Brad Keselowski's Daytona Triumph Magnifies Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Woes

For many NASCAR fans, the allure of "a plate race," for two generations, has been the prospect of an Earnhardt victory. Senior won 11 and Junior 10.

Driver	Daytona 500	GEICO 500	Coke Zero 400
Brad Keselowski	20	1	1
Dale Earnhardt Jr.	36	40	21

At the moment, a Brad Keselowski victory is statistically more likely. The "plate" is used to restrict horsepower at the two tracks, in Daytona Beach, Florida, and Talladega, Alabama, where such races are held and precautions needed.

As of Saturday night, Keselowski, not Dale Earnhardt Jr., is the Potentate of Plate. At any given point, it's what have you done for me lately? Crew chief Paul Wolfe had this to say:

"

Well, honestly, ever since I started working with [Keselowski], I always thought it was one of his strengths, for sure. Brad is a thinker and he studies and he tries to understand, so I know he's put his time in to try to understand how the draft works and how to be better at it. I think we kind of had success, like I said, early on at Talladega, but it just seemed like we couldn't quite get it together here at Daytona.

"

As NBC Sports' Nate Ryan noted via Twitter, this realization drew some fire:

"

Making the case that @keselowski is a very good plate racer, perhaps the current best, seems unpopular in some quarters. #nascar

— Nate Ryan (@nateryan) July 3, 2016"

The Coke Zero 400, Daytona International Speedway's annual Independence Weekend extravaganza, was all patriotism, fireworks and Keselowski. He led 115 out of 161 laps, most notably the final 17 and 46 of the final 57.

John Raoux/Associated Press

Meanwhile, Dale Earnhardt Jr. limped home 21st after a 26-car pile-up on the 90th lap gobbled up his Chevrolet. Plate races have been wreck races this year for Earnhardt, who said to NBC Sports afterward, "I just rode around. I couldn't get in there and get two and three-wide because the car needed a couple lanes to run well."

For Keselowski, who has won four times at Talladega, it was a Daytona first.

"I was telling (owner) Roger Penske when I was in victory lane, and the fireworks were going off, usually I'm loading up the car and about to the airport, so it's nice to be here and have a great finish,” he said.

Numbers popped like fireworks, too. Keselowski's first Daytona victory, his 20th overall, came in his 250th Cup start  and marked Team Penske's 100th Cup win.

"The wins are never easy to come by," Keselowski said, "and I think this one means a lot to me for sure because, looking at our past here, it hasn't been all that rosy."

Keselowski	Earnhardt Jr.	Johnson	Kenseth	McMurray
5	3	3	3	3

With Daytona as the latest gunfighter's notch on his holster, Keselowski's hopes for a championship are on the rise. He and Kyle Busch, who finished second, are the only drivers with three victories this year.

Of Keselowski's performance, Busch said, "He definitely just had way more maneuverability. It seemed like more than anybody, but especially more than I did."

Ford drivers took four of the top five. Team Penske also took fourth with Joey Logano. Here's what Roger Penske had to say:

"

Things went our way. I think the question about why we haven't been as good here, this is a handling track, and you look at Earnhardt and look at some of these guys who just had it, and I think what we've been able to get is the speed, and we've worked hard with our aerodynamics to get a car that will also work in the corners, and we owe a big shout‑out to our aerodynamic guys...and of course, Brad did a super job driving it.

"

Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Meanwhile, as the final nine races of the regular season beckon, Earnhardt Jr.'s Chase hopes seem vulnerable for the first time all season. He is the sport's most notable driver without a victory to date.

Eleven different drivers have one or more wins. One, Tony Stewart, is now 30th in the point standings, which makes him Chase-eligible. At the moment, that leaves five positions in the Chase to be allocated on the basis of points, and any new winner reduces that opening. Earnhardt is 13th in points and has finished in the top five once in the last nine races. Earnhardt Jr. told NBC Sports' Marty Snider this before the race:

"

We're a much better team than we are in the standings. We just can't make any mistakes or give away any points in the last few races before the Chase. If we can win, we'll put that all to bed and feel comfortable. We don't want to be battling for those final couple spots at Richmond (final regular-season race). That's no fun at all.

"

Nine races offer numerous opportunities for Earnhardt to secure a playoff berth with a victory. He will get second cracks at Bristol and Pocono, tracks where he finished second earlier this year.

It isn't time to panic yet. At any given time, one driver is streaking and another is slumping. At the moment, Keselowski has won twice, finished in the top 10 seven times and in the top five on five occasions in a span of eight races. The other Penske driver, Logano, has a current streak of four straight top fives.

At Daytona, the Hendrick Motorsports juggernaut ended the race lying 21st (Earnhardt), 30th (Kasey Kahne), 32nd (Chase Elliott) and 35th (Jimmie Johnson).

The wrecks had much to do with the ignominious results, and the general malaise is unlikely to last.

But Penske had every right to say of Keselowski and Logano: 

"

This is racing, and, unfortunately, some people have different ideas. But look, I've got—I wouldn't trade these two drivers for anyone. They're young, they're aggressive, they win races. They work well with the sponsors, and they're high‑integrity guys, so move on from there.

"

That would be to Sparta, Kentucky, and then to Loudon, New Hampshire, and Indianapolis...and beyond.

Follow @montedutton on Twitter.

All quotes are taken from NASCAR media, team and manufacturer sources unless otherwise noted.