NASCAR at Richmond preview:  Dale Earnhardt Jr. turns attention to the track after eventful week

Dale Earnhardt Jr. remembers what followed after Steve Letarte announced January 2014 that the forthcoming season would be his last as Earnhardt’s crew chief. What Earnhardt witnessed was a crew chief whose demeanor changed, whose approach to calling races became more aggressive, which ultimately paved the way for a successful final campaign that saw the Earnhardt-Letarte union end with a flourish.

“(Letarte) called that whole season completely different,” Earnhardt said Friday at Richmond International Raceway, site of Sunday’s Toyota Owners 400 (2 p.m. ET, Fox). “He was more aggressive and I think it was because he had the freedom to be that way.

“There are things he did in the middle of the race that we might not have done had he not had his mind made up what he was doing and, ‘Hey, this is my last hooray, we are going to go for it kind of attitude.’”

Having announced Tuesday that he’s retiring from full-time racing at the end of the current Monster Energy Cup Series season, Earnhardt is hoping to carry with him a similar mindset. One that will allow him to race aggressively, without concern for the repercussions, and ultimately result in a final season that is both successful and fulfilling.

Although the 42-year-old Hendrick Motorsports made his decision on March 29 and informed team owner Rick Hendrick the same day, he admits not disclosing the news publicly became a burden. But with the world now in the loop, the weight has lifted off his shoulders.

“I certainly do feel a lot more relaxed now,” Earnhardt said. “I don’t know whether it’s because I finally got to tell everybody and let everybody know what we are doing, get that over with.”

The first indication that the situation had changed since Tuesday’s press conference came during Friday’s lone practice session, Earnhardt said. It wasn’t one specific thing, per se, just something he could sense.

“I felt like there was less pressure from somewhere -- a large amount,” said Earnhardt, who will start 12th on Sunday. “It was a lot different.

“We had a good practice. We weren’t exactly right when we started and I guess that freedom of thought and free from the stress of whatever that I was dealing with helped us get through a good practice and find some speed.”

That doesn’t mean, however, that the pressure to perform has completely vanished. NASCAR’s 14-time most popular driver wants to give his legion of loyal fans something worth remembering.

After an uneven opening eight races to begin the season that’s seen him record three DNFs and just a single top-10 finish, Earnhardt is optimistic a more relaxed approach and willingness to take chances will spur improved performance. His best result thus far is a fifth April 9 at Texas Motor Speedway, though strong runs at Daytona and Martinsville were negated because of accidents not of his own doing.

Earnhardt’s last Cup win occurred 27 races ago -- Nov. 15, 2015 at Phoenix International Raceway.

“The fans are going to want you to do as well as you can,” Earnhardt said. “They are still going to have expectations per usual.

“The team, the guys, and myself we would love to win some races. I’m going to say a race, but some races would be great going out in your last season to get some victories. We just want to go to victory lane one more time just to get that experience one more time would be awesome for me and I think the guys would love it for sure.”

Because of his stature as the overwhelming fan favorite, Earnhardt is familiar with numerous demands placed on his time. Such obligations will only increase going forward, as he will be subject to the same specially planned tributes from tracks that Jeff Gordon in 2015 and Tony Stewart in 2016 experienced during their respective farewell tours.

Gordon was more receptive to the pomp and circumstance, which included gifts ranging from cases of bourbon to Shetland ponies to even a track being named in his honor. And while Stewart preferred to focus on driving and ensuring he produced a respectable season to cap his career, he didn’t escape the near weekly tributes. Most memorably, Texas Motor Speedway president Eddie Gossage commissioning a 6-foot tall bobblehead of Stewart that he presented to him during driver introductions prior to last fall’s race.

Ever the showman, Gossage will certainly have something creative for Earnhardt, whose first career Xfinity and Cup wins came at Texas. And other tracks will as well. It will be a balance Earnhardt must navigate over his final 28 races.

“The tracks have got to do what they’ve got to do,” Earnhardt said. “None of that is going to rub me the wrong way. You know, in my head, I’m going to be thinking, ‘Man, this is the last time I’m going to do this at this track when we go to these places for the second time.’

“I’m cool.”