Junior's win leads to great weekend for NASCAR (cont'd)

A different kind of win

Friday's Nationwide win was huge for Earnhardt because he was under a different kind of pressure, and he delivered in a huge way. He proved to himself and to others that he can still get it done.

The pressure was more or less self-inflicted, brought about when Junior and sister Kelley Earnhardt approached their stepmother, Teresa Earnhardt, and car owner Richard Childress, keyholder to the famed No. 3, about running that number in a car adorned with the same paint scheme that once belonged to Junior's father.

It was a collaboration brought about, they said, by a mutual desire to honor the elder Earnhardt in a special way the same year he was included in the inaugural NASCAR Hall of Fame class. It didn't hurt that Wrangler, the sponsor on the car, was willing to dish out some big bucks to help make it happen.

To understand how big it was, all one had to do Saturday was stroll through the gift shop at the Hall and see all the Wrangler 3 stuff on sale. And the load of gear, put in place even before Earnhardt pulled out Friday's popular victory, was sure to sell even more quickly afterward.

Junior didn't care about all that. He said he felt like he needed to win the race to make it all worthwhile.

He also said afterward that there will be no more driving of the No. 3 for him, so quit asking about it. That was admirable and smart. What else could he ever do that could top Friday night? Right now his decision to never run the No. 3 again seems akin to that rare boxer -- or any other professional athlete -- who retires at just the right time, after doing something great and unique and special.

Just getting started

That's not to say that the younger Earnhardt has plans to retire as a driver anytime soon. In fact, it seemed Friday's win in the lesser series invigorated him to a degree that perhaps it will help him finally put the pedal to the metal in pursuing those lofty expectations that loomed ahead -- and seemed so within reach -- when he first came to Hendrick.

He was able to steer clear of Saturday's late 20-car wreck in the Coke Zero 400, and then took his slightly damaged No. 88 Chevrolet toward the front at the end in a dramatic finish reminiscent of how he started this season with a mad dash to second place on the last lap of the Daytona 500.

Earnhardt still needs to get back to running up front more consistently in Sprint Cup -- a prerequisite to actually beginning to win multiple races. He still has the potential of the second 76-race winless streak of his Cup career weighing him down like the proverbial 800-pound gorilla on his back.

But Saturday marked his fourth quality finish in a row on the Cup side -- following a seventh at Michigan, 11th at Sonoma and eighth at New Hampshire. He jumped two spots in the point standings and now sits 11th, inside the 12-driver cutoff for the Chase to the Sprint Cup championship with eight races remaining in the regular season.

His fans, always the most vocal and most loyal in the sport, were reawakened by Friday's victory and emboldened by Saturday's surprise finish after what seemed was going to be a mediocre run.

The merchandise is moving briskly again at gift shops throughout NASCAR. The beer no doubt was flowing over the weekend at Whisky River, the bar Earnhardt Jr. owns in uptown Charlotte, N.C.

Now it is up to Junior and his No. 88 team to build on the momentum that has been a long time coming. Can he do it? Will he do it? It's going to be fun to find out, but at the very least it's nice to have him back in that conversation again.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer.

Related:
• Junior drives the No. 3 to Victory Lane
• Rodman: Junior's win to be remembered forever
• Video: Emotions of the victory | Final Laps | Victory Lane