Is it really Panic Time for the 88 Team?

There has been a lot of buzz in the media and on the message boards over the last few weeks about the lackluster performance of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the 88 team. Crew chief Tony Eury Jr. has received much of the blame for the team's performance. Some of that blame can certainly be justified, but there have been many factors that have caused problems lately with the 88 team.

Earnhardt Jr. is desperately seeking a return to the early days of the season, where consistency was a hallmark of his on track performance. These days, it's not even so much about getting a win, but finishing in the top 10. Though a win at any time is a welcome event, right now the team needs to regain the consistency that it had earlier this season.

This week, the NASCAR traveling road show once again rolls into Fontana, California for the second race date at this 2 mile track. California was the site of one of Dale Jr.'s rare early season disasters. Caught up in a spin that started with teammate Casey Mears' spin, Earnhardt crashed, and had to eventually finish a many times red flagged race many laps down. Earnhardt hopes to break the trend of what has become a series of heartbreaks at California. Historically, California is not a track at which one would expect Dale Jr. to make a comeback.

Though there are problems with the 88 program, all is not lost. Though he's had only one top 10 finish since his win at Michigan, Dale Jr. has finished every race this season. Before any driver can win races, he has to finish them, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been finishing them. Even with the disappointing finishes, Dale Jr. remains in 3rd place in points. In order to clinch a spot in the Chase for the Cup, Dale Jr. only has to finish 40th or better on Sunday at California.

So far this year, Dale Jr. has not lost an engine during a race, a problem which basically doomed his chances of making the Chase last year. Dale Jr. is definitely racing with better equipment and better engineering this year than was available at Dale Earnhardt Inc. last year. Though many question his decision to bring in Tony Eury Jr. to be his crew chief, that decision was Dale Jr.'s and so far, their track record at Hendrick Motorsports is not really a bad one, with all things considered. Being 3rd in points, 24 races into the season, is a position that many other drivers would very much like to be in.

There basically is no reason for the doom and gloom, Dale Jr. fans. Yes, there have been missed opportunities, but we should all remember the high points that this season has shown us as well. A pole at Texas, a win at Michigan, and many, many laps led at other tracks is a huge improvement for Dale Jr. compared to the last couple of years. A position in the Chase is all but assured, and there have been other years when a chance at the Chase was either a long shot, or a total impossibility at this point in the season. Dale Jr. and the 88 team are alive and well, and is still a major threat to win all the marbles in 2008. Do they need to improve? Of course they do. There's always room for improvement in any program. Dale Jr. has the ability to overcome tough situations though, so it's still a little too early to count him out.

On a side note, NASCAR has placed Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards on probation through the end of the year as a result of their post race antics at Bristol on Saturday. Though many consider this a very minor slap on the wrist, or even a joke, I believe it is wise to think about the future implications of this ruling by the sanctioning body.

Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards are 1st and 2nd in points currently. Should any of Bristol's bad feelings spill over into another race, it's possible that NASCAR will penalize either or both of them with points, or, horror of horrors, being parked for a race. We all know that Kyle and Carl have anger management issues on the track. They have them off the track at times as well. I think it's just a matter of time before one or both of these personalities boils over and they do something that NASCAR might frown upon. Another scuffle like they had at Bristol will almost undoubtedly lead to much harsher penalties. Or will it? Since we're talking about the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, who knows?

The fun is just beginning! Let's see just how big this little rivalry will get. If either one gets a hefty points penalty, Dale Jr. and the rest of the Chase drivers will benefit from it.

The Leader of the Brat Pack

On Saturday night, Kyle Busch once again proved that it's not nice to race Kyle Busch hard, at least in Kyle's opinion.

His post race altercation with winner Carl Edwards just proved once again that maturity is not part of Kyle's character. On the cool down lap, he decided that Carl's bump and run move that helped Carl seal his victory in the Sharpie 500 warranted another bump of his own. Kyle's efforts only ended up with Kyle spinning out when Carl leaned back a little. During the post race interview, Kyle made the usual whiny noises that he makes when he has a victory snatched from his grasp.

