A year ago at this time, Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s racing life could have been described in much the same manner as the name of one of his favorite music groups: a Puddle of Mudd.

He was ending a season wracked with controversy, uncertainty and, at times, mediocrity. That he managed to finish the year as high as he did, in 11th place, despite all the distractions was a testament to the tenacity and expertise of his team and his desire to right the wrongs he either caused or endured.

The biggest controversy of 2002 was the concussion Earnhardt Jr. suffered in a crash at California early that April. After assuring everyone he was fine and recovered, the truth was Earnhardt muddled through nearly the next four months suffering from post-concussion syndrome. When he finally came clean about what he had kept quiet, Earnhardt was roundly criticized by the media, fans and fellow drivers alike.

Hiding the post-concussion symptoms contributed to a marked drop in Earnhardt Jr.'s performance, going from outstanding to mediocre, at best. For a guy who was used to finishing races near the top of the field, he suddenly was finishing in the middle of the pack or worse, prompting the same question to be posed almost every week: "What's wrong with Junior?"

Then there was the uncertainty of his future after that season. His contract with the team his late father started, Dale Earnhardt Inc., was due to expire. While the younger Earnhardt hoped to stay with the team that his step-mother now controlled, he made it very clear and public that he was exploring all offers, both inside and outside of DEI, prompting rumors of possible unrest and discord with Teresa Earnhardt.

He finally agreed to a one-year extension (signed late this year) and returned to the fold, with hopes of finally putting all the bad memories and press clippings behind him come 2003. As it turns out, not only was that the best decision Earnhardt Jr. made, it has helped lead him to his best and most defining year to date in Winston Cup.

As the series gears up for its final race of the season in Sunday's Ford 400 at Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway, Earnhardt Jr. has the potential to not only finish the year as runner-up to champ Matt Kenseth, he has also laid down a foundation that could build a championship.

"No matter what happens Sunday, it has been a great year for this team," Earnhardt Jr. said. "I'm really proud of how far we've come and how many 'career best' marks we've already set this season.

	"	I know I'll never be the kind of race car driver my father was. But he left me with talent and a great organization around me. Now it's up to me to try and draw out the best in both myself and the team. "
		— Dale Earnhardt Jr.

"To end the year with momentum and confidence makes the short off-season a more pleasant time, and it gives us a launch toward the '04 season. We're going to do all we can to grab second place in the points by the time the race ends, so we're completely focused."

After spending much of the 2002 season in a post-concussion cloud, Earnhardt Jr. has been more than just focused in 2003. He's also shown maturity and common sense. It's as if he's undergone a catharsis, going from a carefree late-twenty-something to a guy who has finally come to understand and appreciate what the entire NASCAR experience is all about. He's realized being a race car driver isn't a six-day party interrupted by one day of racing every week.

This season, Earnhardt Jr. has finally gotten serious about himself and his chosen profession. He has come to realize that, while success in Winston Cup came early to him, continued success isn't predicated just on having the famous Earnhardt surname, it's something that he'll have to work at every day and every week for the rest of his racing career.

More than anything, and as he closes in on his 30th birthday next October, Earnhardt Jr. is finally growing up, and realizes that if he's ever to achieve even a small fraction of the success of his father, it will take old-fashioned commitment, determination and, as he said about his mindset this season, even greater focus in years to come.

"I know I'll never be the kind of race car driver my father was," Earnhardt Jr. said. "But he left me with talent and a great organization around me. Now it's up to me to try and draw out the best in both myself and the team."

With the curtain ready to close on the 2003 season, Junior has brought out quite a bit of the best in himself and his team. Heading into Homestead, Junior and the No. 8 Chevy have combined on a number of career-best records since he first joined the Winston Cup circuit full-time in 2000: