Dale Jr.: Restrictor plates cut into real racing
The two shout-outs that will incite a crowd in Alabama are "Roll Tide" and "Earnhardt!"
Dale Earnhardt was legendary at 'Dega. He scored 10 wins in 44 starts — including the 2000 Winston 500, which would be his last Cup victory anywhere. Earnhardt was still beaming days later after schooling his competitors.
After Earnhardt died the following February, Junior defended his father's honor in the fall brawl and brought home the trophy. It appeared the torch was indeed passed to Little E. As Earnhardt Jr. strung together four consecutive victories the talk was he had inherited the ability to "see the air."
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In Crimson Tide territory, Earnhardt Jr. also inherited most of his father's legions of fans. For seven years, the stands of Talladega were a different shade of red — Budweiser red.
Over the last two seasons, the color scheme has changed but the fans have remained loyal — even during Junior's slump. The track has changed with Talladega Superspeedway officials raising the frontstretch fence from 14 to 22 feet in response to Carl Edwards' horrifying crash in the spring which held the car inside the track but spewed debris into the stands.
And last month NASCAR changed the size of the restrictor plate holes from 60/64ths of an inch in diameter to 59/64ths which will slow the cars by 12-15 horsepower.
Earnhardt feels depleting the horsepower of the engine also removes control of the race car from the driver's hands. Earnhardt, who has earned eight top fives and 11 top-10 finishes in 19 starts, admits the air of confidence he once carried into Talladega isn't the same.
Does he still feel he can smoke the field on Sunday?
"Not as much as I used to," Earnhardt said. "We used to dominate that place. But when the plate gets smaller all the cars are basically the same. You just have to get lucky I guess.
"I did run second last time I was there but with less control over what you can do. The cars are easier to drive, but you have less to do with what's happening around you when the car doesn't respond when you mash the gas."
Earnhardt Jr. supports raising the fences, but changing the size of the plates is not a decision that he advocates. The driver, who holds five wins at Talladega, insists "every time that plate gets smaller, it gets more dangerous."
