Dale Earnhardt Jr's Cup Series winless streak reaches its second anniversary this weekend but the driver of the #88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet showed that he has a decent chance of ending that streak as he led the only practice session of the weekend at the Richmond International Raceway.
With Saturday's Crown Royal 400 at the three quarter mile D-shaped Richmond oval being the second impound race in as many weeks the 47 teams and drivers in attendance had just one practice session to get a good set-up on their cars before Friday night's Coors Light Pole Qualifying and then the race itself under the lights on Saturday.
Earnhardt Jr, who last visited Victory Lane during the 2006 Crown Royal 400 weekend, shrugged off the disappointment of last Sunday's Aaron's 499 at Talladega by outpacing his rivals with a lap of 21.880-seconds (123.412mph). Second fastest, less than a tenth slower than Earnhardt Jr was the man who replaced NASCAR's most popular driver in the #8 DEI Chevrolet, veteran Mark Martin who was suitably refreshed after handing the keys to the #8 US Army backed machine to Aric Almirola last weekend at Talladega.
Kasey Kahne and Denny Hamlin upheld honours for Dodge and Toyota respectively with third and fourth fastest times with Elliott Sadler fifth and Martin Truex Jr in sixth place.
Jeff Gordon was eighth fastest as he continues to search for his first victory of the season while 12th fastest man Patrick Carpentier was the best placed of the drivers who will be fighting for their place on the starting grid later on Friday evening in Coors Light Pole Qualifying.
Jimmie Johnson, who won both races at Richmond in 2007 was 14th fastest with points leader Jeff Burton 22nd and Tony Stewart 31st.
