#8-Dale Earnhardt Jr., 16th in points and winless this season, has declined numerous interview requests this week. Earnhardt has had the flu, and team officials say he would rather let his performance on the track do the talking. He ran a fast lap Friday of 186.047, 35th-best in the first practice at Michigan International Speedway for the Batman Begins 400, then went 185.610, 42nd-best in the final practice in his #8 Budweiser Chevy.(Detroit Free Press)(6-18-2005)
