Associated Press

Crew members work to replace the engine in Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Chevrolet during a practice session for Sunday's Amp Energy 500.

TALLADEGA, Ala. -- Momma said there would be days like this, but could Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans really believe it would be like this? At Talladega? During the title Chase?

First, his crew changed engines Friday and then he wrecked after a tire exploded. For a driver 190 points behind series leader Jimmie Johnson, Earnhardt, no doubt, pointed toward this race as a chance to gain ground.

He still can, but this is an ominous start.

"Haaah!'' crew chief Tony Eury Jr. bellowed when asked how he was doing as his crew worked on the backup car. "I don't think I've ever had one like this at a race track, but we'll do fine.''

Earnhardt exuded calm less than an hour after his right rear tire blew, launching sheet metal into the Alabama sky and sending him into a spin where he was hit by David Gilliland. The cars of title contenders Clint Bowyer and Tony Stewart along with those of Kasey Kahne and David Reutimann suffered damage. Earnhardt, Bowyer, Kahne and Reutimann will use backup cars.

Earnhardt will start at the rear of the field Sunday, regardless of where he qualifies, because of the engine change. Earnhardt said a problem caused the engine to lose oil. The tire problem, Earnhardt and Eury both said, appeared to be the result of running over something.

Starting at the back of the 43-car field would make a driver anxious most weekends but not here or at Daytona. The field will be bunched most of the day, so there will be time to pass.

But Earnhardt cruising at a track where his legion of fans is most vocal just doesn't seem right. Even to him.

"I can't do that,'' said Earnhardt, whose backup car is the one he drove in the Daytona 500. "We've got a lot of fans looking forward to us getting up toward the front. I like to get up there. I think that's the safest place to be. It's the most exciting place to be. It's where all the action is. I don't mind getting up there and mixing it up.

"When I see guys going three- and four-wide continuously for a few laps, I'll take a little more cautionary tactic and wherever I'm running, I might back up there and get in the back. I might go back there to see who is back there.''

Bowyer is seventh, 164 points behind Johnson. Going to a backup provides some challenges.

"The only thing is that you spend all practice working on making your car suck up and draft well and things like that and then all of a sudden you have to rethink that,'' he said. "Kind of start from scratch, clean slate and start over.''

Crew chief Greg Zipadelli elected to fix the primary car for Stewart, who is 11th in the standings, 255 points back.

"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 of Zipadelli.