Kyle may like to pretend that his own bump and run maneuvers are always completely above board and legitimate. I imagine others would not see things that way. Just ask Mr. Earnhardt what his thoughts were when Kyle spun him at Richmond. Kyle Busch seems to maintain a holier than thou attitude when it comes to his own dirty tactics on the track. As a matter of fact, very few, if any of Kyle's total 17 wins in 3 series have occurred without him physically pushing someone out of his way. In speaking about the Richmond incident with Earnhardt Jr., Kyle sarcastically said that "apparently racing Dale Jr. isn't allowed."

The real truth is, and Kyle has abundantly demonstrated this, is that racing Kyle Busch isn't allowed. What we saw on Saturday night at Bristol was just another predictable temper tantrum from the guy who likes to call himself "Rowdy". Carl Edward's bump and run was very clean by Bristol standards. Kyle got a little loose, but continued on and finished in second place. Had Kyle been spun out by Edwards, as Earnhardt Jr. was by Kyle at Richmond, Kyle might have had reason to be upset.

At Richmond, reporters tried to goad Dale Jr. into pointing a finger of blame at Kyle, and Dale Jr. refused to take the bait. An obviously frustrated Earnhardt Jr. refused to blame anyone, pointing out that he had not watched a replay and didn't want to pass judgment until he had taken time to review the situation. Contrast that with Kyle Busch' attempt to use his race car as a 3500 lb. fist and give Edwards a punch, especially after the race had concluded. Apologists keep pointing out that Kyle is only 23 years old. That explanation is getting old, and quite frankly lame. There are infantry platoon commanders, who have led their men in combat who are younger than Kyle Busch. Kyle has been at this game long enough to know better, and in my humble opinion, Kyle's behavior is not just annoying, it's down right shameful. Watching a grown man throw a tantrum is not a pretty sight to see. It's not even a pretty site when a preschool kid does it, but it's especially embarrassing when a grown man does it.

Nascar fans and journalists like to group their drivers in varying ways. There's the old school guys, like Bill Elliot or Kenny Schrader. We've had the young guns like Ryan Newman and Kasey Kahne. Now it appears that we have the brat pack, of which I personally feel that Kyle Busch is the undisputed leader.

What Does It Take To Win a NASCAR Race?

How do you win a NASCAR race? To many, the answer is simple: Drive as fast as you can until the checkered flag waves. Turn left a lot, or right and left if it's a road course. What more does it take?

As it turns out, it takes a lot more than that. Before the drivers even put on their fire suits, they have to make sure they are sufficiently hydrated. With temperatures reaching or exceeding 120 degrees Fahrenheit inside the race cars, dehydration is a big problem. Dehydration can be a big problem if you're only in the car for 20 minutes, but can really be bad when you're in the car for 4 hours. Drivers have to be prepared to be in the car for at least that long in an average Sprint Cup race.

Winning races means having good equipment and good engineering behind that equipment. It doesn't always mean having the best of the best, but the equipment has to be good, in a relative sense. If you have an engine that's only going to run 400 miles out of a 500 mile race, that isn't good. If you are the driver, you don't really care if the engine can make it to 505 miles if all you need is for it to run 500 miles. Having the best equipment doesn't always guarantee a win though.

A common myth is that the car that wins the race is the fastest on the track. That absolutely is not true. In truth, the car that wins the race is leading when it crosses the start/finish line when the checkered flag waves. The reason why that car might be in that position has nothing to do with whether or not it's the fastest car on the track. How that driver got the car in that position could mean a lot of things. Did the driver push when he needed to and hold back when he didn't? Did he find the best groove around the track and follow it? Did he pit when he needed to, and get the right combination of tires and adjustments to his car? Did he get enough fuel on the last pit stop? Does he need to conserve fuel by backing off a little on the throttle when he can? If he runs a high line around the track instead of a low line, will that increase his overall speed?

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That's just a short list of all the things a driver has to think about while he's making laps at nearly 200 miles per hour. He's also got to think about whether or not he's given his crew chief good feedback about how the car is handling. The fastest car on the track with the wrong chassis setup will not win the race. He's also got to worry about whether or not he drank too much water or Gatorade before the race, and if he might have to have an accident inside his fire suit. He's got to think about whether or not his spotter is actually watching his exact position on the track, relative to other cars, or is he chatting it up with another spotter?

