It's true that blood is thicker than water. Just ask Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Earnhardt Jr. continued his campaign on Friday to defend his crew chief and cousin Tony Eury Jr. despite ever-growing criticism from fans and media alike who believe Earnhardt Jr. might find better results with a new crew chief.

"Everybody in this room - and some of you have criticized him yourselves- knows how smart a guy he is," Jr. said. "You truly know that he is a good mechanic and a solid crew chief. I'll take the fall. I would rather be crucified than him. Because every time I read in the paper that people are on his case, I feel like I'm sending my brother to jail for a crime I committed."

"Whether we are the perfect combination or not, that doesn't mean anything to me," he said. "I just like racing with him. That's what I want to do for the rest of my life. Whether I get to do that or not, I don't know."

Earnhardt will need Eury Jr.'s help to climb through the field on Sunday as he'll start 19th due to a washout of Friday's qualifying.