Junior Locks Up Chase. Celebrates By Losing!

By the 60th lap in last nights Pepsi 500 Dale Earnhardt Jr. had secured himself a spot in this years Sprint Cup Championship Chase. At that point Earnhardt was running in the top ten and had been reeling in more talented driver slowly but steadily all afternoon. Unfortunately, for Junior Nation when Junior got the word he'd be in the Chase he took his foot off of the accelerator and drifted back to the rest of the field.

Earnhardt Jr. finished 11th, but it was obvious from the beginning that his Hendrick Motor sports Amp Energy Chevrolet had the horsepower to keep up with eventual race winner Jimmie Johnson and runner-up Greg Biffle. It was also obvious that it's driver was not motivated to be a factor in the race.

"Junior just wants to be part of the Chase. He knows he can't win it." said one observer. "It's obvious in a long race like this."

Number 88 crew chief, Tony Eury Jr. and the Amp Energy crew did everything they could to keep Junior in the race, but the driver just couldn't (or wouldn't) make it happen. When track turbulence broke a light standard from grandstands and it fell to the track an obviously shaken and stunned Earnhardt Jr. appeared to try to exit his car at the next pit stop, but was "talked into staying in the car and finishing the race" according to a source.

"I can't wait for the Chase to start. Juniors going to be fun to watch finish in the top twenty every week!" said Molly Tuffernan from Butte, Montana.