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NASCAR-BGN: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Myrtle Beach Notes

16 July 1999

Hot Weekend in Myrtle Beach 

Event:          Myrtle Beach 250

Location:       Myrtle Beach, S.C.

Time:           9:00 p.m. EDT on Saturday, July 17, 1999

TV:             TNN (live)

Radio:          MRN

NOTES:

Dale Earnhardt Jr. feels that a year's worth of experience in a Busch car will benefit him better this time around at the .538 mile short track of the Myrtle Beach Speedway in Myrtle Beach, S.C. One year ago, Earnhardt Jr. had a lot of confidence going into the race but that was soon diminished to humbleness when they had trouble getting the ACDelco Monte Carlo through the corners. He now knows that it takes more then a lot of laps to win at a track you call home. He started third and finished fifth. He hopes for a better outcome this year.

"I had a lot of confidence going into this race last year, just because I have so many laps racing here in my late model car," reflected Earnhardt Jr. "I quickly found out that it isn't always experience that gets you to winners circle. We struggled all day with the handling of the car. The ACDelco crew worked hard throughout the race, but we just never got it right."

"We really missed the set-up on the ACDelco car for Dale Jr. last year," remarked Tony Eury Sr. (crew chief). "We were spinning the tires real bad off the corners and never did get it right. Dale Jr. worked his tail off racing this car and we finished fifth. We hope to better that by about four spots this year."

Earnhardt Jr.'s third place finish at "The Milwaukee Mile" Busch Series race helped increase his lead in the NASCAR Busch Series point standing to 139 points ahead of second place Matt Kenseth.

Earnhardt Jr. has led laps in a total of 12 events so far this season. Eleven of those have been in the last 14 races.

In comparison to last year's win record for Earnhardt Jr. it is exactly the same as it was one year ago going into the Myrtle Beach 250 with three wins.

1999 Wins                               1998 Wins

Texas                                   Dover
Dover                                   South Boston
Milwaukee                               Watkins Glen

"I feel real good about where we are now," remarked Earnhardt Jr. "I feel a lot more settled in my racing and my appearance schedule. I know we have to stay focused to win another championship."

Earnhardt Jr. is moving his way to the top of the NASCAR contingency award programs, which he dominated last year. He currently holds the No. 1 spot in the Gatorade Front Runner (leading at half-way in the race), MCI Worldcom Fast Pace (fastest lap of the race), most monies won and is tied with six other drivers for the top spot for the Bud Pole Award. His great finishes have helped his engine builder to remain on top for the AE Clevite Engine Builder (award for top engine builder who is Ron Hutter with No. 3 car). He is tied for first in the Goody's Extra Strength Award (top finishing regular in the Busch Series) with Matt Kenseth.

This weekend Earnhardt Jr. and the ACDelco team will take a little time to have fun in the sun with their families and friends in Myrtle Beach. Each year the team members and their families go down a day early and stay a day later to relax and spend some quality time with their families. In the racing business quantity time is out of the question. "We never get enough time to spend with our families," said Tony Eury Sr. "But that is a part of the racing business. All of our families are very we spend away from home. Myrtle Beach is one place that is close enough to home that we can take them with us and have a mini-vacation."

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