Little E OK UPDATE: #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. escaped injury in a frightening crash that occurred on lap 229 of Sunday’ NAPA Auto Parts 500 at California Speedway. The crash, which involved Earnhardt and 2001 rookie of the year Kevin Harvick, apparently occurred because Harvick had a flat tire and tried desperately to turn his Chevrolet down toward pit road. Unfortunately, Harvick lurched left just as Earnhardt was streaking by on his inside, and the impact caused Earnhardt’ Monte Carlo to spin around clockwise and hit the fourth-turn wall almost flush on the driver’ side. Earnhardt limped to the ambulance but reported only mild pain in his right ankle. Doctors released him but recommended that his condition be monitored and he consult his doctor Monday in North Carolina.(Gaston Gazette)(4-30-2002) UPDATE: Dale Earnhardt Jr. endured what he deemed the “hardest hit” of his career Sunday, but he doesn’t think it’ll slow him this weekend in Richmond. He has a bruised and swollen right ankle and is sore after a crash with Kevin Harvick late in Sunday’s race at California. Earnhardt has won at Richmond and has never finished worse than 13th in a Winston Cup race here. “I’m pretty sore and beat up, but I’ll be OK for Richmond,” he said.(Richmond Times Dispatch)(4-30-2002)(4-30-2002)
