 | | Shane Hmiel has been suspended indefinitely by NASCAR. Credit: Autostock |
By Ryan Smithson, NASCAR.COM
June 4, 2005
06:02 PM EDT (22:02 GMT)
DOVER, Del. -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. was busy preparing for Sunday's MBNA RacePoints 400, but his mind was still on Shane Hmiel, the son of his crew chief. NASCAR suspended Hmiel indefinitely on Friday after he failed his second drug test in less than two years. Hmiel is the son of DEI Technical Director Steve Hmiel, and many expected the younger Hmiel to eventually wind up with DEI. The elder Hmiel was just hired last week to be Earnhardt Jr.'s crew chief. "I know that is a mistake you hate to see someone make twice, you know, he can still turn his life around," said Earnhardt Jr., who has been close friends with Hmiel for years. "I am just thinking about him, this weekend, I know he is probably down. But you know, that is a tough one." Earnhardt Jr. said he would continue to support Hmiel's career. "Whatever I can do to help him," Earnhardt Jr. said. "It's disappointing, but I won't turn my back on my friend. I'll help him however he needs to be helped." DEI responds to incident in Coca-Cola 600 Dale Earnhardt Inc. officials said on Saturday that last weekend's crash between teammates Earnhardt Jr. and Michael Waltrip was "definitely not intentional." Earnhardt Jr. and Waltrip tangled on Lap 246 at Lowe's Motor Speedway last week, ruining both cars and triggering an angry response from the Waltrip camp. Earnhardt Jr. went into DEI on Monday and apologized to Waltrip's crew. Richie Gilmore, Director of Motorsports for DEI, said that the wreck was caused -- in part -- because Earnhardt Jr.'s Chevrolet was so fast. "That was probably the best that car has been all year," Gilmore said. "Just a mistake. He caught him faster than he thought he was. "That car hasn't run in contention for awhile." | 
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