Seat time has been key for Kerry Earnhardt

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- In a lot of ways, the early stages of Kerry Earnhardt's NASCAR Busch Series career resemble those of his late father, seven-time Winston Cup champion Dale Earnhardt, in the Winston Cup Series.

	Kerry Earnhardt has graduated from frustrating runs to solid lead-lap finishes. Credit: Autostock

Earnhardt, 32, who bears an uncanny resemblance to his father, has made only 25 starts in the Busch Series over five years. It was not until his fifth year in the Winston Cup Series -- which actually was his rookie season -- did the elder Earnhardt blossom.

As he stood in Daytona International Speedway's garage area, wearing a grin under the thick mustache riding atop his upper lip, Kerry preferred not to contemplate the fact that his father took four years to score his first top-10 finish in a Winston Cup car.

Instead, he was concentrating on tuning his No. 12 SuperCuts Chevrolet for the July 5 Stacker 2/GNC Live Well 250 at Daytona -- his second start this season at the 2.5-mile superspeedway.

In a lot of ways, his debut this season in the Fitz Bradshaw Racing car has been mirrored by his experience in February at Daytona. Then, he qualified 27th but was caught up in an accident and finished 41st.

Since then he has scrambled to 20th in the point standings and scored his best career finish -- eighth at Nashville Superspeedway in March. As Kerry aspires to remind people of his father because of his auto racing ability, his hopes are tempered due to the enormous expectations the same name engenders.

Because of his last name, people always have expected him to win races on a regular basis. Because of his last name, his inability so far this season -- his rookie year -- to win a Busch Series race has overshadowed his steady development.

While his car was at Daytona, he was also thinking ahead to Saturday night's Kroger 300 presented by Oreo at Kentucky Speedway.

"It's been kind of tough this year," Earnhardt said. "It hasn't been as good a season as we planned, but I'm not complaining because it's still been a decent season.

"It's taking me a little time to get a grasp on this thing, but I'm making improvements along the way. I've learned a lot so far."

Despite the improvement, Earnhardt has seen his share of bad luck -- like this spin-out during practice last weekend at Nashville. Credit: Autostock

Earnhardt, prior to this year had accumulated a total of 10 Busch Series starts between 1998-2001. He emerged as a viable big-time driver by winning four of 11 ARCA RE/MAX Series starts in the 2000-2001 seasons.

"We're pretty excited about the second half of the season," Earnhardt said. "The big thing for us is Daytona. That's a track that has bit me every time I've been there -- I've always been in a big wreck.

"I know I've got some learning to do, that I've got a big learning curve. Some of the big veterans in the series are way ahead of me. I know that."

Earnhardt also knows what might be on the horizon, once his education advances and he starts winning Busch Series races. He has seen the popularity of his half-brother Dale Earnhardt Jr. explode in the Winston Cup Series.

Fitz Bradshaw has talked of eventually moving him along the ladder to Winston Cup.

"I think I will be ready," Earnhardt said. "That's part of it -- part of doing this. I'll be ready to accept the responsibility."

Earnhardt shared the track with fellow Busch Series driver Kenny Wallace and C.W. Smith for two days -- but Wallace was actually testing a No. 98 Stacker 2 Chevrolet for the Winston Cup's July 6 Pepsi 400.