Earnhardt Jr. still 'having a great time,' still chasing a win

JENNA FRYER

The Associated Press

Friday, May. 16, 2008

By any standards, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is having a fabulous start to his first season with Hendrick Motorsports.

But he's still seeking his first win with his new team, and his 73-race winless streak has him hesitant to be content with his current results. Earnhardt Jr. has eight top 10 finishes through 11 races and is third in the season standings.

"Finishing good, running good, being competitive - it ain't good enough," he said. "I want to win races, but I had a deal because if I say 'Man I'm happy,' if I tell you the truth, you're gonna say I don't have enough drive and determination to go for wins and I don't run hard enough.

"So I got to tell you every once in awhile 'Man, you know, I really want to go after them wins and they really mean a lot' just so you won't bury me."

But the reality is Earnhardt Jr. is rather pleased with his start to the season.

"I am having a great time right now. I got great cars. I got way more confidence in my team and our ability to show up with cars that are in the ballpark and are running good all weekend," he said. "That feels good - running in the top five, being able to do what I feel like I should be able to do. I'm able to perform the way I feel like I should perform.

"Once we figure out what that little extra bit is, we'll be able to compete for those wins. But we'll take the top 5s if they keep coming."

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