NASCAR SPRINT CUP SERIES
COCA-COLA 600
CHARLOTTE MOTOR SPEEDWAY
TEAM CHEVY DRIVER RACE NOTES & QUOTES
MAY 26, 2013
 
DALE EARNHARDT JR, NO. 88 NATIONAL GUARD CHEVROLET SS – Retired on lap 257 with engine problems
DID YOU HAVE ANY INDICATIONS THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG?
“Yeah, I smelled something burning. I thought it was rubber build-up on the headers or something. I didn’t start losing power until the last lap before it broke with the water and oil mixing together; and that’s never good. We didn’t have a really good car. We know why. We can go back and feel like we can rebound real quickly from this. I just hope everybody is okay from the accident in the stands and wish everybody a happy Memorial Day weekend. It’s been a lot of fun and I take a lot of pride in representing the National Guard and hope everybody shakes a soldiers’ hand this weekend and thank them for what they do.”
 
I KNOW YOU SMELLED SOME SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT DID THE ENGINE JUST GET COOKED AFTER THAT?
“Yeah, we had a massive catastrophic failure in the motor.  We never have those problems.  Hendrick guys always build good stuff not worried about this down the road we will be all right.  We didn’t have the greatest race car either.  We know why and we can move forward and feel like we can rebound pretty quick, looking forward to going to Dover.  I want to say that I hope everybody is okay from the accident earlier in the stands and that I wish everybody a good Memorial Day weekend.  If you a soldier shake his hand and tell them thanks for what he does for our country.  We will get them at Dover.”