Earnhardt's No. 88 Chevrolet blew an engine in the first practice Friday and blew a tire in the second, and it cost him any shot of starting in the front of Sunday's Amp Energy 500 field.

When the right tire exploded in the afternoon practice, it triggered a multicar wreck that affected Tony Stewart, Kasey Kahne, David Reutimann and a few others. Earnhardt spun and hit the wall, debris flying all over the track and collecting other drivers in the mess as well. His car was towed off NASCAR's biggest track.

Stewart and Kahne connected, and Stewart's No. 20 Toyota slid down the track and into the grass.

Earnhardt, who already had to start in the back because of the engine change, was forced to go to his backup car. It was the same car he used in Daytona to win the 150-mile qualifying race.

"I feel like we'll definitely mentally be stronger for Sunday because of what happened today," Earnhardt said.

Stewart's team briefly considered moving to the backup car, but crew chief Greg Zipadelli ultimately decided instead to fix the primary. The repairs apparently required full participation, as Zipadelli and vice president of competition Jimmy Makar crawled under the car to hammer away at sheet metal and weld parts in a hurried effort.

"I don't know exactly what it is about this one that he likes better than the other one, but obviously there's something," Stewart said. "It was decent, but I don't know what it's going to be like now."

Earnhardt was hoping for a strong finish to spark his way up the Chase for the Sprint Cup standings. He's in ninth place, 129 points behind leader Jimmie Johnson, but is driving at one of his favorite tracks. Earnhardt has won here five times -- including four straight from 2001 to 2003 -- was second two other times and 10th in the spring race.

"We've had troubles here, and we always came back," he said. "It's a place where you can kind of rally back. We're still last anyway because of the motor change."

SHOCKED JOHNSON: Jimmie Johnson was "shocked" his longtime attorney is facing charges in connection with two-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves' tax case.

Alan R. Miller is facing charges of tax evasion based on allegedly false federal income tax returns filed by Castroneves from 2000 to 2002. Castroneves pleaded not guilty Friday in Miami to charges that he used offshore accounts to evade U.S. taxes on more than $5 million in income.

Miller did not enter a plea in court on Friday and was ordered released on bail of $250,000.

"I'm shocked, and I know he's shocked," Johnson said of Miller, who represents several NASCAR drivers.

UPSET STEWART: Don't look for Tony Stewart crew chief Greg Zipadelli to try and play nice with Brian Vickers' team any time soon. Zipadelli was steamed after what he said was Vickers' refusal to cooperate in the pits last week in Kansas.

Stewart was delayed three times getting back on the track because Vickers -- who was pitted in front of Stewart -- had issues getting out of his pit stall. Stewart nearly made contact with Vickers' gas man during one early pit stop.

"That's their prerogative," Zipadelli said, if Vickers and his team didn't want to work together. "I can't get mad about it. But what I'll do is I won't ever cut them any slack again."

NO LAWSUIT: Robby Gordon Motorsports and Gillett Evernham Motorsports issued a joint statement Friday saying that all issues between them are resolved.

Recent news reports concerning a lawsuit between RGM and a business broker have suggested that RGM and GEM are in a continuing legal dispute.

Those reports are not true, the release said.

(From Team News Release)

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