale Earnhardt Jr., but the Dover race in May may have topped them all.
On that Sunday, Earnhardt Jr. found his car to be so ill-handling that he came into the pits and told his team something was broken on the car.
As it turned out, nothing was technically wrong with the car, and Earnhardt Jr. was forced to take the blame for losing laps under the green flag with a faulty diagnosis.
After the race, Earnhardt Jr. was about as down as I’ve seen him. And his words told the story.
Among other things, he said the team had pretty much been running like crap for two years and he had started to get used to it after awhile. But he insisted he was a better driver than his car and performance showed.
He didn’t know how to fix it, though. When I asked how the team would rebound after such a difficult day, Earnhardt Jr. thought for a long time and then said, “I don’t know. What do you think? I’m lost.”
The story about Earnhardt Jr.‘s Dover struggles – which marked the beginning of the end for the pairing of Earnhardt Jr. and crew chief Lance McGrew – drew enough clicks to rank as No. 7 on SB Nation’s most-read stories countdown.
Our Most Popular NASCAR Stories of 2010:
15. Instant reaction to Hendrick Motorsports crew chief swap
14. Why Dale Earnhardt Jr. won’t tweet
13. Dale Earnhardt Jr. finishes 16th at Las Vegas
12. Drivers flattered by portrayal in South Park episode
11. List of drivers’ song choices for the Bristol night race
10. ‘12 Out Of 12’ interview with Dale Earnhardt Jr.
9. Video of Shane Hmiel’s USAC wreck
8. Boris Said crew chief screams at Tony Stewart after Sonoma race
7. Dale Earnhardt Jr. ‘Lost’ when it comes to answers about team after Dover
(Nos. 6-1 to be revealed soon)
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