Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished 34th on Sunday, 19 laps down. Credit: Autostock

Notebook: Junior's night goes from bad to worse

Already in the Chase, Earnhardt Jr. happy to leave Fontana

FONTANA, Calif. -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. won't look back on the inaugural Pop Secret 500 with much fondness.

"I'm glad we're clinched because it was a nightmare," Earnhardt said. "It was just a real frustrating night."

Earnhardt Jr. has already earned a spot in the Chase for the Nextel Cup. Credit: Autostock

Starting 12th, Earnhardt immediately began losing spots, dropping back to 29th by Lap 40. He got into the top 10 for the first time by Lap 200 but 18 laps later, he spun out in Turn 4, starting a series of events that turned his night from bad to worse.

"We pretty good at one point but the left rear tire went flat and I spun out on it," Earnhardt said.

Earnhardt was then assessed a time penalty when NASCAR ruled he passed several cars on his way into pit road. Then he had nowhere to go when Ken Schrader's engine dumped oil and water on the track directly in front of Earnhardt on Lap 233, leaving Junior with a wrecked car and a 34th-place finish.

"I got back there behind Kenny when he blew up and got in some oil and tore the car up," Earnhardt said. "It's not a real good finish for us, but I was really kind of pleased with the way the guys were working and how the car was getting better all night."

Carl Edwards had tire problems on Lap 45 but battled back to finish sixth in the No. 99 Ford.

Carl Edwards finished sixth Sunday night. Credit: Autostock

"We didn't panic," Edwards said. "I was hoping they'd throw the yellow and they did. We got really fortunate there and that saved us. That was big."

Edwards was battling with Ryan Newman during the final 10 laps of green-flag racing.

"Ryan Newman didn't want me to work him over too hard because he's racing for that tenth spot in points, but I wasn't gonna cut him any slack," Edwards said. "I could see how nervous he was.

"He kept holding his finger out like, 'Yeah, we're cool, we're cool.' I was thinking, 'Man, I'm gonna try my hardest to pass you, but yeah, we're cool.' That was fun."

Food wrappers and newspapers were a constant problem early in the running, with several cars overheating with trash stuck in their grilles. One of those was Dale Jarrett, who wound up eighth.

POP SECRET 500 Victory Lane Elliott Sadler celebrates his second win of 2004 in the Pop Secret 500 Final Laps In a Texas flashback, Kahne chases Sadler to the checkers Dale Jr. Done Dale Jr. wrecks after sliding on Ken Schrader's oil Trouble at the Top Jeff Gordon's engine expires and Dale Jr. spins on Lap 219 Getting Loose Kurt Busch gets aero-loose and spins but avoids hitting traffic Two in the Grass As Biffle dodges a loose Spencer, he spins Shane Hmiel Biffle Blows a Tire Biffle blows a tire, damaging his car as well as the Nos. 24, 17 and 88 Early Trouble Yeley spins, collects Gaughan on Lap 33 •   Results •   Standings •   "Bubble" Standings •   "Clinch" Standings

Workers picked up many of the papers by hand along the frontstretch during one caution period.

"I guess a lot of fans were eating a lot of stuff," he said. "We'd prefer that they throw their wrappers in a trash bag next time. I got a piece on my grille and made the car run a little hot one time, but that's just part of the game."

The track temperature at the start of Sunday's race was 125 degrees and it was 30 degrees cooler by Lap 200, something Ryan Newman said contributed to some wild racing.

"It was definitely hairy running three-wide there at the start of the race because the track was so greasy," Newman said. "There at the end it was hairy again and the track was stickier. Guys were running a lot harder and there was less give and take.

"I know I had to check up a few times and a few times people had to check up for me."

Jamie McMurray obviously is a night owl. With 75 laps to go, he was 18th and advanced to fourth at the checkered flag.

"We had to make huge adjustments (after the sun went down)," McMurray said. "Our first run, we were great. The next run was pretty good and then I couldn't believe how tight the car got. We made huge changes."

Derrike Cope had to have known that his night was doomed from the very beginning.

Cope's No. 96 Ford failed to take the green flag because the crew was trying to solve an electrical gremlin, finally getting on the track 12 laps later.

Cope's car then briefly caught fire on pit road during a stop. The night ended on Lap 169 when Cope slammed into the Turn 1 wall.

He was evaluated and released from the infield medical center.