Bad weekend for Earnhardt
Homestead is a race Dale Earnhardt will probably want to forget. 'The Intimidator' came into the penultimate NASCAR Winston Cup round second in the points and with a slim chance of taking the title. But after starting 37th and finishing a lowly 20th, not only did his title hopes go up in smoke, courtesy of Bobby Labonte, but Jeff Burton now sits in that second-place slot with just the Atlanta season finale to run.
Earnhardt didn't have the easiest of races. On lap 31 he tapped Ward Burton exiting turn two. Burton ended up in the garage, but Earnhardt managed to continue two laps down - only to get in the way of Ricky Rudd while Rudd was fighting for third. Earnhardt refused to let Rudd pass, running him up the banking and blocking his chase of the leaders.
"I don't know what Earnhardt was doing," said Rudd afterwards. "The car just ploughed and pushed after that and our race was over."
Earnhardt's closest rival Jeff Burton, while not having the best of weekends either, finished the race in 11th place after starting 31st. He was eight points behind Earnhardt before Homestead, but with his 130-point haul on Sunday (compared with Earnhardt's 103) Burton now has a 19-point lead going in to next weekend's season finale.
"Congratulations to Bobby (Labonte)," said Earnhardt. "They ran great all year long and we just couldn't ever come up with enough to do anything with them. I feel we could have raced a little better, but we didn't race worth a darn."
But despite Labonte wrapping up the title in Florida, the race in Atlanta should provide plenty of on-track excitement and fireworks. Burton has proved he's been one of the most consistent racers this year, but who is brave enough to write off Earnhardt when there is a race to be won and a point to be proved...?
Previous article
Homestead grid: Earnhardt’s mission impossible
Next article
Labonte takes title as Stewart wins at Homestead
The F1 nearly-man winding back the clock in NASCAR’s European cousin
A multiple F3000 race winner, Marc Goossens was on the precipice of making Formula 1 in the 1990s - but a lack of budget left him without a path to the promised land. Turning to an illustrious racing career in sportscars, Goossens left the endurance circuit to try his hand at racing stock cars - and now calls the NASCAR Euro Series home
Why a British prospect is trying to make it in NASCAR
There has never been a full-time British driver in the NASCAR Cup. But Alex Sedgwick, who is rising through the stock car ranks, wants that to change and could be a trailblazer for European talents to reach the top echelons of the NASCAR ladder
How Earnhardt’s death changed American motorsport
It's 20 years since legendary driver Dale Earnhardt Sr died at the Daytona 500, but the legacy of his crash continues today through the pioneering safety work done by NASCAR
The NASCAR subplots to keep an eye on in 2021
This weekend's Daytona 500 kickstarts a NASCAR Cup season that promises plenty of intrigue courtesy of new owners and a refreshed calendar. Here's what you need to know ahead of the new season
How a second-chance NASCAR ace is rebuilding his career
From a disgraced NASCAR exile, Kyle Larson has been given a shot at redemption by the powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports squad. Replacing seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson is no easy billing, but Larson has every intention of repaying the team's faith
Autosport's top 5 NASCAR machines
The American stock car scene is more famous for its close racing and occasional punch-ups, but there have been some fantastic machines too. As part of Autosport's 70th anniversary celebrations in 2020, we picked out five of its best
Why NASCAR's latest second-generation champion is just getting started
Chase Elliott's late charge to the 2020 NASCAR Cup title defied predictions that it would be a Kevin Harvick versus Denny Hamlin showdown. While the two veterans are showing no signs of slowing down, Elliott's triumph was a window into NASCAR's future
Why Johnson’s playoff failure won’t tarnish his legacy
The last season of a retiring NASCAR great has shown promise, and may have resulted in another playoff push without small issues outside his control. 2020 won't be the year Jimmie Johnson would have wanted, but it won't be what he is remembered for
