No farewell win, but lots of good Talladega memories for Earnhardt

It might have seemed like divine intervention when Dale Earnhardt Jr. missed each of the big wrecks Sunday afternoon at Talladega Superspeedway. But a victory was not in the cards.

After starting from the pole, Earnhardt finished seventh in his final start at the track where he's had the most success and fan support. One of just 11 cars left in the pack contending for the race win, Earnhardt said the little damage he did suffer in the 11th and final caution was enough to negate his chances, regardless of having lined up third on the final restart.

"The last one knocked the right front-end real bad and bent the splitter down about an inch and a half and knocked it on the racetrack, and when we got going there on the last restart, [the car] just wouldn't go in the corners," Earnhardt said. "So, everybody around us was just wasting their time pushing us and they sort of figured that out after a lap or two and decided to leave us alone and we just kind of hung on there to get a seventh.

"But I thought the car had enough to win ... and it was a great car all weekend. This has been a hell of a weekend for me and I'm glad to be able to finish and finish well. That means a lot to me. I know a lot of folks came and traveled here to see us run, so I know they're disappointed we didn't win, but I'm glad they got to see us run the whole event, and hopefully they enjoyed it."

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It was a weekend full of emotion for Earnhardt, who is retiring at season's end. From the fan support to the gifts the track presented him Friday (champagne bottles from his dad's last win and his first at the track as well as his dad's car from 1980) and even winning the pole, the impending end of his career hit the 43-year-old hard. Every time he made a move on the track, the grandstands roared. Anytime he appeared on the video screens or his voice was heard over the PA system, the grandstands roared.

After the checkered flag, Earnhardt was again enveloped in the fan support as he stood on pit road. Cheers reigned down as he climbed from the car and spoke of trying to win one last race at Talladega. And Earnhardt spoke of giving it his all to get that win for the legion of fans who attended the race.

Of Talladega, Earnhardt said he owes the track a lot. His memories include not only running around the speedway as a kid but the success he's enjoyed as a driver. Talladega was the first track Earnhardt ran laps at that weren't in a late model.

"Dad called me at the dealership and asked me to come here. They were testing the V8 car for the Xfinity Series, they were getting rid of the V6's, so I drove his car with Dave Marcis, which was great, me and Dave and Dad," Earnhardt said. "That was 1994.

"So a lot of great memories here and then obviously the career in Cup here. Four in a row, all those things mean a lot to me. I hope to always have a great connection here and trust me when I say that whatever the track needs from me, anytime they want anything, I'll be here to help promote and support this place no matter what the request is. They've done so much for me, and I want to remain very close."

Earnhardt's resume at Talladega will be one to envy. In 35 starts, Earnhardt won six races, led 967 laps and earned 17 top-10 finishes.

Six wins at Talladega. Four straight from the fall of 2001 until the spring of 2003. Four points-paying wins at Daytona and seven non-points wins. Earnhardt also has seven Xfinity Series wins between Daytona and Talladega.

His plate success, in general, will most likely put Earnhardt in the conversation of one of the best restrictor-plate drivers of his time. Something he said "absolutely" means something to him.

"Anytime anybody says you're the best at anything, it's an awesome feeling," he said. "I can't deny that it feels awesome to hear that. People consider you good at anything, it's a great feeling. I knew that I wasn't going to win 200 races and seven championships and do all those great things.

"I just wanted to come in here and be considered talented. But to be great at anything was beyond my imagination. I appreciate people's compliments on my plate driving and the success we've had at all the plate races."