The Bucket Report: Texas, Earnhardt Jr. Out of Gas and Hamlin Has No Handling

Ranked 11th – Dale Earnhardt Jr. (No. 88) 

Minute yet track position consuming issues would plague Dale Jr. through out the first half of the race.  He made a charge to the front but a loose wheel would cost him a few spots by Lap 58.

Although, the No. 88 team had smooth pit-stops, handling issue would drop Dale Jr. to sixteenth by Lap 117. Quickly putting him in danger for dropping off the lead lap as only the top eighteen cars were on the lead lap at this point.

Dale Jr. would fall a lap down, however, with fresh tires by Lap 297 the No. 88 team was back on the lead lap and at seventh.  By Lap 324 Edwards was leading Dale Jr. by 10.659.

The No. 88 teams, as well as the No. 24 choose to take the fuel millage challenge with Edwards and stay out.  However, at Lap 328 then second place Dale Jr.’s luck with his fuel would run out.

This gamble would cost the No. 88 team one spot in the standing. However, I think most would agree it was be right choice for the No. 88 team, had it paid off the Dale Jr. would have moved up. Furthermore, being in the Chase bucket dropping one spot isn’t as dramatic a lost as if he was in the top five.

Sidebar: Edward fuel millage choice; Edward’s last fuel pit was on Lap 264. There would be four more laps under that caution, thus giving him an extra four laps of fuel millage as the general rule is two yellow laps to one green. At that point there was 70 Laps to go, on average a tank of fuel last for 30-40 laps. Taking in account for the caution, to go to the end he would have to squeeze out between 36-26 Laps, or pit around Lap 310. However, it seemed cars were squeezing out above average fuel millage at Texas. Therefore, on Lap 315 with only 19 Laps to go the No. 99 team takes the gamble to stay out. It absolutely paid off.

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