TALLADEGA, Ala. - Generally it's no fun having management all over your back at the end of a long day. For Martin Truex Jr., it was the best-case scenario.
Truex, the 23-year-old driver for the Chance 2 Motorsports Busch team co-owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr., took the lead on Lap 95 of 117 at Talladega Superspeedway on Saturday. Then Earnhardt bump-drafted Truex all the way to his second career victory in the series. The other came three races ago at Bristol.
Earnhardt, in the No.81 Chevrolet as Truex drove the No.8, was second after winning the race last spring. The final two laps were run under caution after pole-sitter Clint Bowyer spun on Turn 1.
Earnhardt, who has logged hours on a virtual reality video game simulation of Talladega with Truex, constantly offered his protege tips as the race evolved.
"He basically got on the radio and told me what not to do," Truex said. "He told me where to run and where I needed to be. I wanted to stay with him and not leave him, but he said not to worry about it."
Still, Earnhardt had no qualms about overtaking his student if the opportunity arose. Without willing drafting partners, namely third-place finisher Ron Hornaday or fourth-place Kyle Busch, Earnhardt was content with a 1-2 company finish.
"I'm real, real happy for Martin," Earnhardt said. "He did what he had to do. I told my team if he put himself in a bad situation, I wasn't going to be there to bail him out.
"If someone was going to go by him, it might be me."
DIRTY WORK: Richie Gilmore so desperately wanted to get his crisp, cream-colored dress shirt all greasy. But that's not management stuff.
DEI's former head engine builder and restrictor-plate guru is now team director of motorsports. All he was supposed to do on Saturday was approve the paperwork mechanics brought from the DEI garage to his seat on the steps of Michael Waltrip's hauler.
DEI's managers wear light-colored dress shirts, engine specialists wear black and crew members red or blue sponsor gear, depending on the team.
"It's tough, it really is," said Gilmore, whose engines helped DEI win 10 of the past 13 Nextel Cup restrictor-plate races. "I find myself really wanting to get in there, but I know I have a white shirt on now and I can't get in there and get dirty. But I still have a passion for it."
RESISTANCE: Nextel Cup drivers have strongly opposed the "wicker bill" aerodynamic package on Busch Series cars at restrictor-plate tracks, saying they do not want to see it return to Nextel Cup. It was phased out there after 2001. Jeff Gordon said the package "made me question why I was out there." But Saturday, the hood and spoiler strips helped drivers who fell out of the draft, forced drivers to brake more and use less throttle, and received generally glowing reviews.
"It's a great package as long as all drivers respect it," Busch said. "If you learn how to back off a little bit and not be too impatient."
Even Earnhardt Jr., who was opposed to the rules, conceded it made racing more interesting.
HAPPY HAPPY: Kevin Harvick was fastest in final practice for today's Nextel Cup race at 195.175 mph. Dave Blaney was second (194.773) and rookie Brian Vickers third (194.705).
Elliott Sadler, who qualified 12th, blew an engine in the "happy hour" session and will move to the back of the field before the green flag.
SPARK PLUGS: Earnhardt Jr. was named the first quarter winner for the national driver of the year award. He drew 11 first-place votes and was no lower than fourth on any of the 18 ballots submitted by a national panel of motorsports writers and broadcasters and one ballot from a fan vote compiled on Speedtv.com.
