Earnhardt Jr. blows tire, wrecks

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By Dan Gelston ASSOCIATED PRESS

TALLADEGA, Ala. | Dale Earnhardt Jr. has had better days at Talladega.

Earnhardt's No. 88 Chevrolet blew an engine in the first practice Friday and blew a tire in the second - costing him any shot of starting in the front of the field.

When the right tire exploded in the afternoon practice, it triggered a multicar wreck that affected Tony Stewart, Kasey Kahne, David Reutimann and a few others. Earnhardt spun and hit the wall, as debris flew all over the track and got other drivers caught up in the mess as well. Earnhardt's car was towed off NASCAR's biggest track.

Stewart and Kahne connected and Stewart's No. 20 Toyota slid down the track and into the grass.

Earnhardt, who already had to start in the back because of the engine change, was forced to go to his backup car. It was the same car he used in Daytona to win the 150-mile qualifying race.

"I feel like we'll definitely mentally be stronger for Sunday because of what happened today," Earnhardt said.

Stewart's team briefly considered moving to the backup car, but crew chief Greg Zipadelli ultimately decided to instead fix the primary. The repairs apparently required full participation, as Zipadelli and vice president of competition Jimmy Makar crawled under the car to hammer away at sheet metal and weld parts in a hurried effort.

"I don't know exactly what it is about this one that he likes better than the other one, but obviously there's something," Stewart said. "It was decent, but I don't know what it's going to be like now."

Earnhardt was hoping for a strong finish to spark his way up the Chase standings. He's in ninth place, 129 points behind leader Carl Edwards, but is driving at one of his favorite tracks. Earnhardt was won here five times - including four straight from 2001 to 2003 - was second two other times and 10th in the spring race.

Stewart's team upset

Don't look for Zipadelli to try and play nice with Brian Vickers' team any time soon. Zipadelli was steamed after what he said was Vickers' refusal to cooperate in the pits last week in Kansas.

Stewart was delayed three times getting out back on the track because Vickers - who was pitted in front of Stewart - was not pulled up far enough in his pit stall. Stewart nearly made contact with Vickers' gas man during one early pit stop.

Zipadelli said if Vickers and his team didn't want to work together, "that's their prerogative."

"I can't get mad about it," Zipadelli said. "But what I'll do is I won't ever cut them any slack again."

Stewart took his anger out on Vickers on the track and made contact with the No. 83 car. While Vickers finished the race, Stewart slid across the infield which damaged a spoiler. He finished 40th and is 11th in the Chase standings, 255 points behind the leader, Edwards.

Zipadelli wanted Vickers to pull up in his pit to give Stewart - who was behind him - more room so he could in turn make it easier for Greg Biffle to pit. Stewart and Biffle are both racing for the championship, and Vickers is not.