Dale Jr. Near 'The End of My Rope'

by Holly CainFiled under: Dale Earnhardt Jr., Chase for the Sprint Cup, Hendrick MotorsportsCONCORD, N.C. -- Sounding at times deflated and exasperated, Dale Earnhardt Jr. told reporters Friday at Lowe's Motor Speedway that he's just as perplexed by the disappointing performance of his team as the rising tide of critics and doubters. Most frustrating, he said, is that he doesn't have the quick answers to turning things around. Earnhardt used Thursday night's qualifying session as a microcosm of his 2009 season. After posting a top-15 speed during practice in his No. 88 Amp Energy-Chevrolet, he managed only the 39th fastest lap in qualifying. "All the other cars qualified fine and backed their times up in practice and we didn't even get close,'' a mostly subdued Earnhardt said. "We looked ridiculous last night. "It's like really encouraging one day and the next day it's equally discouraging and that gets really old. I'm about...