The driver can't really spend a lot of time worrying about other cars on the track, except the cars directly in front or behind him. If he's leading a car, he's got to think about how to stay in front of the other car. If he's approaching another car, he's got to figure out a way to pick his line around that car. A driver's work is never totally done as long as the car is on the track. The average race car driver has to make probably more decisions, in the blink of an eye, for 3 or 4 hours, than most of us will have to make in a 40 hour work week.

Luck, that most improbable of things, and probably the hardest to explain, has a lot to do with winning races. A driver can be leading a race by half a lap, and will be seemingly unstoppable. He might run over a piece of debris, and cut down a tire. At the very least, he will have to pit. In the worst case scenario, he will crash. He might cause a lot of other cars to crash as well. The engine might just let go. A belt might break, and a driver suddenly has no oil pressure. A million things can go wrong and ruin a perfectly good race.

Did the crew chief do his homework? How prepared is he to handle emergency situations like a blown tire or a major chassis problem? If you hit the wall, can he fix the car or will you have to go to the garage for major repairs?

Racing, much like life, is basically a crap shoot. You pay your money, your roll the dice. The drivers that win the most benefit from careful preparation and from having good people around them.

When the green flag drops, just about anything can happen. Every driver knows that, no matter how well prepared. Winning is having the best car on a given Sunday or Saturday night. It's also about being the best driver and the best crew on that given day.

Drivers and "Slumps"

The racing media has very interesting ideas of exactly what constitutes a slump. For some drivers, it can mean not winning in the last 3 or 4 races. For other drivers, it can mean going years without a win, but even then the word 'slump' is not used at all.

In Kyle Busch' recent win at Watkins Glen, more than a few media outlets reported the triumphant news that Kyle's slump was over. Slump? This guy has won 8 races this year. How can he accurately be described as having a slump? Maybe there were a few races where all did not go his way. Maybe the 8 wins weren't consecutive races, but even if he wins no more races this year, it can hardly be said that Kyle Busch has had a slump at any time this year.

Other drivers could more accurately be described as being in the midst of a slump, in my opinion. The two most obvious examples would have to be Jeff Gordon and Tony Stewart. Here we are in August, and both drivers as of yet win less in 2008. Whereas Tony has been known to be a late starter, in other words not winning until later in the season, Tony's performance and luck have quite honestly been less than spectacular this season. The same could be said for Jeff Gordon, though as a multi time Daytona 500 winner, Jeff obviously is not known for starting late in the season.

Perceptions of certain drivers draw analysts to different conclusions about exactly what constitutes sub par performance. I think nobody is surprised when Jimmie Johnson wins a race at any track, but if say, Michael Waltrip were to win at Watkins Glen, that would really be news.

Many analysts and fans of the sport scoff at certain driver's chances of winning at particular tracks. A few years ago, I doubt that anyone seriously considered the chances of Ward Burton winning the Daytona 500, yet that's exactly what he did. This year's 500 winner, Ryan Newman probably wasn't tops on any one's picks either, yet he did win. Most people consider Dale Earnhardt Jr. strictly a restrictor plate track specialist, yet he's won at tracks like Bristol, Dover and Richmond.

Speaking of Ryan Newman. A couple of weeks ago former Penske teammate Rusty Wallace was telling anyone who would listen that Newman had been fired by Penske. It's true that other than that Daytona 500 win, Ryan has not had the greatest of seasons. I have to ask, however, how many Daytona 500 winners get fired the same year they win the Daytona 500? Not many, I would suppose. In 1998, Dale Earnhardt won the Daytona 500, and didn't win another race all season. It's true, Ryan Newman doesn't exactly have the celebrity or credentials that Earnhardt had, but I seriously doubt that Roger Penske would fire his Daytona 500 winning driver. Penske pretty much said that Rusty Wallace' claims were inaccurate. Message to Rusty: We all know you don't like Newman, but quit making yourself look like a fool by spreading unfounded rumors.

