SPORTS
Saturday, February 20, 2016
East Oregonian
Page 5B
Motorsports
Earnhardt hoping to drive ‘Amelia’ back to victory lane
By JENNA FRYER
AP Auto Racing Writer
(AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
Dale Earnhardt Jr prepares to climb into his car during practice for the NA-
SCAR Daytona 500 on Friday.
name it,’ and we were thinking of
a woman who has accomplished
something that was an awesome
-Daytona International
person that was something we
Speeday (Daytona Beach)
could be proud of,” Earnhardt
-Sunday, 10 a.m.
said.
“Amelia Earhart was the
-TV: FOX
¿UVWWKLQJWKDWFDPHWRP\PLQG
She must have been the most
his win. “When you have a car GDULQJ6KHVRUWRI¿WVWKDWPROG
that you know can do the things of the courage and determination
that this car can do, you’re willing that you need as a race car driver.
to take those gambles and risks to She must have had that and more
pull out and pass. It’s just a fun car to be able to do the things she did
to drive. Really special car.”
in her lifetime.”
When Rick Hendrick leaned
So it’s the car that gives
into the window after Earnhardt’s (DUQKDUGW WKH FRQ¿GHQFH WR
latest victory, the driver urged make the moves he did Thursday
his team owner to keep track of night while winning for the 17th
Amelia and consider putting her time at Daytona. The victory
on display in his museum.
came on the 15th anniversary of
)RU QRZ KH¶V MXVW ¿QH LI KH his father’s death. Although he
says goodbye to her Sunday. daydreamed about winning to
Daytona International Speedway honor his father, he really just
displays the winning car for a didn’t want to embarrass himself
year, and teams gladly exchange with a poor showing.
them for the trophy. Earnhardt,
There was no chance of that
a two-time 500 winner, decided happening as he dominated
chassis No. 88-872 needed a by leading 43 of the 60 laps
name when crew chief Greg Ives Saturday and passing Denny
declined to retire the car.
Hamlin, winner of last week’s
“The fact that we’re going to exhibition race, with ease to
keep running it, I said, ‘We gotta claim the victory.
Daytona 500
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. —
Her name is Amelia, and boy, can
VKHÀ\
She’ll be forever treasured by
Dale Earnhardt Jr., even though
he wants nothing more than to
give her away Sunday.
Amelia Earhart is the nick-
name of the sleek and superfast
Chevrolet that Earnhardt drove
to three wins last season. The car
QHYHU¿QLVKHGORZHUWKDQWKLUGLQ
¿YHUDFHVDQG(DUQKDUGWFRXOGQ¶W
¿QGDUHDVRQWRNHHSKHURXWRI
the upcoming Daytona 500.
The decision was easy. Instead
RIEXLOGLQJDQHZFDUVSHFL¿FDOO\
for the “The Great American
Race” — what most teams do
every offseason — Earnhardt
opted to give Amelia another
shot at getting to victory lane.
She delivered Thursday night
when Earnhardt won a 150-mile
qualifying race to up her record
to four wins in six starts over the
last 13 months.
“The car really does everything
I ask it to do,” Earnhardt said after
From tractor to track: Robert Richardson the surprise of Daytona 500
WKH'D\WRQD¿HOG
“This is my only oppor-
tunity to race this year,”
DAYTONA
BEACH, Richardson said. “This is my
Fla. — Robert Richardson opportunity to get my racing
Jr. is ready to make hay at the ¿[LQIRUWKHVHDVRQ´
Richardson should be
Daytona 500.
The Texas driver only got used to waiting for a turn that
the call two weeks ago from might never come: the burly,
BK Racing to attempt the 33 year old spent the 2001
“The Great American Race.” season at SMU as a backup
With a newborn son at home, quarterback.
Can he throw one more
Richardson took a break from
his full-time job at a ranch Hail Mary and pull off Dayto-
and will try and mow down a na’s wildest upset?
Starting 40th, probably
GLIIHUHQWNLQGRI¿HOG
Richardson raced his way not.
But for Richardson, who
into the Daytona 500, one
more driver with a chance had more than 100 congrat-
to win for NASCAR’S most ulatory text messages, just
earning a ride in the No. 26
eclectic team.
BK Racing has more Toyota was a victory.
Only two spots were up
cars in NASCAR’s marquee
race than Roger Penske and for grabs in the 500 — one
Chip Ganassi, and the same in each qualifying race.
number as Rick Hendrick and Michael McDowell earned
WKHVSRWLQWKH¿UVWUDFHZKLOH
Joe Gibbs.
Richardson, David Ragan, 5LFKDUGVRQ VHFXUHG WKH ¿QDO
Matt
DiBenedetto
and transfer spot on Thursday.
Not bad for Richardson,
two-time Daytona 500 cham-
pion Michael Waltrip have who has only eight career
helped BK Racing somehow Sprint Cup starts and none
EHDWWKHRGGVDQG¿OODWKRI since 2009.
By DAN GELSTON
AP Sports Writer
Toyota next weekend at
Atlanta.
BK Racing made its Sprint
Cup debut in 2012 out of the
ashes of Red Bull Racing.
Ragan, with two career Cup
victories, joined the team
once Michael Waltrip Racing
folded. DiBenedetto made 33
starts and posted an average
¿QLVK RI QG LQ KLV URRNLH
2015 season for BK Racing.
“Whether this is my last
race or not,” Richardson said,
“this is a good way to go out.”
:DOWULS VROG KLV ÀHHW RI
(AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack)
cars and chassis shops to BK
Robert Richardson Jr, left, signs autographs for fans af- Racing.
ter practice for Sunday’s NASCAR Daytona 500 in Day-
“We’re not afraid to run
tona Beach, Fla., on Friday.
‘em and race ‘em and wreck
“Man, that’s better than available from NASCAR that em,” BK Racing President
winning the lottery right JXDUDQWHHG VSRWV LQ WKH ¿HOG Ron Devine said Friday.
there,” said Richardson, who each race.
He’s also not afraid to go
added that every dollar he
DiBenedetto had one of against the grain and pluck a
earns this weekend will go the spots. But BK Racing farmer out of obscurity for a
into a college fund for his was able to snag Daytona vet Daytona ride.
newborn son. Richardson Waltrip for one race, forcing
Richardson drove the No.
manages hay production as DiBenedetto to qualify as 23 back in previous stints in
his full-time job at a ranch in an open car. In exchange, &XSDQG;¿QLW\+HDOVRKDG
Pilot Point, Texas.
DiBenedetto got to run with a sponsor in Stalk It, which
BK Racing held a pair of a Toyota engine instead of a makes goods out of cornstalk.
winning tickets when it was Triad engine. DiBenedetto
Stalk It wanted back in
granted two of the 36 charters will return to the No. 83 racing and reached out to BK
about putting Richardson in
the 23. Ragan drives the No.
23 this year, but a deal was
struck to bring Richardson
into the fold for one race.
“I was skeptical about
it,” said Devine, who once
owned as many as 26 Burger
King franchises before he
sold them last May. “We were
a pretty good three-car team.
To have four cars was a bit
much.”
Four proved the magic
number at Daytona.
“I sat on my balcony on the
beach at 2:30 in the morning
trying to keep up with texts,”
Devine said. “I was just in
disbelief that it was going on.”
Devine said he’d like
his cars to run inside the top
30 this season and become
more competitive in the years
ahead. BK Racing could run
three cars in six to eight races
this season.
So, who knows? Rich-
ardson might have another
shot at a feel-good ride this
VHDVRQ%XWLIWKLVLVWKH¿QDO
straw of his racing career, he’s
at peace.
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