It seems as time goes by, more and more myths are circulated about Dale Earnhardt Jr., as a man, and as a driver. Some of them are down right funny, and some are just created out of jealousy. Let's examine a few.
Myth Number One: Dale Jr. whines and cries when things don't go his way.
This has been a popular myth, on both the message boards and on the comments section after posted blogs or articles about Dale Jr. I find it hilarious at best that people can say this about Dale Earnhardt Jr. I have been following Dale Jr. his entire Nascar career, and never once have I heard him whine or cry about anything. Dale Jr. has rarely publicly disputed a call that Nascar made, nor has he disparaged another driver publicly. For his relatively young age, Dale Jr. is garnering a reputation as a gentleman, both in the garage and with the press. His recent incident at Richmond with Kyle Busch more than proves my point. Dale gets in an accident that takes him out of the race. I saw Kyle Busch wrecking Dale Jr., maybe not on purpose, but because of Kyle's blatant disregard of where other drivers are on the track. You may see it differently, but Dale Jr. was very restrained in his comments after the race. Dale Jr. was obviously frustrated, but he did not disparage Kyle Busch or his actions on the track. Kyle, however, basically criticized Dale Jr. for being the driver that can't be raced with, because he gets mad, or his fans get mad. Message to Kyle: You can race Dale Jr. or anyone else on the track. My question to you, is why do you get mad when people race YOU hard? Maybe drivers that live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones.
Myth Number Two: Dale Earnhardt Jr. actively seeks out publicity and photo ops.
This one is really easy to dispel, because anyone who has ever watched Dale Jr. for more than 30 seconds on camera will realize he does not have an extroverted personality at all. Dale Jr. is basically a very shy person, and I have a good reason for realizing this, because I am and always have been much the same way. My job makes it impossible to be a total introvert, so I have learned to smile and slap backs with relative strangers in order to be accepted and be thought of as a 'regular guy'. The truth is, I keep to myself most of the time, and don't really enjoy being in a crowd of people. Dale Jr. strikes me much the same way, relying on a very close group of friends and family for companionship. Dale Jr. has stated that it takes a long time for him to really trust someone, and he needs to be around that person for at least a couple of years before he really trusts them. I can identify with that. Dale Jr. is on TV so much because of sponsor demands, and if it weren't for sponsors, we would probably see Dale Jr. publicly very rarely. Dale Jr. is the most popular driver in Nascar, and his popularity leads to a ton of appearances and commercial shoots. If you've ever read Dale Jr.'s book, you will realize that he doesn't not particularly enjoy the publicity, but he learned early on that a race car driver has to do those things in order to succeed. His dad taught him that it's important to show up for appearances when scheduled, and to wear his sponsor's hat or tee shirt. Dale Jr.'s public persona is a result of what he is, a race car driver.
Myth Number Three: Dale Jr. is overrated, and he's not as good as everyone thinks.
I especially like this myth, because this is where we get into the pure jealousy aspects of why some fans hate Dale Jr. so much. Although it is certainly possible that had Dale Jr. not had his father and both grandfathers involved in racing, and might have chosen a different career path, Dale Jr. is who he is, and he can't help who his father was. Dale Jr. wanted to be a race car driver since he was a child, and that is not uncommon for children of racing dads. Just look at Kyle Petty, Dale Jarrett, Chrissy Wallace, Sterling Marlin and others. Many of today's Nascar field is made up of drivers who are sons of drivers, whether they made it to the big time or not.
Dale Jr.'s credentials as a driver simply speak for themselves. Of his 17 Cup wins, 15 came after his famous father was killed at Daytona in 2001. Much of that time, he was not driving with the best equipment in the field either. Many drivers with many more years in the sport would love to have Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s record. Dale Jr. won the Winston in his rookie year, and has a Daytona 500 win to his credit. All that's lacking is a championship, and in his first year at Hendrick Motorsports, he is well on his way to contending for that championship. Overrated? Look at your own driver before you try to hang that label on Dale Jr. Dale Jr. is a winner, and he's got more talent than a lot of drivers out there.
Myth Number 4: Dale Jr. is spreading himself too thin with all his different business interests.
