“He gets sort of upset about that”: When Dale Earnhardt Jr. made a clear remark about three-time NASCAR champion’s ‘early’ race mindset

Dale Earnhardt Jr. entered his 12th NASCAR Cup Series season and was set to begin his campaign with Hendrick Motorsports at the Daytona International Speedway. But before the season-opener crown jewel race, the two-time Xfinity Series champion was asked who he thought was a clean NASCAR driver.

The HMS driver took Jimmie Johnson's name, his teammate at Rick Hendrick's garage. But Jeff Gluck seemingly didn't expect Junior to take the then five-time Cup Series champion's name and asked again, saying "Oh yeah?"

After thinking for a while, Dale Jr. mentioned Tony Stewart and said he loved racing him. However, he expanded on the topic, mentioning what could upset the defending champion and agreeing that he mirrored the latter's attitude.

"I mean, there's dozens of those. Jimmie, Tony Stewart . ..I love racing Tony, although you don't want to race him too much – especially early in the race. He gets sort of upset about that – which I do, too. I kind of agree with him," Dale Earnhardt Jr. said via SB Nation.

Junior further spoke about Tony Stewart and appreciated his on-track attitude and said,

"When it's late in the race and you get an opportunity to race a guy like that, who you know is going to give it everything he's got .. .there are dozens of drivers who you're fine racing with."

A NASCAR race typically lasts three hours. The general racing pattern is that the drivers use the early laps to gel with the setup and get comfortable with the track conditions. The hard racing usually comes later or during a fierce battle for the lead.

---

Tony Stewart out-dueled Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the 2012 NASCAR Cup Series standings

Tony Stewart was fresh off his third Cup Series title while Dale Earnhardt Jr. settled the 2011 season in seventh place.

While Junior bested a solitary race at the Michigan International Speedway, claimed 10 top-5s, and 20 top-10s, and led 358 laps, Stewart boasted much superior stats. The SHR owner clinched three wins in the 36-race slate at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Auto Club Speedway, and Daytona International Speedway, registered 12 top-5s, 16 top-10s, and dominated 420 laps.

Stewart could've collected his fourth win of the season, but Dale Earnhardt Jr. intervened. The battle occurred in Michigan, with the former starting in the eighth and the latter in the 17th.

But it was Junior who emerged as the most dominant driver during the 15th Cup Series race weekend. Not only did the #88 HMS driver achieve his only victory of the season, but he also led a race-high 95 laps to savor the glorious feat. Meanwhile, Tony Stewart led 18 laps and finished behind Junior in P2.