What a Night for Earnhardt Nation

It took more than luck for Dale Earnhardt Jr. to take the No. 3 to Victory Lane at Daytona tonight.

It took a crack pit stop by the No. 3 crew.

It took a risky call by Tony Eury Jr. to stay out, while teams further back pitted for tires. 

And it took a driver who was gonna win come hell or highwater.

In short, it took heart.

Whether you believe the impetus behind the revived Wrangler No. 3 paint scheme was entirely fan-centered or not is a moot point.

Nobody who watched Tony Eury Jr. tear up post race could doubt that there was a lot more riding on this night than millions of dollars in merchandise sales.

"We lost everything here," said Eury. "To come back with that number and do this, it means everything."

And nobody who heard Junior's effusive post-race interview could doubt that this win was deeply personal for him as well. 

"I was so worried I wasn't gonna win," Junior said. "And anything but a win ..."

Who can blame him for being worried?

Dale Jr. has suffered through a two-year stretch of bad luck, self doubt and some pretty hateful critcism.  Judging by the way his races sometimes go, to hope that he might actually take the No. 3 back to Victory Lane at Daytona was tantamount to tempting fate.

Add the enormous pressure for Junior to live up to the number on that car, and the odds that something could go wrong increase exponentially.

But sometimes fate smiles on the star-crossed.  The planets in their courses align.  And the folks with heart win the day.

Congrats Earnhardt nation.  What a night.

Photo info: Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Richard Childress celebrate after Earnhard took the checkers in the No. 3 Wrangler Chevy at Daytona International Speedway.

The Heat Is On for #88

It's been a long time coming, but change has come to the #88 team. And with big change, comes big expectations.

The rumor that has been denied for months, is a rumor no more. Effective this weekend, Tony Eury Jr. is out as Dale Earnhardt Jr's crew chief. Brian Whitesell will be atop the pit box Sunday, followed by Lance McGrew (Brian Vickers former crew chief) for the rest of the year.

From the sound of things, McGrew isn't going to just wait around and hope for better things. "Everything and everybody will be evaluated," McGrew told ESPN.com Thursday. "First thing next week, I basically start evaluating everything. I think some decisions will be easy and some really hard, because in the economy today, and the decisions that have to be made to turn a ship, sometimes that affects people's jobs. And that's the last thing you want to have happen to you today."

What this move means for the Amp/National Guard team is clear enough. Once McGrew gets the right folks in the right spots and gives Junior a Chevy that's competitive again, there will be no more excuses. It's time for Junebug to put up, shut up or give up. Period.

Here's hoping he puts up.

Mr. Hendrick, It's Time to Split Up the Family

I don't know what was more painful this weekend--suffering through a broadcast of FOX's "American Dad" during Sunday's rain delay, or watching Dale Jr. try to keep his #88 car out of the wall on Monday afternoon.

By now, race fans are used to Junior running well behind his Hendrick teammates. However, Sunday's performance, with its 38th place result, was just plain ridiculous.

It's bad enough Junebug qualified in 27th spot. But there's no excuse for going two laps down so quickly and finishing behind teams who are lucky just to get sponsors by race day. It's not like his team had the excuse of a cut tire like Harvick (or an equipment malfunction, or a miscue in the pits). Junior's car was junk from the start. And it was pitiful to watch.

If the rumors circulating in cyberspace are any indication, team owner Rick Hendrick may choose to go with a new crew chief on the #88 pit box as early as this weekend.

Hendrick has been loyal to Eury Jr. so far, but on Tuesday he didn't come out with guns blazing in his crew chief's defense. "Could it change? No. We're talking about things. We're meeting. We're going to make decisions as the days go by, but we haven't made any decision as of right now," Hendrick told reporters.

Let's hope there's something big in the works. I hate to bust up a family as much as the next girl--but it may be time for cousin Tony to move on.

Photo credit: Associated Press