By Matt Courson, Staff Writer
LINCOLN, Ala. — While driving the iconic No. 3 in a one off deal with Richard Childress Racing, Jeffrey Earnhardt finished second Saturday at Talladega Superspeedway, marking his best career finish in the NASCAR Xfinity Series.
After starting on the Pole, Earnhardt finished Stage 1 in 20th and Stage 2 in eighth. During the third and final stage, Earnhardt maneuvered his way through the top-10 and found himself second when multiple cautions started to fall, creating three NASCAR Overtime finishes. On the final restart, Earnhardt lacked the push he needed to propel past eventual race winner Noah Gragson.
Three #NASCAROvertime's later.
Take a look at @NoahGragson's last lap at @TALLADEGA. pic.twitter.com/VrZYcDgmy5
— NASCAR Xfinity (@NASCAR_Xfinity) April 23, 2022
“These races at the end get crazy, and I knew on that last restart we had a shot.I just didn’t know how it was going to play out. At the end, everyone just spreads out and tries to pass everyone they can. Typically that plays out pretty good for the guys a little further back, as long as you have someone on your bumper. We didn’t have anyone out back to create a run
“I’m living a dream here,” Earnhardt said. We were fast all weekend long, and we just fell a little short there. I hate it. Hopefully this will lead to a lot more to come in the future, and we can come back here and give them a run for their money.
Earnhardt’s crew chief, Larry McReynolds, was on top of the box calling shots for the No. 3 Chevrolet for the first time in nearly 20 years. Although McReynolds still has his full time job with Fox Sports, “never say never” is what ‘America’s Crew Chief’ had to say about returning to the crew chief role in the future. “Larry Mac is an incredible man, and I was very thankful to have him as a crew chief today,” Earnhardt said.
Earnhardt currently competes part time with Sam Hunt Racing. He hopes that the runner-up finish will springboard his career and ultimately land a competitive ride on a full-time basis.
Feature photo by Christian Koelle / Kickin’ The Tires
Go Earnhardt. Make your grandpa proud. Will watch it today only because the grandson is driving No 3. Don’t watch it anymore since Dale got killed. Never the sane