Pocono Summer Recap

DALE EARNHARDT JR.
NO. 88 AMP ENERGY/NATIONAL GUARD CHEVROLET
POST-RACE RECAP/POCONO RACEWAY
DATE: Aug. 3, 2009
RACE: Pennsylvania 500
START: 22nd
FINISH: 28th
POINTS POSITION: 23rd

RECAPPING THE RACE:
Dale Earnhardt Jr.ran as high as fifth during Monday's Pennsylvania 500 at Pocono Raceway, but could not get his No. 88 AMP Energy/National Guard Chevrolet completely dialed in. He finished 28th.

Earnhardt opened the weekend on a strong note, posting the third-fastest lap time during the weekend's first practice on Friday. But rain showers prompted NASCAR officials to cancel Friday's qualifying session, and Earnhardt didn't have an opportunity to turn his promising practice run into a solid starting position. Earnhardt was assigned the 22nd starting spot after the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series field was set according to the owner standings.

Heavy rain and fog settled into the Pocono area on Sunday morning, prompting NASCAR officials to postpone the start of the 500-mile event to Monday afternoon. When the green flag dropped on Monday, Earnhardt started climbing through the field. He was scored 18th when the first yellow flag was waved on Lap 20 for a scheduled competition caution. Interim crew chief Lance McGrew called for four fresh tires, fuel and an air pressure adjustment to help Earnhardt with the handling in Turns 1 and 2. A solid pit stop by the crew notched its driver four spots on pit road.

Earnhardt restarted 14th on Lap 25 and continued to work with McGrew to fine-tune the handling of the No. 88 Chevy. Earnhardt moved up and down the scoring pylon as different pit strategies came into play. At the race's halfway point -- Lap 100 -- Earnhardt was scored 22nd on the scoring pylon.

On Lap 157, the caution flag waved for a spin exiting Turn 2, and McGrew brought his driver down pit road to implement a late-race pit strategy. The crew went to work bolting on four fresh Goodyear tires and refueling the Chevy. After making an air pressure adjustment, the crew sent its driver back to green-flag racing in the 21st position on Lap 160, as several other teams opted to take only two tires.

The fresh tires and changes seemed to do the trick, and five laps later, Earnhardt moved into the 14th position when the caution flag was displayed once again for the debris in Turn 3. Now within the fuel window to make it to the end of the 500-mile event, Earnhardt followed a majority of the field down pit road for a fuel-only pit stop. McGrew's strategy worked, and the No. 88 Chevy was the first car off pit road.

Earnhardt restarted fifth on Lap 170 behind four cars that opted not to pit. During the closing 30 laps, the race was plagued by two additional caution periods for a total of 10 laps, allowing many other teams to stretch their fuel mileage. Earnhardt radioed to McGrew that his Chevrolet had swung to a tight-handling condition, and he slipped back to 28th, which is where he finished, when the checkered flag was waved.

CREDIT: Hendrick PR via Dalejr.com