news-record.com

RICHMOND, Va. -- Joy and happiness sprang from Richmond International Raceway on Friday and turned this three-quarter-mile track into Disney World. Just without Mickey, Donald and the gang.

Such child-like hope is all that remains for Dale Earnhardt Jr. as he attempts to make the Chase for the Championship in his final chance tonight. He won't be alone in his quest. Jeff Gordon said that if his future teammate needs help to make the Chase, Gordon will do what he can.

Rivals aiding each other? There is a Disney song in there somewhere.

If Earnhardt fails, tonight would be the first time in four years that no one uses this cutoff event to race his way into the Chase. Even so, drivers say the competition will be as intense, and they promise spectacular racing. The last time people thought that was at Bristol last month. Many fans didn't like what they saw.

Then again, all can be forgotten and forgiven. Smiles abounded, at least forced smiles, after NASCAR, Sprint and AT&T settled their lawsuit. A summer of bickering through court documents and courtrooms ended Friday with signatures, statements and satisfaction.

This was also a day when Dale Earnhardt Inc. announced that two drivers will replace Earnhardt Jr. in the No. 8 car next year. There was no jeering from fans as DEI introduced its 2008 lineup: Mark Martin -- as respected a driver as there is in the Nextel Cup series -- and rookie Aric Almirola.

Earnhardt fans aren't worried about next year. They're focused on their man tonight. He enters 128 points behind Kevin Harvick for the final spot in the 12-driver Chase.

"Junior is in a situation where it's the fourth quarter of a football game and they're down 21 points," Jeff Burton said.

Harvick will clinch a spot if he finishes 32nd or better in the 43-car field. The only other driver Earnhardt could supplant is 11th-place Kurt Busch, who needs to finish 36th or better to get in.

"We're going to do the best we can," said Earnhardt, who will start 21st. "That's all we can do. I'm just looking forward to the race."

With the Chase field all but set, title contenders admit they feel less pressure. The way they talk, tonight is about going for victory and the trappings from it -- 10 bonus points and the race trophy, valued at $30,000, with a two-foot base that anchors a guitar with a flaming paint job.

"This race typically is wild, pretty exciting ... so I don't think it's going to be a whole lot different," Martin Truex Jr. said.

Carl Edwards said: "It's cool to come here and just be able to have a good time and race."

AT&T also will enjoy that feeling. The telecommunications company will continue to sponsor Burton's car through next season. Then AT&T will be banished from NASCAR's top series. That's the deal all sides agreed to after about four months of appeals, claims and counterclaims. But AT&T will be around the sport longer than car owner Robert Yates. He announced Friday night that he's retiring at the end of the season. His son, Doug, will take over as car owner.

NASCAR spokesman Jim Hunter said Friday that he was happy about the AT&T compromise and delighted that series officials no longer have to worry about the case. Burton's car owner, Richard Childress, said he was "very pleased" to have his sponsor's decals back on his car. An AT&T official called the compromise the "right step."

See, even those who have disagreed for months could leave the track happy Friday night.

Contact Dustin Long at 373-7062 or dlong @news-record.com