This one has been brought up a lot over the last few years. Jr.'s interests are wide and varied. He has appeared in Rolling Stone magazine. He did a video with hip hop artist Jayzee. He has his own satellite radio show. He is the owner of JR Motorsports, and even has a video production team following him around a lot, part of his own crew, who's work has been and will be shown on ESPN. Dale Jr. has a popular new night club in Charlotte, Whiskey River. How can one young man have his hands in so many places at one time?
The answer is simple. Jr. hires people he trusts to work out the details, and he gets out of the way. Take the bar, for example. Dale Jr. hired a professional staff to manage the enterprise, and mostly his involvement is to come in and hang out with a few friends from time to time. Sure, Dale Jr. controls the purse strings, but that won't take up much of his time. His radio show takes the time it takes to actually do the show, and he lets other people worry about the details as to how and when the show is broadcast. Sister Kelley runs the day to day operations at JRM, and who could be better qualified to do that than another of Dale's kids? When Dale Jr. straps himself into the race car on the weekends, he's just like any other driver. All he's concerned with is getting the most out of that car that he can. He's not worried about whether or not there is enough vodka at Whiskey River. He isn't worried who his guest on his radio show will be next week. He's not worried about JRM, because Kelley has it covered. Dale Earnhardt Jr. exhibits all the qualities of a successful business man. He hires good people into positions of authority, and gets out of their way so they can do their jobs. Oh, if all bosses could be like that!
I wonder who he learned that trait from?
By the way, the ESPN shows and the DVD's he's made? Dale Jr. sums it up quite well. It's for his fans. Just giving a little back to the fans who have supported him all these years.
Myth Number 5: Dale Earnhardt Jr. only wins on restrictor plate tracks.
This one is idiotic by anyone's standards. All you you need to look at are the statistics. Though seven of Dale Jr.'s wins were at Talladega (5) and Daytona (2), 10 have come plain old circle Cup tracks. Dale Jr. has won at Texas, Richmond, Dover, Phoenix, Atlanta, Bristol, and Chicago. He won at Richmond 3 times, and Phoenix twice. That's a guy that can only run RP tracks, huh?
A lot of fans conveniently forget that Dale Jr. is a two time Busch series champion as well, winning a total of 22 races so far. Dale Jr. has won at places like South Boston, Indy Raceway Park, and even Watkins Glen. Get over it folks, the dude knows how to wheel a race car.
Myth Number 6: The Earnhardt Nation can find no wrong with Dale Jr.
Dispelling this myth is possibly more subjective, but it's complete bunk. I consider myself a member of the Earnhardt Nation, and from comments I've received on this very forum, and from what I've read on the Pit Board and other sources, some of us are the harshest critics of all. First we discussed and some of us criticized his move from DEI to Hendrick. We really had a wild time discussing that one. We questioned his thinking in bringing Tony Eury Jr. with him to be his crew chief at Hendrick. We wondered what kind of a mess he might be getting into with sworn enemies Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson as teammates. (Turns out they are good teammates, so far!) We questioned why, why, oh why would he ever leave the company that his dad founded? (I've answered that question in other blogs here.)
Do we trust Jr.'s judgment on things? Of course we do, most of the time. If you want to see the Jr. nation at work, just read the link above, and you will generally find someone with differing opinions on just about any subject. Do we love Dale Earnhardt Jr.? You bet. There's a lot to like, and a lot to admire about what many consider to be the most down to earth driver in Nascar.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Saturday, May 24, 2008
The Coca Cola 600
This is the longest race of the year, in terms of miles run. Lowes Motor Speedway is a fast 1.5 mile track in the middle of Nascar's traditional racing country. Virtually all the teams are based within 30 minutes or so from the track, so old home week for Nascar finishes up with a fantastic spectacle the promises exiting racing, very tired and hot drivers, and probably some engine failures as well. Tires promise to be an unknown as well, from what we saw in last week's All Star race.
Jimmie Johnson has been a dominant driver at this track in the last few years, and the Fords of Jack Roush have always run well here. This year, we will see just how well the Toyotas will run in a virtual marathon for racing engines. Last week, the Toyotas of Joe Gibbs Racing did not fair too well, but supposedly that was a new, untried engine package, that apparently needs some more work before it's ready to race.
Speaking of Toyota, my hat is off to Mark Cronquist, the head engine guy for JGR. Mark seems to have pulled off quite a feat this year, because the Toyota engines appear to have quite a few more horsepower than do the other manufacturer's engines. No one is publicly crying foul here, at least among the teams, so I assume everything is on the up and up.
