Making his first start of the season, semi-retired NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt Jr. nearly committed a cardinal sin.

Missing practice.

The 43-year-old entered the Xfinity Series race this weekend due to a previous contract signed with sponsor Hellman’s before his retirement last season. He was fifth in first practice, but a shower arrived just 10 minutes into the second practice.

Earnhardt hadn’t strapped into the car before the rain came, but he explained on television during Cup practice why he only made a handful of laps once the delay ended and allowed for a 10-minute final session.

He finished the session 16th after turning a handful of laps.

"I was a little late!" Earnhardt said. "So we had the first practice, everything was pretty good, car was good, I was happy, couple of things to work on.

"It started raining (in the second session). Started getting bored, didn’t know what to do with myself. So I walked down to the 88 hauler to sit in my old seat in the driver’s lounge with my driver’s suit on. I’m like, 'That’ll feel good!'

"I was talking to (former crew chief) Greg Ives -– and I made Greg sick to his stomach when he initially saw me -– and then practice started, so I ran (back) and got me about four laps -– got enough laps, got a good read on it, but … just about missed the last practice entirely.

"So that’s what happens when you’re trying to do things. We’re patching all this together and it’s kind of held together by two bits of tape! This is what happens …"

"So, I’m not sure how much to take that out of my car. I wasn’t real sure. It’s going to be a completely different track tonight and especially tomorrow. When it rubbers up, there’s going to be such a transition.

"Trying to figure all that out with the limited time we got in practice, it’s a bit of a headscratcher."

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