KIDWCKED
11-01-2010, 11:41 PM
c/p from foxsports by the a/p
Updated Oct 31, 2010 8:17 PM ET
Dale Earnhardt Jr. led the most laps (24) at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday, but he wasn’t a factor at the end of the race.
Earnhardt triggered a three-car wreck after running into the back of Jeff Burton on Lap 134 in Turn 4. Earnhardt acknowledges that not aligning the bumpers of his car and the No. 31 Chevrolet ignited the accident.
“We just didn't hit him square, misjudged the push I was going to give him and did it incorrectly,” Earnhardt said. “Cost his crew a great race car and opportunity to win. He had a really fast car, I apologize to Richard (Childress) and all of those guys over there.
“My boys too, they worked really hard on my car. We had a terrific engine today and a real fast car. We were racing along there, probably more racing than we should have been doing, but it is fun. I just kind of caught up and got a little over zealous there getting ready to push Jeff there."
While the No. 88 team worked to repair the car, Earnhardt went to the infield care center to check on Burton and apologize.
"Man, he's one of the ambassadors for our sport and I have so much respect for him,” Earnhardt added. “When you are out there racing, you aren't considering all those things.
“As soon as I turned him, I felt terrible about it. I just respect him so much. He's taught me a lot in my career. I didn't show him as much respect as I should have, but I didn't have any intentions of spinning him out. I was racing a little bit hard out there."
Earnhardt returned to the track on Lap 158 to a standing ovation despite being 24 laps off the pace. He finished 39th, 25 laps down.
Burton, who finished 41st, dismissed the incident as just “the nature of the beast."
Still, the real drama didn’t occur until the final lap when AJ Allmendinger found his car out of control for the second time in the race. Following contact with Brad Keselowski on Lap 70 Allmendinger went on his first wild ride in the tri-oval.
However, that didn’t compare to the No. 43 ending up on its lid after a five-car wreck that included Tony Stewart, David Gilliland, Kasey Kahne and Scott Speed.
“It’s not the most fun run I’ve ever had, but it’s Talladega,” Allmendinger said. “It’s one of those things. I hate this place. I always have and always will. I don’t know. I’m not really sure. I wish I could give you a description of what happened.
“I’ve never flipped in anything like that. I guess there’s a first for everything, but that’s the first I never wanted to have.”
Allmendinger was scored 32nd and dropped to 21st in the point standings.
Updated Oct 31, 2010 8:17 PM ET
Dale Earnhardt Jr. led the most laps (24) at Talladega Superspeedway on Sunday, but he wasn’t a factor at the end of the race.
Earnhardt triggered a three-car wreck after running into the back of Jeff Burton on Lap 134 in Turn 4. Earnhardt acknowledges that not aligning the bumpers of his car and the No. 31 Chevrolet ignited the accident.
“We just didn't hit him square, misjudged the push I was going to give him and did it incorrectly,” Earnhardt said. “Cost his crew a great race car and opportunity to win. He had a really fast car, I apologize to Richard (Childress) and all of those guys over there.
“My boys too, they worked really hard on my car. We had a terrific engine today and a real fast car. We were racing along there, probably more racing than we should have been doing, but it is fun. I just kind of caught up and got a little over zealous there getting ready to push Jeff there."
While the No. 88 team worked to repair the car, Earnhardt went to the infield care center to check on Burton and apologize.
"Man, he's one of the ambassadors for our sport and I have so much respect for him,” Earnhardt added. “When you are out there racing, you aren't considering all those things.
“As soon as I turned him, I felt terrible about it. I just respect him so much. He's taught me a lot in my career. I didn't show him as much respect as I should have, but I didn't have any intentions of spinning him out. I was racing a little bit hard out there."
Earnhardt returned to the track on Lap 158 to a standing ovation despite being 24 laps off the pace. He finished 39th, 25 laps down.
Burton, who finished 41st, dismissed the incident as just “the nature of the beast."
Still, the real drama didn’t occur until the final lap when AJ Allmendinger found his car out of control for the second time in the race. Following contact with Brad Keselowski on Lap 70 Allmendinger went on his first wild ride in the tri-oval.
However, that didn’t compare to the No. 43 ending up on its lid after a five-car wreck that included Tony Stewart, David Gilliland, Kasey Kahne and Scott Speed.
“It’s not the most fun run I’ve ever had, but it’s Talladega,” Allmendinger said. “It’s one of those things. I hate this place. I always have and always will. I don’t know. I’m not really sure. I wish I could give you a description of what happened.
“I’ve never flipped in anything like that. I guess there’s a first for everything, but that’s the first I never wanted to have.”
Allmendinger was scored 32nd and dropped to 21st in the point standings.