I think every driver at this level of racing either feels like their in a slump or they don't. There are not many athletes more competitive than Sprint Cup drivers. Most drivers can be broken down into two categories: Those who blame their lack of performance on other factors, such as their teams or their equipment, or their competitors. Then there are those who question everything, but are likely not to put blame on any other component of their performance until they have examined their own efforts. The efforts involved does not just mean driving a race car as fast as they can for 500 miles. It also means ascertaining whether they are communicating effectively with their crew chiefs and spotters. It also means pushing when it's time to push, or laying back when it's time to lay back. In other words, its about driving smart.

True champions in this sport generally fall into the latter category. It's important for a driver to have total confidence in himself, but when he starts blaming his mistakes on other drivers or his own team or equipment. Any driver can have a slump, but it's just as important for the driver to examine his own input into the problem before laying the blame on anyone or anything else.

Your Chance To Help Out A Worthy Cause!

Our friend Tiredawg has done it again! A custom, one off die-cast creation from the fantastic Garz Karz and it can be all yours! All you have to do is bid early, bid often, and bid with a giving heart, and this one of a kind creation can be all yours, and you will help some special kids have a once in a lifetime experience.

Please click here to go to this very special auction.

As he did before, Tiredawg created this die-cast to be sold at auction, and 100 per cent of the proceeds will go to the Victory Junction Gang Camp, which was created by the Petty family in memory of Adam Petty. It was always Adam's dream to help children with special needs, and unfortunately, Adam Petty never lived long enough to fully realize that dream. His parents, Kyle and Patti Petty, and grandfather Richard Petty, the winningest driver ever in the history of Nascar, started the VJGC in order to give very sick children a chance to live out their dreams.

Folks, the Pettys give with all their hearts to help children who really need special care, and the Tiredawg gives with all his heart to make these very special creations available. He does not make one penny off of these special cars that he creates, because all proceeds go directly to the Victory Junction Gang Camp. His first endeavor a few weeks ago was very successful, and we need to make sure that his second auction goes just as well or better. This is a very special opportunity for any die-cast collector or NASCAR fan to own a one of a kind die-cast race car, and to help out a very worthy cause.

As you can see, the left half of the car shows traditional Petty colors, the classic Petty blue, and one of my favorite features, the "426 C.I." logo on the hood, which signifies the championship winning 426 Hemi engine. Richard Petty won a lot of races with this paint scheme, and with the famous 426. Richard Petty won a total of 200 races and 7 championships in that famous 43.

The right side of the car shows classic Earnhardt colors, the classic black number 3 GM Goodwrench Service paint scheme in which Dale Earnhardt won so many of his 76 races and 7 championships.

Don't miss out on a chance to own a very special custom die-cast race car, and to give to a very worthy charity at the same time. This is a very special deal, because you can give with your heart and gain a very special piece of NASCAR memorabilia at the same time.

What's the secret for Toyota's success?

In only their second year in the elite division of Nascar racing, Toyota seems to be unstoppable. After a very dismal rookie year, the sport's first Japanese based manufacturer has literally taken the Sprint Cup series by storm.

9 wins so far in 2008, as opposed to 0 wins in 2007 is certainly a way to prove that you've gotten your program over the hump. The biggest noticeable change has been Joe Gibbs Racing's entry into the Toyota program. In the winter of 2007, and even before that, chief engine guru Mark Cronquist apparently performed some magic on the power plants that have powered Joe Gibbs racing to 9 cup wins thus far this season. Wizardry might be a more accurate term.

One has to wonder, however, why the other Toyota teams have not seemed to benefit as much from Cronquist's coup. Team Red Bull, with Brian Vickers has come close. Denny Hamlin, who drives for JGR in the 11 car has won one time. Tony Stewart, who used to be the franchise driver for JGR, has not won at all. Newcomer Kyle Busch has won 8 times, and is the championship points leader.

Michael Waltrip Racing basically spearheaded the Toyota program in it's entry into Cup racing. Michael and his teammates have done better this year than they did in 2007, but have never been a threat to win a race this year. Joe Gibbs Racing certainly has more history with wins and championships than MWR does, but does that mean that Toyota has been giving JGR more than other teams? One wonders. No one who has ever won a championship at JGR has even won a race yet with Toyota in Cup. As a matter of fact, Tony Stewart returns to Chevrolet next year with his own team, under the banner of Stewart-Haas Racing. One wonders if Tony is leaving just because he craved ownership or Chevrolet so much, that he would abandon Nascar's most successful manufacturer?

