(By Sarah Farlee Managing Editor, CupScene.com)
Posted: Sunday,October 31st, 2010
Talladega, Ala., - Dale Earnhardt, Jr. may have gotten a little too anxious in Sunday’s Amp Energy Juice 500 at Talladega Superspeedway.
Earnhardt admitted he got into the back of Jeff Burton after getting a little too excited– contact that started the first multiple car accident on lap 133.
“I got in the back of (Jeff) Burton and got him out of control,” said Earnhardt, who said that the hit wasn’t square and caused the wreck. “We’ve just been pushing each other all day long and I got into him the wrong way.”
Earnhardt apologized to Burton’s crew as well as his own team for the incident and wrecking two great cars.
TALLADEGA, AL - OCTOBER 31: Jeff Burton kicks the #31 Cat Financial Chevrolet after hitting the wall in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series AMP Energy Juice 500 at Talladega Superspeedway on October 31, 2010 in Talladega, Alabama. (Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR)
“We were racing along there, probably more racing than we should have been doing, but it is fun,” Earnhardt said. “I just kind of caught up and got a little over zealous there getting ready to push Jeff there.”
The push nudged Burton down the track enough to bounce off Jamie McMurray and slam into the outside wall gathering Earnhardt up in the process. Paul Menard also had sheet metal damage as Burton spun down the track tagging Menard. Burton stopped at the bottom of the track off turn four before crawling out to assess the car with major damage to the front of the car.
Burton knows these things can happen, especially at Talladega.
“It’s just racing,” said Burton, who added that the two drivers had been working well all day and had been pushing each other while running at the front of the field. “We just didn’t get lined up that time and I guess he got me in the right-rear quarter panel and got me turned around.”
“It wasn’t anything on purpose; we just didn’t get lined up,” added Burton, who said it all started going into Turn 3 and when the field went three-wide everybody’s line changed. “I think I moved a little different than he thought I was going to. He didn’t do anything wrong; it’s just plain and simple racing.”
Earnhardt had run in the top-10 for most of the 133 laps, and would end up leading the most laps.
“I had a real good car, and awesome engine,” said Earnhardt. “I was having fun out there running around.”
Earnhardt was able to return to the track to log laps and finished 39th. Burton finished 41st.
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