Racing With The Stars
By: Luke Althaus
When Racing is in your Blood
Will Dale Earnhardt Jr. go out like his dad? Many people have wondered that first let’s learn about the life he’s been living. Dale Earnhardt Jr. was born October 10, 1974 in Kannapolis, North Carolina. Now he is a resident of Mooresville, North Carolina. Dale Jr. started racing when he was seventeen and got a full time job in the Busch Series in 1998. In the year 2000, Dale Jr. became a full time driver for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. Until 2008, Dale Jr. was driving for Dale Earnhardt Inc. until he went to drive for Hendrick Motorsports. His current teammates are Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon, and Kasey Kahne.
It seems like racing runs in his blood. His dad, Dale Earnhardt Sr., won a total of seventy-six races and seven cup championships. Dale Jr. is the only third generation driver to win a NASCAR Sprint Cup championship. Dale Jr. was able to race on a team with his dad for one season. Dale Jr. often gave his dad a run for his money. The finish of one race had Dale Sr. crossing the finish line 0.007 seconds ahead of his son. During the first race of their second season together, Dale Jr. witnessed his dad’s deadly crash during the final lap of the Daytona 500.
Dale Jr. isn’t just known for his driving. He is also well known by fans and the NASCAR community. He is the only driver to have won NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver award for 12 consecutive years. His record proves that he is also a very successful driver. As of April 16, 2015, Dale Jr. is in seventh place in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series. He has 213 points. He is 93 points away from first place. Since the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series started February 14, 2015; Dale Jr. has started seven of the ten races. He hasn’t gotten the pole position and hasn’t won any of these races but he finished as one of the top five racers- four times; and as one of the top ten drivers for five of the races. During his entire driving career, Dale Jr. has started thirteen races in the pole position and has had twenty-three victories. He is also a very dedicated driver and won’t let much stop him. Once he raced with a broken collarbone and managed to finish third using only one arm.
Dale Jr.’s life isn’t just about racing. He enjoys chilling with friends, music, and computer gaming. He has gotten a variety of nicknames like Little E., Jr., and June bug from family, friends, and fans. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has led an interesting life and a promising career. At the age of 40 he has a lot of life to live and many races to drive. I am sure my thoughts are the same as many other fans as I hope Dale Jr. doesn’t cross life’s finish line like his father’s tragic end or at least not for a while.
Cool Car
Dale Dissapointment
Martinsville Incodent
A Legends Memorial
Would you be able to go to a place where a legend died? For most people the death of Dale Earnhardt Sr. hasn't stopped them from going to Daytona Beach, Florida. It's a big vacation spot for college students in the spring. Daytona Beach doesn't just entertain college students it actually is home to students of Bethune-Cookman University. Just don't get caught in the commotion of the 62,316 people who live in Daytona Beach. Daytona Beach is known for its hard, white sand but especially for automobile racing.
Daytona Beach's track is probably the most well known track in NASCAR. The Daytona Speedway is the host of the Daytona 500, and the Pepsi 400. The Daytona Speedway is a two and a half mile long track. The track is forty feet wide including the apron which varies from twelve and thirty feet wide. The wicked turns have a thirty degree incline in them because otherwise the cars would go up the turn and through the wall. The start/finish line has an eighteen degree incline that's not as abrupt as the turns but it's still pretty steep. The pit road is 1,600 feet long and sixty feet wide. The whole speedway takes up a whopping 480 acres including the 180 acre infield.
Don't worry about weather because it averages sixty degrees in the winter and in the summer it averages eighty degrees. Plus don't worry that you won't get seats at an event at the Daytona Speedway it can seat 146,000 people. The death of racing legend Dale Earnhardt Sr. hasn't kept people away from Daytona Beach, Florida. Its mild weather, amazing beaches and popular race track keeps tourists coming year after year.
Daytona International Speedway
Website: http://www.daytonainternationalspeedway.com/
Location: 1801 W International Speedway Blvd, Daytona Beach, FL 32114, United States
Phone: (800) 748-7467
Job Oppertunity
NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Race(Geico 500)
Sunday, May 3, 2015, 01:00 PM
Talladega Superspeedway, Speedway Boulevard, Lincoln, AL, United States
Top Ten Drivers as of May 1st
1 Kevin Harvick 357 4 Chevy
2 Joey Logano 324 22 Ford
3 Martin Truex Jr. 315 78 Chevy
4 Jimmie Johnson 299 48 Chevy
5 Brad Keselowski 283 2 Ford
6 Kasey Kahne 275 5 Chevy
7 Matt Kenseth 273 20 Toyota
8 Dale Earnhardt Jr. 271 88 Chevy
9 Jamie McMurray 264 1 Chevy
10 Jeff Gordon 263 24 Chevy