NASCAR WCUP: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Interview: Qualifying at Michigan

Posted By Terry Callahan
Motorsports Editor, The Auto Channel

August 18, 2001

Dale Earnhardt Jr., No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet Monte Carlo: "I knew the first lap wasn't that good, and I had to take a second lap. I had a good car, it just didn't have the grip I wanted in the corners; so we'll come back and work on it (qualifying) for the next time we come back here. But that's good enough to get us in the show. Maybe we can just run up there and stay there.

"I was hoping we could run in the .40's somewhere, but that'll do. It's a pretty decent lap. I didn't think it was going to be that good when I was watching qualifying early on. But it should be an okay lap. We've qualified real poorly over the past few months. For several races we've had to use pit strategy and things like that to get the car up front. Hopefully with this effort today, we won't have to do that on Sunday and we can just be in sync with everybody else."

(What car are you running this weekend?) "It's brand new this year. We've run it a couple of times - Chicago and places like that. It's got some time on it, but we're still working some of the kinks out. It's got a great body on it. The guys in the fabrication department have been doing an excellent job this year. All the cars are looking real sharp and the guys in the motor department have given us some new horsepower under the hood. We're real excited. We've really turned our team into one of the contending teams over the last six months. We really want to maintain that momentum and stay in the top 10 in points so we can get on stage (at the year-end awards banquet) in New York."

(If the weather stays like it is today for Sunday's race, how will it be for the drivers?) "It's a lot easier for the drivers. The cars have a little bit more grip. I prefer this type of weather because it suits my driving style to have the cars a little bit tighter. There are a lot of things they've done to help with the heat like painting the chassis with reflecting paint and things like that. I remember when we had more of a problem with it."

(What do you think about Sunday?) "I think we're good. I really like coming here. It's a wide racetrack. It's a great racetrack - one of the better racetracks on the circuits. We've run pretty good just about every time we come here. We had a top three car that first race of the season. We had poor gas mileage and hopefully we've got that remedied."

(Why has the team gotten better over the past six months?) "This biggest difference between this year and last year is that we'd get to the racetrack - even at the beginning of the season - the cars are closer. They're in more the ballpark. We haven't been a dominant car anywhere, but we've been a top five, top ten car most everywhere we've been this year. There are some guys that are really fast, but I feel like we can maintain our position in the points. That's what I'm really concentrating on now is not to make any mistakes or anything that's going to jeopardize our points. There's only about 100-150 points that separates sixth to 12th. In one race, we can be back out of the top ten."

(Could you wind up in the top five by the end of the season?) "If we can maintain what we've had in the past six weeks, I think so. We've really gained a lot of points over the past several weeks compared to most guys. And I think we've got a better team, better cars, and maybe even a better than some of those guys."

(After what happened to the No. 31 car last week, are you apprehensive about that TV box being in you car?) "Yes. And actually my sponsor, Budweiser, is really adamant about having that TV exposure that the camera gives inside the car. But they even said that could understand if we didn't want to run it. Until they can tell us it's foolproof, I'm going to stay away from it. We don't want to take the risk. It's a lot of fun for the fans and it's one of my favorite parts about watching the race. It's like getting in and feeling like you're driving. I really like taking it home at watching it. But we just can take that type of chance."

(Will you have it in your car this weekend?) "I don't think so."

Text provided by Nancy Wager

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