DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. _ Dale Earnhardt Jr. drove the pace car at Sunday's Daytona 500, but beforehand he defended NASCAR against the critics who claim it's a dying sport.
Earnhardt, in an interview in the infield media room Sunday morning, said NASCAR can overcome its well-documented malaise, which includes plummeting TV ratings, plunging attendance and an exodus of corporate sponsors.
"I love stock-car racing and NASCAR," Earnhardt said. "I kind of take offense to anybody who has any cross words about it. It's kind of like your brother. You can talk all the crap you want about him, but you won't let anyone else do it.
"I look at NASCAR from its start to present day. I wasn't around in '40s and '50s, but I've done my homework and try to be as aware as I can of where we came from. We can't ride at the top of the mountain forever. There will be ups and downs and good days and bad days. You weather the storm. If you love it and believe in it, you stick in there and you gut it out because you believe it will cycle back to the good."
Earnhardt also said he believes NASCAR has employed some smart people in charge of solving the sport's deep-seated problems.
"I think there's a lot of great conversation going on and a lot of great change happening," said Earnhardt, who now broadcasts NASCAR races for NBC. "There's some really, really good people who have the steering wheel right now. I'm excited about the next 5 to 10 years. It's going to be a really interesting transition, and I think it's going to be good."
