Earnhardt Jr. out of Texas race after fiery wreck
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}A video screen shows a replay of Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s (88) car during a wreck at the NASCAR Sprint Cup series auto race at Texas Motor Speedway, Monday, April 7, 2014, in Fort Worth, Texas. (AP Photo/Larry Papke)
NASCAR points leader Dale Earnhardt Jr. is out of the race at Texas after a wreck.
Earnhardt drove into the rain-drenched grass and then had a fiery crash against the wall after just three laps in Monday's rain-delayed race. Earnhardt was trailing Aric Almirola on the frontstretch when the left side of his car suddenly went into the grass, and the No. 88 Chevrolet then shot across the track, bursting into flames after slamming into the wall.
Earnhardt, who climbed out of the car and was OK, says he didn't see the grass. He says it was just "a mistake" on his part.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jimmie Johnson had damage on the windshield and front left of his No. 48 car from mud and debris after the crash by his Hendrick Motorsports teammate.
<a href="http://msn.foxsports.com/nascar/story/dale-earnhardt-jr-gets-in-grass-hits-wall-early-at-texas-motor-speedway-040714?videoId=0ea02dd5-ef1c-4abd-b732-1297178c0064&from=shareembed-syndication&src=v5:embed:syndication:" target="_blank" target="_new" title="CUP: Dale Earnhardt Jr Crash - Texas 2014">Video: CUP: Dale Earnhardt Jr Crash - Texas 2014</a>