AVONDALE, AZ - APRIL 12: Juan Pablo Montoya, driver of the #42 Wrigley's Big Red Dodge, pits during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on April 12, 2008 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
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AVONDALE, AZ - APRIL 12: Jeff Gordon, driver of the #24 Dupont/Nicorette Chevrolet, pits during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on April 12, 2008 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images for NASCAR)
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AVONDALE, AZ - APRIL 12: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, celebrates after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on April 12, 2008 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images for NASCAR)
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AVONDALE, AZ - APRIL 12: Regan Smith, driver of the #01 Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Chevrolet, leads David Ragan, driver of the #6 AAA Insurance Ford, during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on April 12, 2008 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images for NASCAR)
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Jimmie Johnson takes the checkered flag during the NASCAR Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on April 12, 2008 in Avondale, Arizona. (AP Photo/Ronald Martenez, Pool)
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AVONDALE, AZ - APRIL 12: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, crosses the finish line to win the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on April 12, 2008 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images for NASCAR)
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AVONDALE, AZ - APRIL 12: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, celebrates with crew members as he does a burnout after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on April 12, 2008 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images for NASCAR)
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AVONDALE, AZ - APRIL 12: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on April 12, 2008 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
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AVONDALE, AZ - APRIL 12: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on April 12, 2008 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
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AVONDALE, AZ - APRIL 12: Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe's Chevrolet, gets pushed to victory lane by a track vehicle after running out of fuel on his final laps after winning the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Subway Fresh Fit 500 at Phoenix International Raceway on April 12, 2008 in Avondale, Arizona. (Photo by Robert Laberge/Getty Images for NASCAR)
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It was only a few days ago Busch and Earnhardt Jr. collided chasing victory at Richmond International Raceway. Dale Jr. admitted with a smile that Busch's racing style reminded him of his old man's earlier, hard-charging stock-car days.

"On the racetrack, there may be some comparisons there," Earnhardt Jr. said Thursday. "He's fast ... he's slick, he's aggressive."

"That's the way dad raced and Kyle has that same style," Earnhardt Jr. continued. "Very aggressive."

Earnhardt Jr. was at Darlington Raceway on Thursday, preparing for Saturday night's Dodge Challenger 500.

Dale Jr. fans everywhere thought their hero's two-year winless drought - Earnhardt's last victory came at Richmond in May 2006 - was about to end as he fought Busch for the win less than two miles from the checkered flag.

The cars hit and Earnhardt spun into the wall. Busch, with little damage, recovered to take second behind Clint Bowyer.

Earnhardt wound up 15th - a finish that unleashed the full wrath of "Little E" fans on Busch.

The 23-year-old Joe Gibbs Racing driver had a security escort during a test session at Lowe's Motor Speedway just in case.

Latest NASCAR Photos

Drivers stop along the track during the NASCAR Nationwide series Diamond Hill Plywood 200 auto race at the Darlington International Raceway, in Darlington, S.C. Friday, May 9, 2008. (AP Photo/Patrick Collard)

David Ragan (6) hits the wall the NASCAR Nationwide series Diamond Hill Plywood 200 auto race at the Darlington International Raceway, in Darlington, S.C. Friday, May 9, 2008. (AP Photo/Patrick Collard)

Kyle Busch spins out as he hits the wall coming out of turn one during the NASCAR Nationwide series Diamond Hill Plywood 200 auto race at the Darlington International Raceway, in Darlington, S.C. Friday, May 9, 2008. (AP Photo/Virginia Postic)

Tony Stewart comes out of turn three during the NASCAR Nationwide series Diamond Hill Plywood 200 auto race at the Darlington International Raceway, in Darlington, S.C. Friday, May 9, 2008. Stewart won the race. (AP Photo/Patrick Collard)

The fieldrs follow the pace car for the start of the NASCAR Nationwide series Diamond Hill Plywood 200 auto race at the Darlington International Raceway, in Darlington, S.C. Friday, May 9, 2008. (AP Photo/Patrick Collard)

Tony Stewart holds the checkered flag after winning the NASCAR Nationwide series Diamond Hill Plywood 200 auto race at the Darlington International Raceway, in Darlington, S.C. Friday, May 9, 2008. (AP Photo/C.J. Driggers)

Flames shoot out of Stanton Barrett's car as he hits the wall the NASCAR Nationwide series Diamond Hill Plywood 200 auto race at the Darlington International Raceway, in Darlington, S.C. Friday, May 9, 2008. (AP Photo/Patrick Collard)

DARLINGTON, SC - MAY 09: Tony Stewart, driver of the #20 Old Spice Toyota, makes a pit stop during the NASCAR Nationwide Series Diamond Hill Plywood 200 on May 9, 2008 at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

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DARLINGTON, SC - MAY 09: The car of Matt Kenseth, driver of the #17 CitiFinancial Ford, is towed after crashing during the NASCAR Nationwide Series Diamond Hill Plywood 200 on May 9, 2008 at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

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DARLINGTON, SC - MAY 09: Tony Stewart, driver of the #20 Old Spice Toyota, celebrates in victory lane after winning the NASCAR Nationwide Series Diamond Hill Plywood 200 on May 9, 2008 at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, South Carolina. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

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Earnhardt could've stoked the flames more with a few incendiary words. Instead, he chose to put the crash and lost opportunity behind him this week at Darlington.

"I've got more important things to worry about," Earnhardt said. "If I let that get under my skin, everything I do this week is going to be a pain in my butt, make for a long week."

Earnhardt wants to concentrate on conquering Darlington, where his father is second all time with nine victories at the track "Too Tough To Tame."

Earnhardt Jr. has four top 10s his last five times here. His new team, Hendrick Motorsports, has won 10 times here since the 1995 Southern 500.

