Neither Earnhardt impressive in fractured family affair

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Junior messed with Daddy. Daddy messed with Junior. These family squabbles almost always seem to hurt everyone involved. Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr. offered up

Sunday, February 20th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (AP) -- Junior messed with Daddy. Daddy messed with Junior. These family squabbles almost always seem to hurt everyone involved. Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr. offered up a few of the one-on-one showdowns so many people were anticipating for the Daytona 500 on Sunday.

But when they got close to each other at the end, they fought for position and suffered. "He didn't work at all with anybody," Earnhardt said of his son, who was racing in his first Daytona 500. "He wanted to pass. That's all he wanted to do, so that's why he finished where he did."

The 25-year-old Little E may not brag about it, but he finished 13th, a full eight spots ahead of the driver known as The Intimidator. The only real effect Earnhardt Sr. had on the race was his late accident with Jimmy Spencer. The wreck sent Michael Waltrip flipping and brought out a yellow flag to give Dale Jarrett a chance to pass Johnny Benson for the victory.

Had father and son worked together just minutes earlier, it could have been a family affair. The elder Earnhardt was in fourth place and had Junior on his bumper with 30 laps remaining. For a tantalizing moment or two, it looked as if the Earnhardts might fight it out to the finish. But the father and son sparred, trading passing attempts, maybe even a little of the red paint from their cars.

Jarrett, who had the strongest car in the field, benefitted the most, using Earnhardt Jr.'s maneuvers to move back into the lead pack for his final run at the title. "I looked up with 20-something laps to go and I saw them both in front of me," Jarrett said. "Then, they were gone. I guess Junior was the one who hung him out to dry. When he did, I said, `I'll go with you,' so we did. That was pretty cool. I was pretty impressed. He's just got to understand who signs his paycheck."

Indeed, Earnhardt Jr. might have some explaining to do to his father, who also owns the car his son drives. Right after the race, however, Junior had a different view of the late showdown. "I thought he would be the first one to help me, but he was the last person who wanted to stay behind me," Earnhardt Jr. said of his father. "We did more racing than I wanted to. I wanted to stay with him and stay behind him. Then, everybody got to racing behind me and it was either pass or be passed." They both got passed and neither won in this family feud.