DALE JR. CHARGES HARD FOR THIRD.

Byline: TIM HADDOCK

FONTANA - NASCAR Winston Cup driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. has had to battle with blown engines, empty gas tanks and a provisional starting position this weekend at California Speedway.

He rallied twice from deep in the field during Sunday's NAPA Auto Parts 500 and recorded a hard-fought third-place finish that his dad, Dale Earnhardt, would have been proud of.

And he ran a race that impressed and almost intimidated Jeff Gordon, who finished second at the two-mile superspeedway.

``He's never out of it,'' Gordon said. ``No matter where he starts, he's going to be a factor.''

Earnhardt Jr. started 38th after having to take a provisional starting spot. He wrecked his car in practice and had to use a backup car to qualify. He blew a motor in his backup car in Saturday's practice. He ran out of gas during Sunday's race as he we pulling down pit lane for a stop and fell a lap down.

Through all of that, he managed to charge through the field and make a run for the lead until a caution on lap 207 of the 250-lap race. That caution slowed the field and took away a ton of momentum Earnhardt Jr. was building.

``I particularly didn't want to see that caution,'' Earnhardt Jr. said. ``My car didn't handle well after that caution. It had a feel like the tires went down. I don't know, but maybe we would have gotten second.''

--Happy birthday, Dale: Sunday would have been Earnhardt Sr.'s 50th birthday. California Speedway did a few things to commemorate that occasion, including a moment of remembrance before the race and the release of three white doves, symbolizing the No. 3 stock car Earnhardt used to drive.

Earnhardt Jr., who said he didn't realize his dad's birthday was on race day until it was announced over the public-address system at the track, said he had a special way of celebrating.

``I'll go home and have a couple of beers,'' Earnhardt Jr. said. ``Maybe I'll pour one out like they do on rap videos.''

--Texas tremors: Racing news outside California Speedway had some stock car drivers thinking hard about what they do. In particular was the decision by CART FedEx Series drivers not to race at Texas Motor Speedway on Sunday after many drivers experienced vision problems and disorientation because of the excessive G forces produced by the speeds at the 1.5-mile, 24-degree banked track.

``If I was pulling five or six Gs at Texas, I wouldn't be out there,'' said Gordon, who started his racing career in USAC open-wheel divisions.

Gordon continued by saying that while he can sympathize with the drivers, he takes issue with their timing.

``I pray we never get put in that situation,'' he said. ``They are going to suffer from it to do it on the day of the race.

``I've flown with the Blue Angels. I know what tunnel vision is and it's not fun. I can't imagine driving like that.''

Rusty Wallace, winner of Sunday's Winston Cup race at California Speedway, drives for Roger Penske, who owns a two-car team on the CART Series, as well.

``Texas is a little rough but not very rough,'' Wallace said. ``The CART guys are brave individuals to do that. Guts probably ran out and their brains kicked in.''

But now that the CART drivers have taken a stand against driving at what they consider dangerously high speeds, are the Cup drivers far behind?

--Final thoughts: Now that the fifth NASCAR Winston Cup race at California Speedway is in the books, here are some final thoughts on the weekend's events:

Jeremy Mayfield probably shares the same sentiment as many NASCAR fans in Southern California. He would like to see more races at California Speedway.

``I'd like to see three or four more here,'' said Mayfield, who won last year's NAPA 500.

Bobby Labonte, the pole winner for Sunday's race, was a little more realistic about adding races to the schedule.

``I don't know how many more weeks we can go,'' Labonte said. ``I'm just glad I don't have to make the decision of which race tracks to go to.'' ...

It was nice to hear that neither Hamilton, Bobby nor Bobby Jr., are letting their recent successes go to their heads.

Bobby Hamilton won the Talladega 500 a week ago. Bobby Jr. won the pole for Saturday's Auto Club 300.

``You wouldn't know he had won anything,'' Hamilton Jr. said of his dad. ``He came home with a cheeseburger in his hand and went straight to bed. The next morning, we were talking about cutting the grass and working around the house.''

The only racing the two talked about after the Talladega 500 was in regard to testing at a road course, which is the only type of race track where the elder Hamilton has never won a race.

``Knowing him,'' Hamilton Jr. said. ``if he wins at a road course, he'd throw his hands up and quit.'' ...

And finally, a question for Fox Sports pit reporter, anchor and rookie Winston West pit-crew member Jeanne Zelasko: Can a catch-can man be a catch-can man if the catch-can man isn't a man?

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished in third place at the NAPA Auto Parts 500 on what would have been his dad's 50th birthday.

Will Lester/Staff Photographer