Earnhardt Jr zahteva sam - srečen, pripravljen za 2013 izzivi

Dale Earnhardt Jr misli, da njegova ekipa Hendrick Motorsports je nenehno izboljšuje in lahko na robu zmagovalnega dirke in morda naslov.

DAYTONA BEACH, FLA -To je začetek drugega NASCAR Sprint Cup v sezoni, in neizogibno, familiar vprašanje je vprašal še enkrat:
Je to leto, Dale Earnhardt Jr končno zmaga prvo prvenstvo svojo kariero?
Lahko utrujeni od te stvari, vendar ostaja dejstvo, da legije oboževalcev Earnhardt Jr-on je glasovalo najbolj priljubljenih voznik 10-krat zapored-pričakovala veliko stvari od njega, odkar je prvič pridružil Hendrick Motorsports 2008.
Earnhardt Jr pogosto Jenniferino razmerje s Dale Earnhardt Inc je konec leta 2007. Poročila so bila, je želel opravljati večji nadzor nad ekipa, pod vodstvom njegova mačeha Teresa.
V veliko bally hooed novinarski konferenci, Earnhardt Jr izjavili, da Hendrick ekipa s katero "lahko zmagam dirke in prvenstvo."
Kar se tiče zmage, Earnhardt Jr je prislužil le dva od petih sezonah. Končno naredil Chase v 2011 in rane sedmi točk – njegov najbolje kaže z Hendrick.
Upa rose lani ko Earnhardt Jr sam trdno posajene med top 10 v točki seštevku in imel svojo zemljo.
Vendar pa je zamudil Chase dirkah v Charlotte in Kansas zaradi posledic dveh možgan, eden iz trde crash med preskusom sejo avgust 29 na Kansas Speedway, drugi med multicar crash na oktober 7 na Talladega Superspeedway.
Earnhardt Jr naredil pravo stvar. S seje iz dveh dirkah vzel ne slučaj z njegovo zdravje. Se je vrnil na dirke šele, ko ga je očistilo zdravniki.
Izguba dveh dirkah zabrisati svoje možnosti za zmago na prvenstvu pa je končal na 12^th v točkah.
Je le naravno, da veliko njegovih oboževalcev se spraševal, kaj bi lahko bila v 2012
Earnhardt Jr morda so bili dejavnik v bitki prvenstvo leta 2012 je on ne bili prisiljeni zamuditi dveh dirkah Chase zaradi pretres možganov.
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In zdaj sprašujejo: lahko Earnhardt Jr ohraniti ali izboljšati njegovo uspešnost v letu 2013?
"Mislim, da smo bili v pogovoru lani," je dejal Earnhardt Jr. "Smo bili pošteno razdražiti približno kako dosledno smo bili lani.
"Smo bili zmožen v izpopolniti kot smo delali skupaj. Mi in Steve (Letarte, Andrettijev šef) so lahko stalno izboljševala v zadnjih nekaj letih. Upam, da je lahko še naprej.
"Upam, da še niste spoznal, naš resnični potencial. Morda letos, če smo lahko okrepijo drugo zarezo, bomo tam kjer smo bili prizadeva biti v zadnjih nekaj letih.
"To ne bo potrebno veliko, da izboljšanje več kot lani in je eden od najboljših ekip. Smo bili zelo blizu lani in občutek dober o tem."
Earnhardt Jr lahko skok-start sezono 2013 z dobro vožnjo v Daytona 500 – in je treba opozoriti, da v preteklosti bil močan na tirih omejevalnik-ploščo.
Je utrpel nekaj nazadovanje na feb 20, ko motor v njegov Chevrolet ni med prakso za Budweiser dvobojih.
Pogonskega sistema je, Earnhardt se je vrnil na stezo za dve dodatni prakse.
Vendar, sprememba mišljeno, je moral začeti svoje 150-krogu dirke iz zadnjega polja. On bi začel šesti.
"Mi bomo lep," je dejal Earnhardt Jr. "Imam brez skrbi o naših motorjih in bomo le prišli iz nazaj na sprednji tako hitro kot smo lahko."
Kot so vsi drugi konkurenti, Earnhardt Jr bodo tekmovali v novi "generacije 6" avto prvič. Medtem ko je imel malo izkušenj z avtomobilom, je priznala, da še vedno obstajajo vprašanja.
"Res ne vem kako se bo avto dirka in osnutek, kakšno strategijo bomo morali uporabljati ali razmišljati o uporabi," je dejal. "Take spremembe in obrne, počne različne stvari ves teden. Spremeni kot teden gre.
"Bomo videli. Morali bomo dobili nekaj dirkah pod našo pasu. Everybody's got, da se naučijo avto, ugotoviti, kaj je šel hitro. Upajmo, lahko storimo, da pred koga drugega."
V resnici, skrilavca je bilo obrisati čist za Earnhardt Jr. On je premagala svoje poškodbe – in izjavlja, da v celoti podpira obvezno pretres možganov testiranje v NASCAR (načrtovane za leto 2014) – in ima veliko upanja on lahko dosegli cilje, ki so mu ušel.
"Težko je dati prstom na tisto, kar potrebuje ekipa," je dejal Earnhardt Jr. "Ni važno, kako blizu je ali daleč, to je, da je težko res dal prstom na točno kaj zamujate, še posebej, če delate z družbo kot jaz, ki je dobil vse dele, kosov, vse osebje, pa tako dobro delo dali fizično dirkalni avto za vas.
"Res pride do misli, da so nadzor nad vse, me in Steve kar prav klice in odločitve na race track."
Res, Earnhardt Jr je bil zelo blizu lani in izgubila tla le zaradi nepredvidenih dogodkov.
Da, pa potem. To je zdaj.
"Realnost položaja, ni veliko lahko storim, kaj se je zgodilo lani," Earnhardt Jr je dejal. "Jaz sem samo vesel, res, da sem dobil priložnost, da pridejo nazaj, da sem bil sposoben premagati neuspehu fizično in tam je malo relief in razburjenje, da se počutim dobro in pripravljen na dirko in sem sposoben pobrati nazaj, mislim, kjer smo končali.
"Nikoli ne veš, ko v tem položaju sedi doma sprašuješ če vse je tekoč zadobiti prav znova.
"Tako počutim srečen. Kako naredimo res pride do misli, da so nadzor nad vse-Steve in mi.
"Ja, sem pripravljen."

