Eager to join his new team, Earnhardt arrives early

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.

NASCAR's prince descended through blue skies, his plane landing beside Daytona International Speedway where he surveyed the kingdom.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. wore a white T-shirt, jeans and a Hendrick Motorsports cap instead of a robe. He arrived a week ahead of his scheduled test date and on the same day a federal judge dismissed Kentucky Speedway's lawsuit against NASCAR.

It's difficult to know which event meant more - Earnhardt slumming with his new teammates on Daytona's first day of testing or a judge approving how NASCAR doles out Sprint Cup races to tracks.

Competitors will point to Earnhardt's appearance because, when it comes to race venues, they'll race wherever the schedule sends them.

Few drivers want to test, though. Fewer like to test at Daytona. And no driver shows up just to hang out without a car to drive.

"It's painful watching other cars go around the track," teammate Jimmie Johnson said. "For him to come down... says a lot to his teammates, the team members and, I think, to the racing public."

Earnhardt hitched a ride on his plane already scheduled to take members of his production crew to the track. They arrived to tape interviews for a behind-the-scenes look at Earnhardt's first year with Hendrick. The show's star opted to tag along.

"I'm just ready for the season to start," said Earnhardt, who changed the plane's departure time from 10 to 8 a.m. to get to the track sooner. "Just been sitting at home bored."

Earnhardt's fans also are anxious for the new season. Distraught that his winless streak has hit a career-high 62 races and disgusted that Dale Earnhardt Inc. couldn't keep him, expectations are high for Earnhardt.

Some expect him to at least contend - if not win - next month's Daytona 500. Never mind that it'll be his first race with Hendrick.

"I don't think that's necessarily fair in a way because it still takes times to jell," teammate Jeff Gordon said. "Just because the equipment is there, it doesn't mean everything. You've got to have all the people work in the right direction."

Earnhardt wanted to see how the Hendrick teams worked together. Gordon, Johnson and Casey Mears test this week, leaving Earnhardt on his own next week.

Earnhardt watched as Johnson's crew gave him the fastest lap in the morning session, followed by Mears. Earnhardt learned as the teams made changes.

"Hopefully... they'll learn a lot today and I can hear some of the conversations and pick up on some of the stuff," Earnhardt said.

He didn't get any firsthand experience. NASCAR rules prevented Earnhardt from driving a teammate's car for even a few laps.

"I already asked," he said.

Pit stops: Petty Enterprises completed moving its race operations from Level Cross to its new Mooresville, N.C., race shop Monday.... Dale Earnhardt Inc. announced that Mark Martin will drive in 26 Cup races (24 points races and two non-points events). He'll race at Richmond both times and in three Charlotte races (including the all-star race) but is not scheduled to compete at Martinsville....

Jimmie Johnson was the fastest in the morning session with a lap of 184.782 mph.... Johnson also was the fastest in the afternoon session with a lap of 184.672 mph.