Dale Earnhardt Jr. imagined his Nationwide Series trophy was a chalice, tipped it back and acted like he was taking a big swig of champagne or beer — the beverages of choice for NASCAR winners and champions. Earnhardt had plenty of practice chugging this season. He left Homestead-Miami Speedway with one more keepsake for the home office — he's running out of room with a corner of his North Carolina home occupied with a Martinsville grandfather clock — and validation that his foray into team ownership was the right call nearly a decade ago.