By Jared Turner

Even though Dale Earnhardt Jr. has finished relatively well the past two races when comparing them to most of 2017, NASCAR’s 14-time most popular driver is none too pleased about missing the playoffs in his last season of full-time racing. Asked at Charlotte Motor Speedway if missing the playoffs actually enabled him to enjoy the season’s stretch run more than he otherwise might, Earnhardt Jr. was quick to squash the suggestion. “I think that the fans would be having more fun if we were racing for the championship, and then I would be having more fun interacting with them in that manner and their excitement of it,” he said. “So, I think it’s a little bittersweet for me and the fans and our supporters with the situation we’re in. I only really have fun when we run well. It’s been a difficult year from a fun meter standpoint.”