Dale Earnhardt Jr. earning big cheers at Talladega Superspeedway? No surprise. Such was the case Sunday.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. finding his way near the front at Talladega? No surprise, too, right? Such was not the case Sunday.

Earnhardt's 22nd-place finish is just the way it appears: A distasteful day for a driver who has six career wins at Talladega. The one time he got to the front was kind of a surprise as Earnhardt just couldn't find the handle and speed he needed to work his way through the draft.