Dale Jr. is back!

With Dale Earnhardt Jr's win at the Budweiser Shootout last night, he reclaims his spot amongst the elite drivers in NASCAR. I, myself, cannot remember the last time that I saw Junior that happy on the race track, before or after, a race. Over the last few years, the only time he was interviewed after races was when he did manage to actually win a race, finish in the top ten and sometimes, very rarely, in the top five, or after his DEI engine had blown up and he was sitting in the garage.

Last night in Daytona, that all changed.

Even though this race does not count toward the point standings, it was definitely a win that Junior needed. This was his first win since early 2006, almost two years ago and I do not think that it will be his last win of 2008. Now that he does not have the pressure all around him, for example, worrying about his future, or making a new deal with DEI, or even fighting his step-mother for majority control of the company that his father built for him, he can finally get back to simply driving.

Another thing that Junior got last night, that he so desperately needed, was a congratulations from his owner AT THE TRACK. In fact, he had not even gotten out of his race car when Rick Hendrick came over to congratulate him on his victory. Support from his owner is something that Dale Jr. has not received in recent years, most notably last year.

Do not be surprised if Junior is in contention for the win every single race in 2008. Granted, complications will come, but it will be nothing like the past few years when he was with DEI. With his new team, Hendrick Motor Sports, Dale Jr. will be running at the front of the pack along with his new teammates, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, who have been doing so for years. Who knows, maybe he will even win a few poles this year.

All in all, expect to see a different Dale Earnhardt Jr. in 2008. One who will be driving with confidence and a car that does not have an engine that is a ticking time bomb. It will be nice to see what he can do with an organization, and an owner, that will provide him with the cars and support that he needs. As a Dale Earnhardt Jr. fan, I have never been more excited about the start of a NASCAR season.