PREVIEW: DALE EARNHARDT JR. (NO. 5 NATIONAL GUARD CHEVROLET)

AT CALIFORNIA: In three NASCAR Nationwide Series events at California Speedway, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has won once and recorded two top-five finishes and two top-10s. He won at the track on July 19, 1998, leading 141 laps, and went on to claim the Nationwide Series championship in his first full schedule. Overall, Earnhardt has led about 52 percent of the time at the Fontana, Calif., track, leading 222 out of a total 429 laps. His average start is 4.7, and his average finish is 12.7.

SECOND RUNNING: This weekend's race at California Speedway will mark Earnhardt's second event in the No. 5 National Guard Chevrolet. Last weekend he finished third at Daytona International Speedway. Earnhardt will run a total of nine Nationwide Series races this season in the No. 5 Chevy, five of those with the National Guard as the sponsor.

APPROACHING MILESTONE: Earnhardt will make his 99th Nationwide Series start this weekend at California. He has raced in at least one event in 12 of the past 13 Nationwide Series seasons (none in 2000), claiming championships in 1998 and 1999. During that time, he has won 22 times and recorded 47 top-five finishes and 62 top-10s. He earned the pole position nine times. Earnhardt will make his 100th start on March 8 at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

CALIFORNIA CHASSIS: The No. 5 National Guard Chevy that Earnhardt will drive this weekend -- JR Motorsports Chassis No. 299 -- was a backup car for most of last year. It has not won since May 2005 when the No. 5 Chevy finished first in the CARQUEST 300 Nationwide Series race at Lowe's Motor Speedway.

REPRESENT: The No. 5 National Guard Chevrolet will honor California's 40th Infantry Brigade Combat Team this weekend by running the unit's red, blue and gold patch on its hood. A different Army National Guard unit will be honored on the No. 5 Chevy in 19 Nationwide Series races this season.

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CHAD WALTER, CREW CHIEF, NO. 5 NATIONAL GUARD CHEVROLET (ON CHANGES TO THE ENGINES IN THE NATIONWIDE SERIES.): "I think after our Las Vegas test, it was pretty apparent that the rpms and the mid-corner speeds are way up. Perhaps something that NASCAR felt like was going to slow us down has actually allowed us to carry more mid-corner speed. California is different than Las Vegas, so we are anxiously anticipating that race. But I think you are going to see more restrictor plate-like racing at these bigger tracks where the rpms just aren't dropping and getting a draft off someone is even more important now than it used to be at California."

WALTER (ON HAVING DALE EARNHARDT JR. RACE AT CALIFORNIA.): "I think anytime you get a caliber of a driver like Dale Earnhardt Jr. in your race car, your outlook is high. We've had really good race cars at California in the past. In 2007, I think our worst finish was fourth and we led both of those races there and just didn't bring home the hardware. So I feel like we have a pretty good set up for California and a really good talented driver, and I'm looking for really big things."

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National Guard: http://www.1800GOGUARD.com

JR Motorsports: http://www.DaleJr.com

GM Racing Media: http://media.gm.com

NASCAR Media: http://www.nascarmedia.com