NASCAR WCUP: Dale Earnhardt Jr. tries to make it three for three for DEI

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

The three teams from Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI) will attempt to make it three-for-three for the 2001 season at Las Vegas this Sunday. In the Daytona 500, Michael Waltrip scored his first career Winston Cup win in a DEI car, followed across the line by the red DEI Budweiser car driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr. The second place finish tied a career-best Daytona finish for Dale Jr.

Steve Park grabbed his second career Cup win Monday at Rockingham in the DEI Pennzoil car. DEI cars have now won five races and the Winston since last April.

No Laps

Dale Jr. finished 43rd in the Dura-Lube 400, the worst finish of his brief Winston Cup career. It is the first time Dale Jr. has failed to complete a lap during a Cup race. The poor finish dropped Dale Jr. from second to 19th in Winston Cup points. It was the first race of 2001 that Dale Jr. did not lead a lap (Budweiser Shootout, Gatorade 125 and the Daytona 500).

Las Vegas

The Budweiser team led 41 laps at Las Vegas last season, but dropped to a 10th place finish when heavy rain stopped the race prematurely. At that time, it tied their career best Winston Cup finish.

Bud Pole Qualifying: Bud Pole qualifying will be seen live on the Fox Sports Network Friday afternoon at 5:00 – 7:00 pm Eastern Time. The Winston Cup Happy Hour will also be seen on the FX Network Saturday afternoon at 3:30 pm Eastern.

What to Watch: The Las Vegas track is the first 1.5-mile ovalof the season, and is similar to the tracks at Texas, Atlanta and Charlotte.During their rookie season in 2000, Dale Jr. and the Bud team led races at each of those tracks, and won events at Texas and Charlotte.

Text Provided By J. Gurss

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