MBNA America 400 - Dale Earnhardt Jr. Notes

Budweiser Winston Cup Race Preview

Dale Jr. Quotes for Dover: “It would be hard to forget winning this race in 2001… It was an emotional day for everyone. I think the nation had been in shock for two weeks, almost at a stop, and I think it will always mean something to a lot of people that NASCAR provided a diversion, or a sense of returning to normal life. I know I had become restless seeing the coverage day-after-day, and I was anxious to move forward. Carrying the American flag as I drove around the track after the race was memorable…”

“It’s been a strange string of races for us. I keep saying I’m excited before every race because I have confidence that I’m going to climb into a really fast car each week. Leading the race on seven cylinders (at Loudon, NH) Sunday showed how good the car was handling. We got a top-five with a car we had to nurse around, which I suppose is a small consolation after having a potentially winning car at Richmond and then getting stung with a punctured tire…”

Dale Jr. and the No. 8 Bud Team at Dover
Previous Winston Cup Starts: 7
Best Start: 3rd (Sept. 2001, Sept. 2002)
Best Finish: 1st (Sept. 2001)
This Race, Last Year: ST: 3rd / FIN: 24th / Led: 116 laps

--- Dale Jr. and the Bud team dominated early in this race last season, leading 116 laps before the handling of the car came “unglued” (to borrow a phrase from the Bud post-race report).

--- Dale Jr. and the Bud team won this event in 2001, the first NASCAR Winston Cup race following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

--- In seven Winston Cup starts at Dover, Dale Jr. has led five races for 317 laps.

--- By leading 120 laps at Loudon, the Bud team has now led the most laps in four races in 2003. Dale Jr. has led 3058 laps in his Winston Cup career.

---The Bud team has already doubled the number of top-three finishes compared to 2002. They have eight top-three tallies this year, versus four last season.

Race Details:
MBNA American 400
Dover International Speedway. Dover, DE
1-mile concrete oval / 400 laps
Saturday, Sept. 21 / 1:00 pm / Eastern
Winston Cup Race # 28 (of 36)

TV: NBC-TV / 12:30 pm pre-race

Bud Pole Qualifying: Bud Pole Qualifying takes place Friday at 3:00 pm. You can see it live on TNT. You can also hear the race and Bud Pole qualifying live on MRN radio (a station near you) or XM Radio.

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