BY RALPH N. PAULK

Times-Dispatch Staff Writer

Published: May 9, 2008

DARLINGTON, S.C. — Dale Earnhardt Jr. readily embraced Thursday the notion that a rivalry now exists between he and Kyle Busch.

Admittedly, he still feels the sting of Busch slamming shut his window of opportunity for victory Saturday at Richmond International Raceway — his 72nd consecutive race without a checkered flag.

Earnhardt, though, was in a forgiving, understanding mood as reporters surrounded him at the steps of his hauler at Darlington Raceway. He delivered measured responses when asked about Busch between Sprint Cup practice sessions.

“It ain’t no big deal,” said Earnhardt, who will seeks his first win of the season in Saturday night’s Dodge Challenger 500.

But when asked to comment on the on- and off-track similarities between Busch and his late father, Dale Earnhardt, Junior forcefully drew the line. It was the only time during a half-hour news conference in which his perpetual smile relented.

“On the racetrack, there may be some comparisons there,” Earnhardt said of Busch’s aggressive style. “He’s fast. He’s running well. He’s quick. He’s aggressive.

“This is Dale Earnhardt in 1989 and earlier. Daddy quit doing that stuff after a while, you know. But that’s the way Dad raced and Kyle has that same style.

“Personality-wise, they are polar opposites,” Earnhardt said. “Give me a break. Give my dad a little more credit than that.”

Earnhardt, though, has had a difficult time trying to separate himself from Busch this week. Admittedly, they are now joined at the hip, in part, because of last weekend’s fracas at RIR.

Still, Earnhardt insisted he will not be distracted. He and Busch didn’t cross paths this week during testing at Charlotte or during practice here.

“I think it’s because we’re so busy and there are so many things going on,” Earnhardt said. “There are things that I’ve got to do during the week, and my schedule is so busy that I just ain’t got time for it.

“I’m in a bad enough mood just with the grind of the season that I just don’t let those kinds of things get to me and get under my skin. I don’t want to make an issue worse for me.

“I just wanted to get back in the car and get back to working,” Earnhardt added. “It’s the best way to get over it. When you’re sitting at home, you think about what you should have done and how it could have played out differently. There’s no real answer for that.”

Earnhardt is hoping to find a remedy for this 1.366-mile hairpin racetrack, which has denied him victory in 13 career starts.

“I would love to win here,” Earnhardt said. “A lot of great names have won here.”

Dale Earnhardt won nine times here. David Pearson amassed a track-record 10 wins.

“This racetrack has a lot of history,” Earnhardt said. “It’s a tough racetrack. You’re considered one of the toughest guys in the sport if you can conquer this racetrack”

Earnhardt and Busch are considered among the toughest in the sport now. So, Earnhardt expects he’ll find himself battling Busch again this season.

“We sort of pinned ourselves in that situation with the changes made for him and for me this year,” Earnhardt said. “In a lot of ways, there’s a competitive them-versus-us spirit.

“If Kyle beats me or wins a race, I can’t try to beat up on him to try to prove a point. He’s fast. He’s got a lot of talent. But I’m going to race him hard.”

Contact Ralph N. Paulk at (804) 649-6851 or