NASCAR

Sprint Cup

CUP: Earnhardt Jr. Loses Spots Late, Winds Up 22nd At Atlanta

Dale Earnhardt Jr. started 25th and improved to 11th with 45 laps left in the event but went on to finish 22nd at Atlanta...

Bob Pockrass | http://www.scenedaily.com | Posted September 06, 2010 Charlotte, NC

Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished 22nd in the Emory Healthcare 500 on Sunday night at Atlanta Motor Speedway. (Photo: LAT Photographic)

Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s car was getting better for the first 280 laps of the 325-lap Emory Healthcare 500 on Sunday night at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

But when he pitted with 28 laps remaining, he lost track position and Earnhardt Jr. didn’t have a car that he could gain many spots.

Earnhardt Jr. started 25th and improved to 11th with 45 laps left in the event but went on to finish 22nd. The Hendrick Motorsports driver dropped one spot in the standings to 19th.

Mark Martin, Earnhardt Jr.’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate whose cars are housed in the same building, didn’t fare any better as he finished 21st.

“Awesome job, appreciate it,” Earnhardt Jr. told his crew after the race.

VIDEO: Last Lap Cup - Atlanta Tony Stewart wins at AMS. (Image: SPEED)

“It’s all we can do, man. I don’t get it,” crew chief Lance McGrew responded.

“I know. We ain’t got our [stuff] together,” Earnhardt Jr. replied. “We’ll get it together. Let’s get this testing, get this [stuff] figured out and see what we can do.”

Throughout the race, Earnhardt Jr. was complaining of a loose race car. Early adjustments didn’t help the car but Earnhardt Jr. was able to hold his position. Adjustments from about the midway point to two-thirds of the way through the event did.

“There was no tightening that car up for sure,” McGrew told his driver. “It didn’t matter what we did to it. We went either way and it didn’t do anything.”

SceneDaily.com • Do NASCAR tracks need to run shorter Sprint Cup races?

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Bob Pockrass

SceneDaily.com

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