Junior Breaks His Duck

Dale Earnhardt Junior finally took a long awaited victory at Michigan.

It may have been via a fuel strategy, but given Junior’s form in 2008 it is no less deserved. On a number of occasions, the sport’s most popular driver has challenged for the victory but fell short. However, Sunday saw a change in luck for Junior.

It was day where he didn’t necessarily have the best car, but a daring strategy saw him come up trumps. It isn’t the first time that Hendricks have taken the gamble with fuel. The team which dominated 2007 has struggled to replicate its form. This has led the teams to go an unorthodox direction with fuel strategies. It worked for champion Jimmie Johnson earlier in the year. Up to this point it was Hendricks’s only win of the year. Since, Junior and Gordon have scored top-10’s because of their ability to stretch their fuel.

Junior finally broke his duck when the race finished under yellow. The situation looked dire for the #88 a few laps before. Whilst coasting to save fuel, a yellow came out. The race distance would go over the 200 laps to allow a final attempt at a green flag finish. Earnhardt Nation held its breath while their man saved fuel. Half way into the final lap a spin brought out the yellow leaving Junior to cruise home to a popular win.

Championship leader Kyle Busch recovered from a torrid weekend at Pocono to finish 13^th. It could’ve been so much more for the #18 who led early on. Matt Kenseth and Brian Vickers were another two driver’s left rueing what might have been. Both drivers are making a late push for the Chase. Former champion Kenseth, who at one stage looked out of it, now stands just 14 points out of the coveted final spot.

This weekend the Sprint Cup heads to Infineon for the first of two road courses on the calendar. Last year F1 convert Juan Montoya took his maiden Nascar victory. The road courses always see a strong showing from the former single-seaters and will also see a host of a road-course ringers show up, adding more pressure to the go or go-homers.