Dale Earnhardt Jr. showcases ability, cements status as Daytona 500 favorite

It was a textbook restrictor-plate pass executed by a gifted driver who understands the nuances of drafting better than anyone else.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was running second to Denny Hamlin with six laps remaining in the first of two Daytona 500 qualifying races Thursday night at Daytona International Speedway. It was then Earnhardt decided to go to his playbook. Dragging the brake to back off Hamlin to gain momentum as they sped through the tri-oval, Earnhardt then pushed forward and darted low underneath Hamlin to take a lead he would not relinquish.

In the grand scheme, Earnhardt’s victory means little other than a preferred starting spot (third) in Sunday’s Daytona 500. Had the race carried more importance, Hamlin admits he would have defended Earnhardt more aggressively -- chopping down across the nose of the No. 88 car to maintain his position.

But if restrictor-plate racing is a game of cat and mouse, as it often resembles, then Earnhardt sent a clear message when he swooped by Hamlin. Others may possess fast cars capable of winning, and other drivers may be good at navigating the draft, but Earnhardt is an Earnhardt and that means he’s in a class by himself when it comes to racing at Daytona.

“You got to go win,” Earnhardt said. “You can’t hold any cards when there’s a trophy out there.”

Hamlin could see what Earnhardt was attempting to do, when he backed up slightly to get a run. But because the No. 88 carried such speed, Hamlin couldn’t react quickly enough -- nor would he would have wanted to, considering the likely outcome would have been a torn up car.

“(Earnhardt’s) coming at such a fast pace from behind, you have to anticipate,” Hamlin said. “It’s almost like a free kick in soccer, ‘Okay, I committed to the right side and (he) kicked to the left.’”

When asked by reporters if there were any concerns the two-time Daytona 500 winner (2004,‘14) may have tipped his hand, revealing a winning formula in a rather meaningless event, Earnhardt smirked. Because if he’s proven anything over the years in winning 10 restrictor-plate races -- third all-time trailing only Jeff Gordon (12) and his late father, Dale Earnhardt (11) -- it’s that he has an abundance of go-to moves when he needs to make a pass.

“I’m not too worried about giving away too many secrets,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “But the car is so good. And when you got such a great car, it’s hard to defend on a pass with a car like that.”

Yet as good as Earnhardt may be, he is not unbeatable Sunday, a fact he fully understands. Restrictor-plate racing is volatile, with drivers often at the mercy of those around and circumstances they cannot control.

On Thursday, Hamlin did not have a teammate to aid him in fending off Earnhardt, who had fellow Chevrolet driver Kevin Harvick tucked behind him willing to lend an assist if need be.

With another Toyota driver to work with, Hamlin believes he would have had a chance. A claim buoyed by Joe Gibbs Racing teammates Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth combining to lead 58 of 60 laps in Duel No. 2, a race Busch won.

“The 88 had some speed, definitely,” Busch said of Duel No. 1. “I think there were some opportunities that Denny let the 88 have him, wasn’t able to put a big enough block on him or something like that to hold the lead.”

But as things so often do at Daytona, it comes back to Earnhardt, whose ability and drafting prowess make him the unquestioned favorite going into Sunday.

“You know he is going to be tough to beat,” Harvick said. “He has been really fast on all of these race tracks for the last couple of years, more than that, but extremely fast for the last couple of years with this particular rules package.

“I think it will stay that way.”