Finishing fifth doesn't get anybody on the podium. There are no consolation prizes. But it does give you hope, with a dash of momentum.
Am I right, Dale Earnhardt Jr.?
Junior finished fifth in Texas, moving him up five spots in the Monster Energy Cup standings to 20th and establishing his first strong run of the season.
It's been a bumpy ride so far. A crash at Daytona. Another crash at Martinsville. A season-high 14th-place finish in Phoenix before the run at Texas that had to be energizing for his team as well as the Junior Nation.
"I figured we would get one sooner or later, but it's nice," Earnhardt said. "I know our fans are really pulling for us. Could have finished a little better. We will take Top 5."
Junior needs a bit of competitive mojo following the disconcerting circumstances of his 2016 season: concussion-related symptoms that robbed him of a chance to compete for his first NASCAR Cup title. He missed 18 races while trying to recover.
The bigger picture provides a more cautionary tale: Earnhardt counts four concussions during his career dating to 1998, which likely includes some incidents in which he managed to avoid a diagnosis.
"I'm human, I'm going to be concerned and worry," Earnhardt told a small group of reporters during Speedweeks at Daytona.
"I'm thinking there's only one way you can be successful here is to drive with no fear. You can't be apprehensive about a move or a decision or where you're going to put your car or where you put your car. You just do it on instinct. So I know that when I get in the car I can't have any concern. I can't have any worry or fret or I'll drive completely different."
Earnhardt has moved on injury-free despite the bumps and bruises his Chevy suffered at Daytona and Martinsville. And now a good kind of bump last weekend. Thank you, Texas.
"We needed this bad," he told reporters after he got out of his car.
"Yeah, I mean we ran in the top six here like seven times in a row it seems. I like the track. I like the repave. We saw the second groove come in a little bit."
The rare weekend break for NASCAR (Easter week) is fortuitous timing for Earnhardt, who is still trying to gather confidence while dealing with the physical demands of racing. A new workout regimen that includes cycling _ thank you, Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson _ has helped in that regard.
Junior rode 40 miles on his bike (20 Friday and 20 Saturday), he said, before adding, "although Jimmie rode about 100."
"Confidence is probably half the battle for me," Earnhardt said. "I need all I can get to have a shot. If I don't believe in it and have confidence in it, it's hard for me to go for it and drive with confidence."
