By MIKE HARRIS, AP
June 16, 2008
BROOKLYN, Mich. - Dale Earnhardt Jr. ended his 76-race winless string yesterday, coasting to victory at Michigan International Speedway under a caution flag with little but fumes left in his gas tank.
NASCAR's most popular driver gave his new boss, Rick Hendrick, only his second victory of the season as he somehow squeezed enough gas out of his last fillup to go three laps beyond the regulation finish in the Lifelock 400.
A spin by Patrick Carpentier on the 203rd lap brought out the final caution and probably saved the victory for Earnhardt, who ran out of gas moments after crossing the finish line behind the pace car.
"It is what it is man," the jubilant Earnhardt said. "We were going to stay out there no matter what."
Asked if he could have made it if the green flag had stayed out, Earnhardt said, "We were going to stumble to the finish and probably not win the race. We weren't going to finish. The yellow saved us.
"They can write what they want, but we won one."
After leaving the team his late father founded to drive for Hendrick's juggernaut this year, Earnhardt began the new phase of his career with two non-points victories at Daytona in February. But, despite running well so far this season, that promising start did not lead to any victories in the first 14 Cup races.
"We started out and he won the (Budweiser) Clash and the 150 (qualifying race) and we said, 'We don't have to worry about winning a race now.' Then nobody counted it because it wasn't a points race," Hendrick said in Victory Circle. "We've been waiting for this. Been so close."
