Earnhardt Jr., Waltrip: Potent 1-2 punch

TALLADEGA, Ala. -- When racing on restrictor-plate tracks, Dale Earnhardt, Inc. has a 1-2 punch befitting Mike Tyson.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Michael Waltrip have finished first and second in three of the past six restrictor plate races -- a Daytona 500 victory for Waltrip in 2001, a Pepsi 400 win for Junior five months later and Sunday’s rousing 1-2 finish in the Aaron’s 499 at Talladega Superspeedway.

Moments after taking the checkers Sunday, marking his second plate race win in the past three tries, Earnhardt Jr. made certain his crew understood the importance of their teammate.

“All credit goes to Michael on this one y’all, all of it,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “Do y’all hear me? Without him we wouldn’t have won this thing.”

Agreed. Following a 15-minute red-flag stoppage of the event, Waltrip ran second to Junior over the final four laps, fending off possible contenders left and right. Junior is well aware the frustration that builds from such a precarious situation.

“I know how frustrating it is, it’s awfully mentally hard when guys are beating on your bumper and trying to pass you, and you’re holding them off so your teammate can win,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “That’s why we have teammates.

“When you’re in those situations you have an advantage over the field. I know what he deals with. It’d be hard, but what’s good for me is good for DEI. What’s good for Michael is good for DEI. It’s all about keeping the company going.”

They’re doing just fine on plate tracks. Earnhardt Jr. has won three of the past four plate races, including the past two at Talladega. He had a good teacher, mind you.

“He’s very talented, obviously,” said Waltrip, whose second-place effort Sunday marked his season high . “I observe him doing things out there that are pretty impressive. He’s just learned a lot by watching on TV when he was growing up, and being at the races on the weekend and then we could apply what he learned directly to himself when he would get the car and he could perform.”

Sunday, the duo ran one after the other for essentially half the race. That’s becoming commonplace.

“That’s best hand to be holding at the end of the race -- to have a teammate with you,” Junior said.

Fifty laps into Sunday’s event, Junior held up the hang loose sign as the duo coursed through Turns 3 and 4. Waltrip was amused.

“He’s crazy,” Waltrip said. “We’re from two different generations, but we seem to be able to mesh pretty good.”