KANSAS CITY, Kan. - Dale Earnhardt Jr. worked with the handling of his No. 88 National Guard NASCAR racecar to finish 22nd in Sunday’s NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Kansas Speedway. Despite the struggles, Earnhardt gained one position in the championship standings, improving to 17th.
Earnhardt lined up 20th for the 400-mile event, and during the long, opening green-flag segment, he noted that the handling was loose in and out of the corners. Earnhardt was running 24th when the day’s first caution came on Lap 40.
Crew chief Lance McGrew called his driver to pit road for four fresh Goodyear tires and to top off on fuel. The team also made air pressure and chassis adjustments to ease the loose-handling condition.
Earnhardt maintained the 24th position when the field went back to green-flag racing on Lap 46. During the early part of the race, Earnhardt and his team continued to make adjustments on the No. 88 racecar to ease the loose-handling condition.
Earnhardt raced inside the top 30 during the middle stages of the race.
Just past the halfway point, Earnhardt notified McGrew that the handling on the No. 88 racecar felt better and during the Lap 185 caution period, Earnhardt radioed to the team that the car was the most comfortable it had been all day. McGrew opted to keep his driver on track in order to get back on the lead lap while the leaders made their way down pit road.
Needing one more pit stop for fuel, the No. 88 team was hoping for another caution period during the final laps of the race.
Unfortunately, a long green-flag run ensued during the closing laps at Kansas, and Earnhardt crossed the finish line 22nd.