I imagine the first part of the race will probably be the Kyle Busch show again, since he will once again be starting on the pole. As he did last week, I expect to see Kyle out in front by several seconds before many laps have gone into the record book. I also expect to see America's favorite driver to hate overdrive his car early in the race, since Kyle's plan always seems to be to drive every lap like it were the white flag lap. If JGR and Toyota can put a car under him that will last for 600 miles, it will truly be a feat of engineering that has never been seen before in racing. It will also be an extraordinarily boring race. TV ratings will drop, fans will begin to leave the event before halfway, and if Kyle were to get the checkered flag, he will probably do it before a few thousand people, instead of 170,000.
I doubt that this is going to happen though. Kyle's talents also seem to include tearing up good equipment, and making mistakes. Kyle's biggest fan, Darrell Waltrip had a great deal of talent for that very same thing early in his career as well, and it wasn't until he had been driving for Junior Johnson for a while that he got to the point that he could win without hitting everything but the pace car. With that consistency also came a lowering of the internal thermostat, in other words thinking instead of opening his mouth, and driving smart instead of trying to lead every lap of every race. Most young drivers start out thinking they are the greatest driver in the history of the sport, but most of them get over it by the time they've been in the series a couple of years. With some others, it takes a bit longer, I suppose.
I'd like to belatedly give thanks to one of the last of the true gentlemen in Nascar, Dale Jarrett, who drove his final race last week. Dale has always showed a tremendous amount of class, and is someone who should be looked up to by all young drivers in the sport. Dale Jarrett will be truly missed on the race track, and I'm looking forward to listening to him in the booth when ESPN takes over the final portion of the season. Dale's class and graciousness will be missed.
This weekend marks another milestone in Nascar, and the end of another era. Humpy Wheeler, long time promoter and track president at Lowes Motor Speedway is retiring, and apparently he doesn't have much say in the matter. Humpy has done so much for so many drivers over the years. Humpy was the guy that convinced Rod Osterlund to take a chance on a brash young driver named Dale Earnhardt, and we all know how that turned out. Humpy has helped many drivers get in the show over the years, and he will be greatly missed.
Lowes Motor Speedway is a very special place to watch a race. I've been to several races there, and the excitement when the green flag drops is contagious. If the sound of 43 screaming racing engines doesn't get your blood pumping, nothing will. For a driver to win a race here in front of the home town crowd is a jewel in their crown. There are a lot of tracks at which drivers especially want to win, and to win at Charlotte is special.
Sunday looks to be warm and sunny, with the high nearly 80 degrees. Temperatures should cool somewhat after sunset, but it's still going to be very hot in the race cars. This will be a test of not only the cars and the engines, but of the drivers themselves. The drivers will need to be in peak physical condition, and they will need to keep themselves hydrated throughout the afternoon and evening. Something as seemingly trivial as a hose slipping off the helmet leading to the cool box could make things really unbearable for a driver. Feet will be blistered without the proper protection, and then of course there will be the dreaded Turn 2 itself, which has proven to be a very difficult corner for the drivers to negotiate.
The Coca Cola 600. There's not another race quite like it, and it will be a true test of man, machine, and race strategy. Let the games begin, and may the best man win!
Jimmie Johnson has been a dominant driver at this track in the last few years, and the Fords of Jack Roush have always run well here. This year, we will see just how well the Toyotas will run in a virtual marathon for racing engines. Last week, the Toyotas of Joe Gibbs Racing did not fair too well, but supposedly that was a new, untried engine package, that apparently needs some more work before it's ready to race.
Speaking of Toyota, my hat is off to Mark Cronquist, the head engine guy for JGR. Mark seems to have pulled off quite a feat this year, because the Toyota engines appear to have quite a few more horsepower than do the other manufacturer's engines. No one is publicly crying foul here, at least among the teams, so I assume everything is on the up and up.
I imagine the first part of the race will probably be the Kyle Busch show again, since he will once again be starting on the pole. As he did last week, I expect to see Kyle out in front by several seconds before many laps have gone into the record book. I also expect to see America's favorite driver to hate overdrive his car early in the race, since Kyle's plan always seems to be to drive every lap like it were the white flag lap. If JGR and Toyota can put a car under him that will last for 600 miles, it will truly be a feat of engineering that has never been seen before in racing. It will also be an extraordinarily boring race. TV ratings will drop, fans will begin to leave the event before halfway, and if Kyle were to get the checkered flag, he will probably do it before a few thousand people, instead of 170,000.
