CONCORD, N.C.-Dale Earnhardt Jr. doesn’t really want to watch the All-Star race on television at home while drinking a beer.
But in saying last week he’d be OK doing that should he fail to qualify for tonight’s $1 million race, Earnhardt gave the impression he didn’t much care to participate.
That’s not how he meant it, he insisted Friday.
“I did probably not word that correctly and gave people the wrong impression, I guess; I do care about being here,” he said. “I’m unassuming about my role and accept my fate whatever it might be. We’re going to go out there and try to run hard and see what happens.”
Earnhardt is no longer guaranteed a starting spot in tonight’s field because his 10-year exemption for winning the race in 2000 has expired. His last chance to earn a spot was last week at Dover, but his streak without a win instead stretched to 104 races.