Post by catfan52 on Mar 13, 2007 0:19:25 GMT -5
LAS VEGAS -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. was running toward the front pretty much all day until a simple mistake knocked him out of a top-10 finish.
When Kasey Kahne wrecked on Lap 251, Earnhardt Jr. followed Jeff Burton onto pit lane. Burton, however, had a problem with his car and was pitting before pit road was open because he needed to have the problem addressed despite the penalty he would draw.
Earnhardt Jr. was merely coming in for fresh tires and simply didn’t notice the red light indicating pit road wasn’t open. He was put back to 13th for the restart with 11 laps to go an only made it back up to 11th.
“I didn’t even think if it was closed or open,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “The No. 31 (Burton) was coming in and I was thinking he was on the lead lap with me. I’m thinking he’s thinking what I’m thinking – let’s get tires and try to win.
“But we had a good car and I am real proud of that. I must happy we got to finish one finally.” Earnhardt Jr. wrecked at Daytona and lost an engine at California. He moved up 12 spots from 40th to 28th in the points with Sunday’s result.
When Kasey Kahne wrecked on Lap 251, Earnhardt Jr. followed Jeff Burton onto pit lane. Burton, however, had a problem with his car and was pitting before pit road was open because he needed to have the problem addressed despite the penalty he would draw.
Earnhardt Jr. was merely coming in for fresh tires and simply didn’t notice the red light indicating pit road wasn’t open. He was put back to 13th for the restart with 11 laps to go an only made it back up to 11th.
“I didn’t even think if it was closed or open,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “The No. 31 (Burton) was coming in and I was thinking he was on the lead lap with me. I’m thinking he’s thinking what I’m thinking – let’s get tires and try to win.
“But we had a good car and I am real proud of that. I must happy we got to finish one finally.” Earnhardt Jr. wrecked at Daytona and lost an engine at California. He moved up 12 spots from 40th to 28th in the points with Sunday’s result.