After posting his second top ten finish in as many weeks. Dale is very happy with the progress in how things are turning out with Steve Letarte as his crew chief this season. Jr is looking very strong only three races into the season. He is sitting in 10th place in the championship standings which is the highest he has been since after the Talladega spring race last season.

Jr. has also posted two top ten finishes in the past two races after crashing in the Daytona 500. Even though he crashed in the 500, he was on his way to finishing in the top ten in that race. In an interview about Sunday's race at Phoenix Jr. said, "We're just doing what we're supposed to do, I reckon. We didn't have too bad a car in practice and I just didn't nail it in qualifying. ... But I guess the best thing that we did all day long was the adjustments. I kept telling Stevie what I thought I needed and what the car felt like it was doing wrong, and he was hitting on it every time. We were kind of working together on some ideas and we hit on one idea that was really good and it really woke the car up."

Jr. also said that he is backing Steve Letarte on his decision on taking four tires on the last stop Sunday. Dale felt like he could beat the rest of the guys for the first time in a long time half way through the race. He said that the team just has to keep on working on getting good finishes under their belt to keep the team’s confidence up and his confidence up. Earnhardt also commented, "It’s fun in this hauler, man. When you're running good, everything is easier to do. But I really enjoy brainstorming with Steve, and I think having worked with him, I've become better at helping him just in a short period of time. But it's fun to brainstorm with and work with him, and I just want to do good."

Dale's relationship with Steve extends to off the track as well. In a meeting with Hendrick team engineers Saturday night was to discuss what changes could be made to the car to ready it for the race. Dale can sense he is making progress with Steve Letarte as his crew chief and failure is just not an option. Jr. has had four different crew chiefs in his career but Steve Letarte is his third crew chief since joining HMS in 2008. Earnhardt stated that he wants things to work with Letarte cause if it doesn't he has nowhere to go other than to race for himself with Tony Eury, Jr. and his Nationwide guys. He wants to stay in a Cup car as long as he can.

It seems like everything is working the way it should with Steve as his crew chief. He has a lot going for him with Letarte being his crew chief. Letarte knows how to win races. Even though it’s early, don't be surprised to see Dale Jr make the Chase and be in the running for the championship this year if things keep going the way they are. Next stop for the Cup Series is Thunder Valley in Bristol, Tennessee where Jr. has been to Victory Lane.

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