The NASCAR Goody's Dash Series rookie points leader established a lucrative friendship with Winston Cup cult hero Dale Earnhardt Jr. via the Internet. Both are major fans of simulated racing games. In fact, the two often competed against each other.

"If you ask me, I beat Dale Jr. 80 percent of the time, but Dale would say it was around 50-50," Majors said. "It was a fun deal. Dale and I had some really good races, and we seemed to do better than everybody else.

"I was pretty good at changing setups and making adjustments to the car, so I would try to help Dale. Those simulated games are so realistic now and it really carries over to the track. Things just progressed from there with Dale and I."

Earnhardt was so impressed with Majors' racing knowledge that the two became email pen pals.

"When Dale Jr. went to Watkins Glen to test a Busch car, he asked me to come to the track," Majors said. "I only lived about an hour and 15 minutes away, so I went to the Glen to hang out with Dale.

"We had a good time and Dale invited me back for the race which he won. Dale then said he would help me get started in racing and he did."

The 23-year-old Majors began his racing career four years ago in three-quarter scale stock cars. He advanced to the NASCAR Goody's Dash Series this season.

"My parents couldn't afford to help me get started in racing, but Dale said he would find me a good used car and some parts," Majors said. "I was able to raise some money from family and friends. Now, I'm racing at Bristol.

"A bunch of fans and friends of mine and Dale's actually pitched in to help me to race here. That was a really cool deal and it meant a lot to me."

Majors lives only several hundred yards from Dale Jr.'s home in Mooresville, N.C. Majors is a regular at the famous Club E nightclub and is an official member of the Dirty Mo Posse.

I live in a house that Dale owns and I see him about every day," Majors said. "There are five or six of us that are pretty good friends.

Earnhardt and his contingent actually planned to take a jet to BMS last night to watch Majors.

"It's been a pretty good year," Majors said. "I led the second race of the year on the dirt at Savannah (Ga.). Now, I'm first the rookie points and seventh overall. To have a chance to finish in the top five in points is pretty exciting and I know Dale Jr. is excited about it. I drove a Late Model for Dale Jr. too at South Boston. Tony Eury. Jr. and those guys help me out there. It's pretty cool being associated with guys like that."

"Dale is serious about racing and he gives us support if we really need it. Dale told me a little bit about Bristol. Basically, he just said to keep the car on the bottom, get in the gas early and stay out of trouble.

Majors would love to get an opportunity to compete in Earnhardt's Chance 2 Motorsports Busch Series car.

"That's kind of an unwritten deal, but it's down the road," Majors said. "Dale is investing all this money in me and he obviously thinks I have the talent to drive.

"It all hit me there after a while. I went from living with my parents in New York to living by myself in North Carolina. Dale and his gang knows how to race and how to have fun."

Majors works with the MB2 Motorsports Army sponsored Winston Cup team three days a week, spends two days at his Late Model shop and then races Late Models on the weekends.

"I'm trying to learn all I can," said Majors, who finished sixth in the South Boston Dash event. "I do a variety of jobs at MB2 and I think my driving skills are getting a lot better. As for next year, that will be up to the bossman (Earnhardt). I am going to run some Late Models, though."

Except for the virtual world, Majors had never competed at Bristol Motor Speedway before Wednesday night's race. He relied on his secret weapon to prepare.

"This is a pretty crazy place," Majors said. "We only got about 10-15 laps of practice, but we were pretty happy to qualify 10th.

"The (computer) game for Bristol is real similar. I've actually raced this place a ton. On the game, you can bounce off the wall when you come off the corner. It's pretty much the same thing here because the car gets real light coming off turn four."

After coming this far, Majors isn't about to give up his passion of Internet racing.

"Really, I was kind of used to Bristol before I came here thanks to the game," Major said. "It was a big help.