When the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series arrived in Richmond, Va., a year ago, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his "Junior Nation" of fans were riding high.
It was his first year after joining the powerhouse team of Hendrick Motorsports, and NASCAR's most popular driver was fourth in the standings and headed to the series' Chase for the Cup late-season championship playoff. But Earnhardt faded in the Chase, and he came in last among the playoff's 12 drivers in 2008.
And this year was even worse. His race results early in NASCAR's season were so poor that Earnhardt's crew chief, his cousin Tony Eury Jr., was replaced.
Now the stock-car racing series again arrives in Richmond for tonight's Chevy Rock & Roll 400, the last race before this year's Chase, and Earnhardt and his No. 88 Chevrolet won't be in the 2009 playoff.
Earnhardt is a distant 21st in the drivers' points standings and is still trying to make headway with his new crew chief, Lance McGrew, who took over in early June after Earnhardt finished a dismal 40th in the Coca-Cola 600 race.
After Richmond, the 10-race Chase starts Sept. 20 in New Hampshire and its fourth stop is the Pepsi 500 on Oct. 11 at the two-mile Auto Club Speedway in Fontana.
For Earnhardt, son of the late and legendary seven-time NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt, the goal now is simply to win races -- or at least finish near the front -- and prepare for another shot at his first title in 2010.
Richmond could provide the lift he needs. Three of Earnhardt's 18 career Cup wins have come at the 0.75-mile Richmond oval.
"I have a lot of confidence going into there," Earnhardt said. "It's easier for me to tell my crew chief what the car is doing at that track than some others."
McGrew, in turn, said: "I feel like the last couple of races we've finally gotten some of the finishes that I've felt like we've deserved. Right now we're racing for wins."
In the meantime, a cloud of uncertainty continues to hover over Earnhardt, 34, who acknowledged when he joined Hendrick that he had "no more excuses" for not winning now that he was driving Hendrick's cars.
His struggle stands in even sharper relief when compared with his three Hendrick teammates: Four-time champion Jeff Gordon is second in points, three-time title winner and reigning champ Jimmie Johnson is third, and veteran Mark Martin, who came out of semi-retirement to join Hendrick this year, is 10th with four wins.
