Junior throws epic retirement party

HOMESTEAD, FLA. » Dale Earnhardt Jr. threw his own retirement party on pit road. Earnhardt popped out of his car, flashed a thumbs-up sign and chugged a Budweiser. Drenched in sweat and suds, he grabbed another cold one. It was easy enough to keep happy hour rolling since the beer cooler was stashed on the trunk of his Chevrolet.

Earnhardt passed the brews around to his crew members. One by one, they huddled like frat brothers around the car and raised — and sprayed — their Buds in a career toast to NASCAR’s most popular driver.

Earnhardt cut loose as if he had won the NASCAR championship that eluded him in an 18-year-career.

The No. 88 on the hood served as a de-facto coaster for his posse as they hugged and laughed and called for more beers in a Sunday night bash that seemed poised to stretch into Monday morning.

Earnhardt finished 25th in his final NASCAR Cup race, the result a mere footnote in a career that counts two Daytona 500s, 14 straight mostpopular driver awards and a universal respect in the garage.

Earnhardt still left with some hardware. He gets to keep the weathered Chevy as a parting gift from team owner Rick Hendrick. Earnhardt planted a kiss on Hendrick’s cheek after the race and they smothered each other in a bear hug that neither seemed to want to let go. “He’s like a daddy. Trying to tell him how much he means to me is really hard,” Earnhardt said.