I certainly don't have the answers to any of these questions. What I do know is that Nascar has long had a problem with one manufacturer dominating all the others. Nascar has taken steps in the Nationwide series, by mandating that the Toyota teams use a spacer, much like a restrictor plate between the carburetor and the intake manifold on the racing engines. Nascar has taken no such steps thus far in the Cup series.

Back in the old days, which weren't so long ago, Nascar would notice one particular manufacturer winning more races than the others were. Mostly, we're just talking about Ford, Chevrolet, and Pontiac here. When Dodge re-entered the sport a few years ago, Nascar tried to make sure that Dodge got some breaks too. Pontiac left, and now Toyota's here, but so far this year, I'm seeing very little effort on the part of Nascar to regulate parity between the manufacturers. Supposedly the new car, or what was previously known as the Car Of Tomorrow was supposed to accomplish that goal.

I have read various claims that Toyota engines make anywhere from 15 to 40 more horsepower than any of the other engines. I don't know that to be true, but I suspect that the Toyota engines are definitely making more horsepower than they were last year. That's totally understandable with the entry of Joe Gibbs Racing and Mark Cronquist into the equation. But I must ask the question: Does Toyota indeed have an advantage? And given the long, colorful history of Nascar, is that what Nascar wants? If they do, then why?

Is having one particular manufacturer being dominant what Nascar wants in 2008 and beyond?

Kyle Busch won 4 races with arguably the most successful race team in the last decade and a half, Hendrick Motorsports. Kyle was fired last year to make room for Dale Earnhardt Jr, the most popular driver in the sport for the last several years. Kyle found a new home with Gibbs and Toyota, and so far has made the most of it. He leads in points and wins, and isn't very humble about it, nor should he be required to be. The "in your face" tactics toward both Hendrick and Earnhardt probably are very satisying to Kyle, and I'm glad he's found success.

Humility has a way of finding cocky drivers though. Kyle Busch, enjoy it while you can.

Age Old Questions

Probably the biggest question that's been asked after the Watkins Glen race last week, is what's up with Tony Eury Jr., crew chief for Dale Earnhardt's 88 Amp Energy Drink / National Guard team. I've seen a lot of answers, from that Tony Jr. is a bonehead, to Dale Jr. just can't drive a race car. I have to laugh at all of these responses.

I too disagreed with Tony Jr.'s strategy of trying to keep Dale Jr. out for not one, but two green flag runs just a little too long. Boneheaded, you say? I doubt it.

Tony Eury Jr. has had the top job for a few years now, and I'm certainly not saying he's the greatest crew chief out there, but besides who his cousins are, there has to be reason for him to be running that team. Though it might not sound like it, especially during the races, should you happen to listen in on the radio conversations between the two Jr.'s, there is obviously a lot of trust there.

Trust, like all things worthwhile in life, takes time to develop and to totally gel. Though Tony Jr. and Dale Jr. have known each other all their lives, they have only been working in their current capacities for a few years. Both are new guys at Hendrick Motorsports this year, and for much of the season have been the Hendrick marquis team. They've been highest in points, up until Watkins Glen, and have a points win, which is one more than teammate Jeff Gordon has this year. I believe, if you sit down and analyze the facts, the 88 team has done very well for itself this year. Certainly both driver and crew chief have made mistakes, and maybe more than they need to be making to assure themselves of a championship. But drivers and crew chiefs are human. So far this year, Dale Jr. and Tony Jr. have made some mistakes. Apparently Kyle Busch and Steve Addington have made fewer mistakes. Apparently Toyota found something in the offseason that Chevrolet didn't find. There are so many factors going on here that they are nearly impossible to count and credit or discredit.

Kyle Busch is having a career year. He's won 8 races in the Cup series, and any driver would love to have that record. It doesn't mean that he will win the championship, by any means. There are still far to many races to be run.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Eury Jr. have some things they need to sort out. I know they do, and so do they. I do think, however, that the consistency that Dale Jr. has shown so far this year, with a brand new team and a brand new owner, brand new engines and cars, shows us that even if the championship doesn't happen this year, it's surely going to happen very soon.