BUDWEISER DVOBOJ: Earnhardt Jr res korak od zadaj v spredaj v prvi dvoboj 150 milj, vendar ni čisto dobil vse poti tja.
Vendar, did konča deveti, udobno v območju –15 "prenos"^th ali bolje – narediti Daytona 500.
Kevin Harvick, ki je dobil tudi Sprint neomejeno feb 16, zmagal budilen, ki pokaže veliko aktov, ki je bil odsoten iz preteklih dogodkov. Bilo je Harvick prvo zmago v dvoboju dogodek.
Multicar crash je bil sprožen s šele osem krogov iti ko Denny Hamlin Toyota zlomil ohlapno v drugi vrsti in zbrane avtomobilov, Carl Edwards, Trevor Bayne in Regan Smith.
Greg Biffle končal sekundo, čemur sledi polnjenje Juan Pablo Montoya. Jimmie Johnson je bil četrti in Kurt Busch peti.
Daytona 500 pole zmagovalec Danica Patrick pojavile težave ravnanje in končal 17^th – nepoškodovana, mimogrede, kar pomeni, ona bo njen sprednji vrsti začetni položaj.
Jeff Gordon prevladujejo drugi dvoboj do, z 20 krogov, on je nabbed s NASCAR za vnos pit cesti zastajati nagel v zeleno zastavo.
Gordon, ki je v Daytona 500 na podlagi kvalifikacijske Drugič, vrnil na dirke v 16^th kraj in likvidacije 12^th.
Medtem, Kyle Busch podedoval vodi in zasluženi zmagi v z britev tanek rob nad Kasey Kahne. Zmago je bil Busch drugič v 150-miler.
Austin Dillon bil tretji, četrti in Matt Kenseth Clint Bowyer peti.
Za razliko od prvo dirko, je previdno zastave ne vrže. Samo incident se je zgodilo z 20 krogov, ko kot več avtomobilov, koščic, Ryan Newman zavrtel okrog v frontstretch.
Dirko je ostala pod zeleno zastavo in tako imeli povprečno hitrost 193.95 mph, drugi najhitrejši dvoboj kdaj.
Mike Bliss in Brian Keselowski uspelo Daytona 500.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. thinks that his Hendrick Motorsports team has constantly improved and may be on the verge of winning races and maybe a title.