I doubt that this is going to happen though. Kyle's talents also seem to include tearing up good equipment, and making mistakes. Kyle's biggest fan, Darrell Waltrip had a great deal of talent for that very same thing early in his career as well, and it wasn't until he had been driving for Junior Johnson for a while that he got to the point that he could win without hitting everything but the pace car. With that consistency also came a lowering of the internal thermostat, in other words thinking instead of opening his mouth, and driving smart instead of trying to lead every lap of every race. Most young drivers start out thinking they are the greatest driver in the history of the sport, but most of them get over it by the time they've been in the series a couple of years. With some others, it takes a bit longer, I suppose.
I'd like to belatedly give thanks to one of the last of the true gentlemen in Nascar, Dale Jarrett, who drove his final race last week. Dale has always showed a tremendous amount of class, and is someone who should be looked up to by all young drivers in the sport. Dale Jarrett will be truly missed on the race track, and I'm looking forward to listening to him in the booth when ESPN takes over the final portion of the season. Dale's class and graciousness will be missed.
This weekend marks another milestone in Nascar, and the end of another era. Humpy Wheeler, long time promoter and track president at Lowes Motor Speedway is retiring, and apparently he doesn't have much say in the matter. Humpy has done so much for so many drivers over the years. Humpy was the guy that convinced Rod Osterlund to take a chance on a brash young driver named Dale Earnhardt, and we all know how that turned out. Humpy has helped many drivers get in the show over the years, and he will be greatly missed.
Lowes Motor Speedway is a very special place to watch a race. I've been to several races there, and the excitement when the green flag drops is contagious. If the sound of 43 screaming racing engines doesn't get your blood pumping, nothing will. For a driver to win a race here in front of the home town crowd is a jewel in their crown. There are a lot of tracks at which drivers especially want to win, and to win at Charlotte is special.
Sunday looks to be warm and sunny, with the high nearly 80 degrees. Temperatures should cool somewhat after sunset, but it's still going to be very hot in the race cars. This will be a test of not only the cars and the engines, but of the drivers themselves. The drivers will need to be in peak physical condition, and they will need to keep themselves hydrated throughout the afternoon and evening. Something as seemingly trivial as a hose slipping off the helmet leading to the cool box could make things really unbearable for a driver. Feet will be blistered without the proper protection, and then of course there will be the dreaded Turn 2 itself, which has proven to be a very difficult corner for the drivers to negotiate.
The Coca Cola 600. There's not another race quite like it, and it will be a true test of man, machine, and race strategy. Let the games begin, and may the best man win!
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Memorial Day wishes from readers
I don't normally do this, but I got an e-mail at jimcinsc@gmail.com , which you may also send your thoughts and suggestions to. I do not reveal names or e-mail addresses, so your privacy is guaranteed. I will occasionally share what I think is an interesting thought on the blog though. I hardly ever do this, but I couldn't help it under this particular circumstance. Here goes:
Dear Mr. Jimmy C,
You like Dale Eernhart jr because he supports the milatary of this country, and therfor I cant support him because of that. He has the navy and the nat. gard on his car, and they all kill and rape babys all over the world. The usa shold not be killing all those people, and I know what Im talking about, cause my dad was in the navy and he told me so. I am 45 yeers old, oder than you, so you need to lissen to me. The usa should put everone on the milatary in prison for crimes aganst humanty. Juuuuuunior is gilty to, cause he suports the milatary, and he shold go to jail to. Kile BUSH is the best driver out ther, and you konw it but you wont amit it. Kile only sells candy which is good, juuuuunior wonts to kill peeople and rape babeys and you know it. I AM a Professer of LAWS at ................... Universty. You can look it up cause its true.
You know im right, you just wont admit it
sincerly,
........................
Wow! What Can I say?
I answered as such: Dear Professer ..................., Thank you very much for reading my blog. Your insight and raw power of reasoning overwhelms me, and obviously you are right, and I am wrong, since you make such a compelling argument in your favor. Who am I to argue with a Professer of LAWS? Since I'm obviously out of my league here, both by my choice of driver, and also in sheer intellect alone, I will acquiesce to your rock solid points, which destroy everything I've ever said about Dale Eernhart Juuuuuuunior. I suspect that you wrote to me in an undercover role, as even though I'm stupid, and you are smart, I still suspect that you might indeed be the true President of the Kile Bush Fan Club. Also, being a supporter of the troops in the US 'Milatary', I will now go to the nearest police station and turn myself in before I do something bad to 'babeys.' Thanks for straightening me out on that one, Mr. President!
