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Brooklyn, Mich. • A year ago, Dale Earnhardt Jr. finally snapped his long losing streak. He left Michigan International Speedway with hopes of more victories to come — maybe even a Sprint Cup championship.

He hasn't won since.

"We want to win more races. We want to win numerous races and multiple races in a season," Earnhardt said. "We want that to be the norm. We want that to be what is expected. When we first started working together we were trying to figure out how to get a 15th-place combination into the top 10 and we were happy when we did.

"Now when we run in the top 10 it's just another weekend — and what do we have to do to win?"

Whenever NASCAR's top series comes to Michigan, Earnhardt is at the center of attention. He won at MIS last June after 143 races without a victory. His most recent win before that was also at Michigan in 2008, so the Sprint Cup's twice-yearly visits to the Irish Hills always seem to present an opportunity for Earnhardt and his No. 88 Chevrolet.

Earnhardt's victory last year wasn't a shock. He'd been running well for a while, working his way back among NASCAR's elite drivers, so after a convincing performance at MIS, stock-car racing's most popular driver could credibly eye a run at a series championship.

But concussion problems derailed his chances in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, and although he began 2013 with five straight top-10 finishes and briefly led the points standings, he's slipped to fourth since then.

Earnhardt took a step in the right direction with a third-place showing at Pocono last weekend, but the pressure is mounting for him to take advantage of a return to Michigan.

Nationwide Series

The rain drops splashed down on the pavement at Michigan International Speedway about an hour after Regan Smith's victory Saturday.

Too late to interrupt the race — and that was fine with Smith and crew chief Greg Ives.

Smith won the Nationwide Series race, holding off Kyle Larson in the final 10 laps and more than doubling his lead in the points standings. He took the lead with 13 laps remaining when Parker Kligerman had to pit. —

Quicken Loans 400

P Sunday, 11 a.m.

TV • TNT