Pressure not new for Earnhardt

All Martin Truex Jr. needs to do to gauge the enormous impact Dale Earnhardt Jr. has on NASCAR is take a peek at the packed stands every race day.

The fans dress in Junior's colors, bring their No. 88 signs and roar when his name is mentioned in race introductions. Earnhardt's firm grip as NASCAR's most popular driver hasn't waned even as the wins have dried up. Somehow, the lack of trips to Victory Lane hasn't affected how "Junior Nation" feels about the son of the legendary former Cup champion.

That's what makes Earnhardt's career vastly unique from any other driver in the Cup garage.

"There are more people involved in this sport because of Dale Jr. than because of me or anybody else out there," Truex said. "I think that's what makes it different, you know?"

Earnhardt knows. He's also well aware his devoted fan base was quick to blame crew chief Tony Eury Jr. for any of the No. 88's troubles, and wanted Earnhardt's cousin booted from the Hendrick Motorsports team.

Well, they got their scapegoat, and now there's only one person to take the heat for Earnhardt's slumping season:

Earnhardt.

"I feel like there'll always be pressure on me, I guess," Earnhardt said. "I'm all right with that. I've always had pressure on me and I don't mind."

Earnhardt made the Chase for the Championship last season, only to finish a disappointing 12th in the standings after a late fade knocked him out of title contention. This season, Earnhardt is 19th in points.

"When you put yourself at Hendrick Motorsports, you're in the best equipment and you should win races," Earnhardt said. "If you don't, that really sort of makes for a hard argument that you had any business being there in the first place."

NATIONWIDE: Brad Keselowski raced to his first NASCAR Nationwide Series victory of the season, taking the lead off a restart in the final laps at Dover International Speedway.

TRUCKS: Brian Scott won the Camping World Trucks race at Dover International Speedway for his first career victory.

IRL: Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves crashed in qualifying at the Milwaukee Mile. Castroneves was not injured, but he will start today's A.J. Foyt 225 from the rear of the 20-car grid.

Teammate Ryan Briscoe won his fifth career pole.

NHRA: Antron Brown held the top spot in the Top Fuel qualifying at the Summer Nationals at Heartland Park Topeka in Kansas.

Ashley Force Hood (Funny Car) and Mike Edwards (Pro Stock) also took the provisional top spots in their categories.