Three Earnhardts set for Michigan

Dick Brinster

Thursday, Aug. 17, 2000 | 4:57 a.m.

Big E, Little E, and now, Middle E.

There will be a crowd of Earnhardts this weekend at Michigan Speedway.

Kerry Earnhardt, Dale's son and Dale Jr.'s brother, will strap himself into a Winston Cup car for the first time and try to make the field for the Pepsi 400.

He knows there are no guarantees, but the 30-year-old son of The Intimidator is anything but intimidated.

"Michigan is a pretty easy track to try to make your first Winston Cup start," he said. "It's wide and forgiving, and allows some room for mistakes."

But don't think that Kerry is overconfident, despite an ARCA victory at Pocono International Raceway two months ago, the first win of his career. He had success at Michigan, too, finishing third in the ARCA race in June, but the eldest of the four Earnhardt children knows he could have done better.

"I was leading the race at Michigan and ended up hitting the wall," he said. "That was the first time I'd led a race, and I was watching my mirror instead of the race track. I don't think I'll make that same mistake again."

He might not have that opportunity Sunday, because a spot in the field of 43 probably can't be earned through anything but a top-36 qualifying effort. Kerry will be driving for Dave Marcis, who doesn't have enough car-owner points to get Earnhardt in if he isn't fast enough.

But the soft-spoken Earnhardt, whose low-key approach to racing stands in contrast to the swashbuckling forays of his 49-year-old father and brother of 25, has a very ambitious plan.

He wants to make the top 15 in qualifying.

"Making the field in the first round should not be any problem," he said. "Anything above that is a bonus."

It's already a bonus for Marcis.

"This is a chance for us to keep going as a single-car team," said the 33-year veteran, getting additional backing this week from Dale Earnhardt Inc., which will prepare the car. "These days, you can't survive alone."

Marcis and Tim Weiss, Kerry Earnhardt's ARCA crew chief, will call the shots on pit stops and adjustments if the driver makes the race.

Dale Jr., already a two-time winner in his rookie season, says his brother is taking a businesslike approach to the race.

"He's excited about it, but I don't think he'll psyche himself out so much that he'll screw it up," he said.

And Kerry doesn't figure to suffer in the pits, either. His Chevrolet will be serviced by the crew of Ron Hornaday, Dale Earnhardt Inc.'s driver in the Busch series.

Kerry, whose breakthrough victory at Pocono is backed up by four other top-five finishes for his father, is bolstered by a recent test on the 2-mile Michigan oval. He thought some of the laps he turned would have yielded a top-10 position had it been a qualifying effort.

He has been busy this week talking about his Winston Cup debut, noting that his presence will mark the first by a father-son-son combo since Lee Petty competed against sons Richard and Maurice more than 40 years ago. Now, he's looking forward to going to the track to concentrate on racing.

What would happen if he rediscovered the mirror and saw the black No. 3 of The Intimidator looming large, tapping his rear bumper?

"I've been tapped before, and I'd treat it like any other situation and do the best I could to hang on," he said.

And if he should come upon his father and the situation were reversed?

"Well," he said," beginning to laugh. "If that ever happens he'll be trying to chase his car to hang on.

"I'd do my best to pass him without tapping him. But, if need be, it will happen."

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On the net:

Earnhardt: http://www.arcaracing.com