Dale Earnhardt Jr floats Tony Stewart theory after – Sports News
Dale Earnhardt Jr. gained the 2001 EA Sports 500 at Talladega (Image: Getty)
NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. has taken to social media to dig deep into the notorious last lap of the 2001 EA Sports 500 at Talladega Superspeedway, which noticed 16 automobiles wrecked behind the main trio.
Crossing the beginning/end line because the white flag flew, Earnhardt within the No. 8 Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet went low to move Bobby Labonte within the No. 18 Joe Gibbs Racing Pontiac whereas JGR’s Tony Stewart opted to drop low behind Earnhardt within the No. 20 JGR journey, as a substitute of being drafted by his teammate.
Behind them, Labonte’s focus turned to Bobby Hamilton within the No. 55 Andy Petree Racing Chevrolet as they battled it out up prime for place, resulting in Labonte being flipped as Johnny Benson Jr. within the No. 10 MB2 Motorsports Pontiac additionally smashed into the barrier, with a mass pile-up following behind them.
All the whereas, Earnhardt and Stewart raced facet by facet as they approached the checkered flag, with Jeff Burton within the No. 99 Roush Racing Ford tailed Earnhardt.
In what was simply his second season, and simply over eight months after his legendary father, Dale Sr., died on the ultimate lap of the Daytona 500, the teen took simply his fifth profession win, and his third of the season, forward of Stewart in second.
Stewart wound up ending second forward of Jeff Burton (Image: Getty)
Footage of the ultimate laps at Talladega lately resurfaced on social media, with the now 51-year-old Earnhardt taking the chance to offer more background into why Stewart might have opted to comply with his lead moderately than tail his teammate on the ultimate lap.
“Why did Tony Stewart not stay with his teammate when I make that pass on Bobby for the lead at the S/F line? I think I have an idea,” he wrote.
“Many won’t catch it. But as I crossed over Bobby I clipped his LR quarter panel and flared it out quite a bit, like a sail. It wasn’t intentional but I had to make the pass so last minute to avoid being blocked. But I think Tony saw the damage, briefly hesitated, and decided Bobby’s aero was compromised.”
Speaking after the race, Labonte mentioned that a wreck was unavoidable, with solely “a rainstorm or an earthquake” succesful of stopping one, by way of ESPN.
“You ride around for a long time and wait until the end,” he added. “The grandstands are full and everybody is OK, so I guess it’s OK.”
As for Earnhardt, he advised reporters, by way of Hot Rod, “We were beating and banging and carrying on.
“I tried not to take myself out. It was a rough race. I wanted to win this race real bad. My father won this race last year. We backed up it and won it a little bit like he did. We were beating and banging there at the end.
“We’re sitting here in victory lane so it doesn’t matter. We got a run from somewhere on the front straightaway and that got us in a position to win. Bobby Hamilton pushed me and Tony Stewart pushed me down the back straightaway. We really needed this win. I won a fan $1 million so she has to be excited.”
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