DAYTONA BEACH, FLA. – It is the start of another NASCAR Sprint Cup season and, inevitably, a familiar question is asked yet again:
Is this the year Dale Earnhardt Jr. finally wins the first championship of his career?
You may well be tired of this sort of thing, but the fact remains that the legion of Earnhardt Jr. fans – he’s been voted the most popular driver 10 times in a row – have expected great things from him ever since he first joined Hendrick Motorsports in 2008.
Earnhardt Jr. ended his often-acrimonious relationship with Dale Earnhardt Inc. at the end of 2007. The reports were he wanted to exercise more control over the team, led by his stepmother Teresa.
In a much bally-hooed press conference, Earnhardt Jr. declared that Hendrick was a team with which “I can win races and championships.”
As for victories, Earnhardt Jr. has earned only two in five seasons. He finally made the Chase in 2011 and wound up seventh in points – his best showing with Hendrick.
Hopes rose last year when Earnhardt Jr. planted himself firmly among the top 10 in the point standings and held his ground.
However, he missed the Chase races at Charlotte and Kansas because of the effects of two concussions, one from a hard crash during a test session Aug. 29 at Kansas Speedway, the other during a multicar crash on Oct. 7 at Talladega Superspeedway.
Earnhardt Jr. did the right thing. By sitting out two races he took no chances with his health. He returned to racing only after doctors cleared him.
But the loss of two races obliterated his chances to win a championship and he finished 12^th in points.
It’s only natural that many of his fans have wondered what could have been in 2012
Earnhardt Jr. might have been a factor in the championship battle in 2012 has he not been forced to miss two Chase races because of a concussion.
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And they now ask: Can Earnhardt Jr. maintain, or improve, his performance in 2013?
“I think we were in the conversation last year,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “We were really excited about how consistent we were last year.
“We’ve been able to improve as we’ve worked together. Me and Steve (Letarte, crew chief) have been able to improve steadily over the last couple years. I hope that’s able to continue.
“I hope we haven’t realized our true potential. Maybe this year, if we can step it up another notch, we’d be right there where we’ve been striving to be the last couple years.
“It isn’t going to take much to improve over last year and be one of the top teams. We were pretty close last year and feel pretty good about that.”
Earnhardt Jr. can jump-start his 2013 season with a good run in the Daytona 500 – and it must be noted that, historically, he has been strong on the restrictor-plate tracks.
He suffered something of a setback on Feb. 20 when the engine in his Chevrolet failed during practice for the Budweiser Duels.
The powerplant was replaced and Earnhardt returned to the track for two additional practices.
However, the change meant he had to start his 150-lap race from the rear of the field. He would have started sixth.
“We’ll be fine,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “I’ve got no worries about our engines and we’ll just come from the back to the front as quickly as we can.”
As are all other competitors, Earnhardt Jr. will compete in the new “Generation 6” car for the first time. While he’s had a little experience with the car, he admits there are still questions.
“I really don’t know how the car is going to race and draft, what kind of strategy we’ll need to be using or think about using,” he said. “That sort of changes and turns, does different stuff throughout the week. It changes as the week goes.
“We’ll see. We’ll have to get a couple races under our belt. Everybody’s got to learn the car, figure out what makes it go fast. Hopefully, we can do that before anybody else.”
In reality, the slate has been wiped clean for Earnhardt Jr. He has overcome his injuries – and declares that he fully supports mandatory concussion testing in NASCAR (planned for 2014) – and has high hopes he can achieve the goals that have eluded him.
“It’s hard to put your finger on what a team needs,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “No matter how close it is or far off it is, it’s hard to really put your finger on exactly what you’re missing, especially when you work with a company like I do that’s got all the parts, pieces, all the personnel, does such a good job delivering the physical race car to you.
“It really comes down to the minds that are in control of everything, me and Steve making the right calls and decisions on the race track.”
Indeed, Earnhardt Jr. was pretty close last year and lost ground only because of unforeseen incidents.
That, however, was then. This is now.
“The reality of the situation, there ain’t much I can do about what happened last year,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “I’m just glad, really, that I got an opportunity to come back, that I was able to overcome the setback physically and there’s a bit of relief and excitement that I feel good and ready to race and I’m able to pick back up, I guess, where we left off.
“You just never know when you’re in that situation sitting at home wondering if everything is going to get right again.
“So I feel lucky. How we do really comes down to the minds that are in control of everything – Steve and me.
“Yup, I’m ready.”

BUDWEISER DUEL: Earnhardt Jr. did indeed move from the rear to the front in the first 150-mile duel, but he didn’t quite get all the way there.
However, he did finish ninth, comfortably within the “transfer” range –15^th or better – to make the Daytona 500.
Kevin Harvick, who also won the Sprint Unlimited on Feb. 16, won the rousing race, which featured plenty of drafting that had been absent from previous events. It was Harvick’s first victory in a duel event.
A multicar crash was triggered with just eight laps to go when Denny Hamlin’s Toyota broke loose in the second turn and gathered up the cars of Carl Edwards, Trevor Bayne and Regan Smith.
Greg Biffle finished second followed by a charging Juan Pablo Montoya. Jimmie Johnson was fourth and Kurt Busch fifth.
Daytona 500 pole winner Danica Patrick encountered handling problems and finished 17^th – undamaged, by the way, which means she will keep her front-row starting position.
Jeff Gordon dominated the second Duel until, with 20 laps remaining, he was nabbed by NASCAR for entering pit road to fast in a green-flag stop.
Gordon, who is in the Daytona 500 by virtue of qualifying second, returned to the race in 16^th place and wound up 12^th.
Meanwhile, Kyle Busch inherited the lead and earned the victory in by a razor-thin margin over Kasey Kahne. The win was Busch’s second in a 150-miler.
Austin Dillon was third, Clint Bowyer fourth and Matt Kenseth fifth.
Unlike the first race, a caution flag was not thrown. The only incident happened with 20 laps to go when, as several cars pitted, Ryan Newman spun on the frontstretch.
The race remained under the green flag and thus had an average speed of 193.95 mph, the second fastest Duel ever.
Mike Bliss and Brian Keselowski failed to make the Daytona 500.