Junior Talks. NASCAR Cringes.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. spoke, at length, to the press today.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. went from race car driver to philosopher Friday at Texas Motor Speedway. And in the process, stock car racing’s favorite son likely ruffled quite a few feathers in NASCAR’s front office.
In one of his most poignant interviews ever, Earnhardt confirmed what a lot of people – most notably disenchanted or former NASCAR fans – have been thinking for a long time.
Namely, NASCAR has grown too big, the season is too long and the watered-down result, particularly the Chase for the Sprint Cup, is hurting the sport dramatically, with potentially even more damage to come as the world remains in economic crisis.
I agree with him, 100%. Several years ago, it was fun to follow NASCAR. Just ask my kids. They knew every driver’s number. They knew every manufacturer, and they loved watching the sport.
This year, they were interested for about 10 races, and that’s all she wrote. They haven’t been back. I record the races on DVR just in case I feel like watching them, but I’m with Junior. The season is too long, and the ‘events’ have become too big.
Sphere: Related ContentRunning Out Of Gas At Pocono
Darrell Waltrip said that winning at Pocono might come down to fuel strategy.
Well, first and second places didn’t come down to fuel, but the rest of the finish did. Several cars ran out of gas on the last lap, including Dale Jr. and Jeff Gordon.
It wasn’t quite the exciting ending anyone would have hoped for (has there been an exciting ending since the Car of Tomorrow debuted?) but it worked.
Congratulations to Carl Edwards for winning, and to Tony Stewart for somehow making it all the way up to second place after mentioning during the rain delay that the car probably wasn’t a top 5 car.
Two Big Wins This Week
Rookie Joey Logano won the Meijer 300 in Kentucky last Saturday. I must say, he’s a very impressive driver, and one of NASCAR’s rising stars.
Tom Logano had modest goals for son Joey when the 18-year-old prodigy made his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut last month in Dover. The elder Logano thought it would take Joey maybe 10 races to reach Victory Lane.
The kid simply couldn’t wait that long.
Joey Logano became the youngest winner in Nationwide Series history Saturday night, cruising to victory in the Meijer 300 at Kentucky Speedway in his third series start. Logano, at 18 years, 21 days old, broke the age record of 18 years, 10 months, 9 days set by Casey Atwood in Milwaukee in 1999.
“Three starts, two poles, one win. He’s OK,” quipped crew chief Dave Rogers.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. won at Michigan and I am sure there will be a lot of talk this week about how they went 55 laps without needing fuel.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is enjoying that old winning feel and he doesn’t much care what his detractors have to say about it.
“I can understand how it might look, especially if you’re not Dale Jr. fans,” Little E said Sunday after ending a 76-race winless by stretching his last fuel load beyond the limit at Michigan International Speedway. “I know exactly what they’re going to say Monday.
“I mean, my fans are happy and I’m happy for them. The other half are going to tear this apart on how we won this race. But I got the trophy and I got the points. I got to see my team and my owner and my family tonight as happy as they’ve been in a long time. … It’s a pretty big day for me.”
The most popular driver in NASCAR won this one by gambling, somehow going the last 55 laps on the two-mile oval, including three laps of overtime, without stopping for gas.
Congratulations to both of them. Both races were worth watching this week, one because history was made and the other because of the suspenseful ending. Can NASCAR hold my interest for two weeks in a row? We shall see.
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An Unexpected Ending At Richmond
Did you see the race at Richmond? To be honest, I completely forgot it was on. Yeah, I know, my bad. Thank goodness for the DISH DVR though, because I got to sit down and watch it, and I even caught up right before the end. I’m glad I did too, because it was a bit dramatic.
For the first time in two years, Dale Earnhardt Jr. had the checkered flag within reach.
His agonizing 71-race winless streak was just three laps from ending. All Junior had to do was hold off red-hot Kyle Busch in a stirring showdown between NASCAR’s most popular driver and the kid who got dumped from Hendrick Motorsports for Earnhardt and has rebounded with a sizzling start to the season.
It wasn’t meant to be.
In a classic ending to a typical short-track race, the two drivers collided Saturday night at Richmond International Raceway as they battled for the win a little more than two miles from the finish.
Even though it didn’t work out for Dale Jr. (or Kyle Busch), it was good to see some back and forth action that wasn’t the result of “luck of the draw” even though Clint Bowyer did get the luck of the draw. Wow, that was weird.
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Dale Jr. Wins First Race For Hendrick
I love it. I am not a huge Dale Jr. fan, my kids are, but I was thrilled to see Jr. win the Budweiser Shootout tonight. It was awesome. As he crossed that finish line, I could sense his excitement and Theresa Earnhardt’s gasp. This was one of the most perfect ‘in your face’ finishes I have seen in a long time.
