Even before Dale Earnhardt Jr. became the favorite to win the 2003 Daytona 500, he was turning fast laps at a track about 450 miles north.

So after a disappointing 36th-place finish at Daytona -- due to an alternator problem -- ruined his day, it's no surprise Earnhardt Jr. is quick to point out his North Carolina Speedway testing sessions.

	Dale Earnhardt Jr. waits out the weather Friday at Rockingham, N.C.

"Everyone made so much about how strong we were at Daytona, but we didn't talk a lot about our really, really good test at Rockingham a few weeks ago," said Earnhardt, who is looking to bounce back from a disappointing start, not to mention a string of disappointing runs at Rockingham, in Sunday's Subway 400. "Who would have imagined that I'd be looking forward to going there?"

Last year, Earnhardt finished 26th in this race. When the circuit returned to Rockingham in November, he came in an even worse 34th.

But he's been calling himself a championship contender, and in an effort to make those words a reality the driver of the No. 8 Chevrolet put extra effort into preparing for tracks where he has not traditionally done well.

"Rockingham was just one of those places that we hadn't been able to get it done in the past -- in Cup or the Busch Series," he said. "I just didn't know how to drive the place or something. But we made a big commitment, as a team, to work hard on eliminating what we think are our weak spots -- or weak tracks.

"If the test means anything, and I think it will, we're going to be much better than ever before."

Earnhardt's prep-work started in the offseason, when his team began poring over notes compiled at the 1.017-mile track. When the team came down to test, crew chief Tony Eury said he thought the team found a solid setup quickly.

That improved everyone's attitude regarding the race track, and Earnhardt said he thought that, alone, should make a big difference.

"I used to come into a weekend here with a bad attitude, and it seemed to set the tone for the whole team," he said. "Now, I think all that will change."

After all, it changed for him when he made similar adjustments last season. In three previous full seasons, Earnhardt has won at Daytona, Dover, Richmond, Talladega and Texas.

Martinsville, Darlington and Rockingham were not on that list, and from the way things were going heading into 2002, it didn't appear anything would change.

But like this year, Earnhardt and Co. used the offseason before 2002 to attack some of their weaknesses -- and saw improvement.

"Last year, we focused on improving at certain tracks where we had struggled, and then we went out and got top-fives at places like Martinsville and Darlington," Earnhardt said. "That's what we're looking to do again this season.

"We're serious about all this championship talk, and we're out to eliminate the holes in the schedule where we have not run as competitively like we should."

And he's not going to let himself get caught up worrying about those holes in the schedule where he hasn't run well. Thus far in the year, that list includes Daytona. With 35 races to go, and 42 talented drivers to compete with each race, it's likely there will be more added to that list.

But Earnhardt is pacing himself, and concentrating on the task at hand -- like he believes a champion should.

"We're not looking back at Daytona," he said. "We're moving forward. We're not going to get too down about the 500 and we're not going to get too excited about winning the other races there (during Speedweeks). Everyone knew we were there and we were the car to beat, but we need be the car to beat every week for the next 35 races."

Rupen Fofaria covers NASCAR for The Raleigh News & Observer and is a regular contributor to ESPN.com.