"The team's been great. The car's been good," Earnhardt said. "I'm very confident."

All the drivers will have to handle Darlington's repaved surface. The track used $10 million in capital improvement funds give the track a new coat of blacktop for the first time since 1995.

Earnhardt's Hendrick teammate Jeff Gordon, Greg Biffle and Ryan Newman took part in a Goodyear tire test here in March that saw speeds on the fastest part of the track hit 200 mph - unheard of at Darlington since NASCAR took steps to slow their machines for safety's sake.

The 10 fastest racers in Thursday's first Sprint Cup practice session surpassed the 12-year-old track qualifying record set by Ward Burton in 1996. Burton's record lap came in the first race after the track's last repaving.

Newman doesn't think the new surface will change the way drivers race on the quirky, 1.366-mile layout.

"We never saw much side-by-side racing here," he said. "I don't expect that will be different this weekend."

Maybe that'll mean no round two for Earnhardt-Busch.

Earnhardt put things behind him when he returned to work this week. He was impressed by Busch's response.

And Earnhardt didn't deny the high drama of a budding rivalry thrills race fans: Busch the rising star cast aside in the Hendrick garage to make room for Earnhardt, NASCAR's most popular driver.

"It was a big deal," Earnhardt said. "It was a bad deal for me and I was pretty frustrated by it. But it's exciting for the sport and whether I want to deny it or not, there a lot of people out there who enjoyed it."

Sounds like Junior's got his father in him, as well.

Photo Gallery

Rusty Jarrett, Getty Images for NASCAR

Relive
The Season

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Dan Lowry 400: Make that a 72-race winless drought for Dale Earnhardt Jr. After Junior spins out in the final laps, it's Clint Bowyer, pictured, who surges to the lead and wins the Dan Lowry 400 at Richmond.

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2008-05-08 20:07:48

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183 comments

ghstncybrspc 11:01:16 PM May 11 2008

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All of the Rowdy Busch HATERS, get a life. He will not be punked. Joe Gibbs Racing RULES. Oh yea, cough on the 11, 18,and 20 exhaust.

mtrmth743 06:10:32 PM May 11 2008

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He has more balls than anyone out there. Thats how Dale Sr always was.Thats what they are looking at. The kid has the heart of Dale Sr thats what it takes to win. I remember Dale rolled a car got back in and went racing. Look how many times he bounced off the wall and stayed in it thats a Dale Sr move. I'm glad to see Kyle take the sport back to it's roots.

jrandboobo 05:08:10 PM May 11 2008

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PETE IACOBELLI YOU SIR ARE AN IDIOT!!!

mzzsybil 04:58:40 PM May 11 2008

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HAVE U ALL LOST UR FRIGEN MINDS! KYLE BUSCH THE NEXT INTIMIDATOR, THATS LIKE SAYING FORGET IT, ANYWAY THAT BELIEVES THAT SHIT, HAS NO BUSINESS WATCHING NASCAR! THERE IS ONLY ONE INTIMIDATOR, AND WE LOST HIM TO EARLY!

mzzsybil 04:58:35 PM May 11 2008

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HAVE U ALL LOST UR FRIGEN MINDS! KYLE BUSCH THE NEXT INTIMIDATOR, THATS LIKE SAYING FORGET IT, ANYWAY THAT BELIEVES THAT ****, HAS NO BUSINESS WATCHING NASCAR! THERE IS ONLY ONE INTIMIDATOR, AND WE LOST HIM TO EARLY!

vlh4361 03:01:38 PM May 11 2008

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The more time passes since the death of Dale Sr., the more of a saint he becomes. I grieved like most people at his passing. I understand he helped other younger drivers with advice and helped his friends in different ways, but he was a devil when he raced. I remember all the times he took other drivers out, sometimes for no reason, and just grinned and said 'thats racin'.

valbero58 01:13:37 AM May 11 2008

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YOU DONT PUT LATE DALE SR SIDE BY SIDE TO PEWEE HERMAN.... LOL!!!!!!!

KYLE IS WAY UGLY THAN THE REAL INTIMIDATOR

billwillie52 07:05:58 PM May 10 2008

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How can you put the two pics on the same page? What an insult to Dale.

batcomm1 04:00:55 PM May 10 2008

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Dont even but that snot nosed brat in the same league, sentence, breath or thought as Dale Sr. That is a pure insult to the Man n Black and to his legacy, Kyle Bush could fall off the face of the earth and few if any besides his family would remember him.

dbardranch2439 03:11:20 PM May 10 2008

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KYLE BUCHES,
YEA ITS MISPELLED, AND FOR A GOOD REASON FOR ANYONE TO BE SO IGNORANT TO PUT KYLE IN DALE SR.' LEAGUE MUST BE ON DOPE,. THERE WILL NEVER BE AND MEDIA SHOULD NOT DISGRACE DALE SR' MEMORY BY PUTTING KYLE BUSCH INEARNHARDTS' LEAGUE. BUSCH IS NOTHING MORE THAN A LITTLE BOY WHO DOES NOT NO HIS MANNERS, THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE IN PASSING A CONTENDAR AND PURPOSELY WRECKING SOMEONE ONE ON THE TRACK, HE DID IT IN FRONT OF MILLIONS OF JR. NATION AND WE DON'T LIKE HE NEEDS SOMEONE TO TAKE HIM AROUNF THE TRACK TO SEE IF HE PEES HIS LITTLE BOYS PANTS UPON PURPOSELY CAUSING A WRECK, AND HIS ARROGANCE MIGHT BE DOWN A NOTCH WHEN HIS WALKS TO THE GARAGE IN PISSY PANT THE LITTLE WANT TO BE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!YOURS TRUELY DEB FROM JR NATION

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