It didn’t take long for Dale Earnhardt Jr. to break in his new car. Junior, who is in his first year driving for Hendrick Motorsports, won his first race in the No. 88 Chevrolet by dominating Saturday night’s Budweiser Shootout.
Earnhardt worked his way to the front at Daytona International Speedway via the draft early in the first 20-lap segment. After the 10-minute break in the exhibition race, Junior commanded the majority of the second 50-lap segment by working with new teammates Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon on the outside line.
Tony Stewart was a late threat, but he couldn’t overcome the Hendrick freight train. He did manage to slip by Earnhardt for the lead with nine laps to go.
The post race interview with Tony Stewart was good too. He was genuinely happy that Dale Jr. won. I think a lot of people were. I know it doesn’t count toward points, but it was a great race.
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Sometimes Change Is Better, Sometimes It’s Not
I guess there was a bit of a kerfluffle about some billboards that will appear near the Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth, Texas.
Reason No. 1 for Texas Motor Speedway to replace billboards: unhappy Earnhardts.
Four identical billboards referring to the strained relationship between Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his stepmother, Teresa, will be replaced within the next two weeks. The flap is over ads featuring a picture of the driver and the wording “Reason #88: Step-Mom.”
TMS president Eddie Gossage said Thursday night that the billboards, part of a series of similar ads to promote the NASCAR Nextel Cup weekend at the track in April, will be changed after a request from Kelley Earnhardt Elledge, the driver’s sister and business manager.
…
Earnhardt will still be displayed on the billboards, but the wording will change to “Reason #88: New Car Smell.”
Now come on. I know Dale Jr. and his sister Teresa didn’t like it, but we all know the reason he left DEI and went with Hendricks has nothing to do with that “new car smell” and everything to do with Teresa refusing to sign him. I think the original slogan made more sense and the second one makes no sense when you compare it to the other ones they have scheduled.
Is This The Year For Dale Jr.?
Is it the pressure of not winning a race in nearly two years or the pressure of being part of such a winning team? Pressure is pressure and this year we’ll see if Junior can stand the pressure.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is already feeling the pressure, and the season hasn’t even started.
As his winless streak nears two years, NASCAR’s most popular driver knows he must produce in his new Hendrick Motorsports ride.
Anxious about the new job and the pressure of driving for the elite team, Earnhardt showed up a week early at preseason testing just to talk to his new teammates.
Back this week to actually drive his No. 88 Chevrolet, Earnhardt went right to work. His single lap speed of 185.820 mph on Tuesday morning easily bettered the mark of 184.782 mph set by teammate Jimmie Johnson in last week’s session, and Earnhardt was 10th fastest when drafting began in the afternoon.
I think he’ll do okay this year, a few wins, and he might even be in the running for the Chase.
Junior Getting A Jumpstart At Hendrick
I think this is an excellent idea. The more time Tony Eury Jr. has to work with the Hendrick team to prepare the better the whole transition will be for him and Dale Jr.
Junior is getting a head start at Hendrick Motorsports.
No, not Dale Earnhardt Jr., who is finishing his final nine races before leaving Dale Earnhardt Inc. for the Hendrick racing team powerhouse. Rather, Earnhardt crew chief Tony Eury Jr., Junior’s cousin, who will leave DEI early and start his new job at Hendrick next month.
No matter what they all say publicly, I’m sure things are not too cordial around the DEI shop for either of them at this point anyway.
Win A Ride With Junior
Anyone want to bid on this for me? My nine-year old would love nothing more than to take a ride with Junior in the #8.
Launching on Thursday night on eBay, the Wrangler brand is auctioning the chance to win the opportunity to ride with Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the famous No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet.
Bidding opens at 11 p.m. ET and the auction closes at 11 p.m. ET on Sunday, Sept. 30.
Wrangler will donate 100 percent of the final bid to the Victory Junction Gang Camp, a NASCAR-themed camp for children with chronic medical conditions or serious illnesses.
Source: NASCAR
Dale Jr. To Drive the Mountain Dew #88
Well, was it worth the wait?
Darrell Waltrip won 24 NASCAR races driving the No. 88 car. That was before his consecutive season championships in a car with a different number sponsored by Mountain Dew.
Now, the No. 88 and Mountain Dew will be together on the same car by Dale Earnhardt Jr., NASCAR’s most popular driver.
Months of speculation ended Wednesday when Earnhardt announced deals with PespiCo. — the maker of Mountain Dew and the brand’s AMP energy drink — and the National Guard to sponsor his No. 88 Chevrolet next season at Hendrick Motorsports.
With the history of the 88, Robert Yates still offered it to Junior. The fact he did so, even though Junior had only asked for the unused number 28, speaks volumes about the character of Robert Yates.
What a stark contrast to Junior’s own step-mother, huh?
Good luck in the 88 Junior, I for one love that car, because of it’s history.