Sincerely,
Mr. Jimmy C
I know, I know. But it's the first real e-mail I've ever had from an avowed 'Kile Bush' fan!
Dear Mr. Jimmy C,
You like Dale Eernhart jr because he supports the milatary of this country, and therfor I cant support him because of that. He has the navy and the nat. gard on his car, and they all kill and rape babys all over the world. The usa shold not be killing all those people, and I know what Im talking about, cause my dad was in the navy and he told me so. I am 45 yeers old, oder than you, so you need to lissen to me. The usa should put everone on the milatary in prison for crimes aganst humanty. Juuuuuunior is gilty to, cause he suports the milatary, and he shold go to jail to. Kile BUSH is the best driver out ther, and you konw it but you wont amit it. Kile only sells candy which is good, juuuuunior wonts to kill peeople and rape babeys and you know it. I AM a Professer of LAWS at ................... Universty. You can look it up cause its true.
You know im right, you just wont admit it
sincerly,
........................
Wow! What Can I say?
I answered as such: Dear Professer ..................., Thank you very much for reading my blog. Your insight and raw power of reasoning overwhelms me, and obviously you are right, and I am wrong, since you make such a compelling argument in your favor. Who am I to argue with a Professer of LAWS? Since I'm obviously out of my league here, both by my choice of driver, and also in sheer intellect alone, I will acquiesce to your rock solid points, which destroy everything I've ever said about Dale Eernhart Juuuuuuunior. I suspect that you wrote to me in an undercover role, as even though I'm stupid, and you are smart, I still suspect that you might indeed be the true President of the Kile Bush Fan Club. Also, being a supporter of the troops in the US 'Milatary', I will now go to the nearest police station and turn myself in before I do something bad to 'babeys.' Thanks for straightening me out on that one, Mr. President!
Sincerely,
Mr. Jimmy C
I know, I know. But it's the first real e-mail I've ever had from an avowed 'Kile Bush' fan!
Being an Earnhardt Fan, Part 2
Fans of both Earnhardts are alike in one way. Both are unshakable in their faith and belief in their driver. There are many who are fans of both, including me. Over the years, I have found myself defending both Earnhardts, Dale because other fans said he drove 'dirty', or deliberately wrecked people. I've defended Dale Jr. because he supposedly has no talent, or that he's overrated.
Often, we as Earnhardt fans find ourselves in an 'us versus them' mentality, because at times we feel like the rest of the Nascar world is against us. At times, that seems to be true. Dale and Dale Jr. have drawn controversy in the fan world ever since both drivers began their careers. Dale came from basically nothing. His father Ralph was a successful race car driver, but Dale was largely a self made man, and a self made race car driver. Dale practically starved to race. Dale suffered through 2 failed marriages, gave up the custody of 3 of his children, and was flat broke many times in his life before he hit the big time. When he did finally achieve success, he married Teresa Houston, who was a stabilizing force in his life. Due to a catastrophic fire, Dale was given custody of Dale Jr. and Kelley, and the Earnhardts settled down into as close to a normal family life as was possible.
Apparently, as we now know, things weren't always fun and games for the two Earnhardt children and their new step mother. Teresa took over a lot of the duties raising the two children, while Dale spent most of his time at the shop or at the track. Although Dale Earnhardt now lived better than he had ever dreamed he would, he did not foolishly waste his hard won money. Dale created a series of businesses, including Dale Earnhardt Inc. Dale also pioneered the marketing of driver themed merchandise. Over the years, Dale Earnhardt single handedly changed the face of Nascar more than any driver in it's history.
The fans of Dale Earnhardt saw a man that was simply unstoppable. Dale never, ever gave up. If the cars had 4 wheels and an engine that would start, he would drive it just as hard, even if he were laps down after an accident. To us, Dale Earnhardt was The Man, the great one, the man that was just too tough to beat. To me and many others, Dale was ten feet tall and bullet proof. Over the years, we saw Dale crawl out of horrible wrecks, and painfully wave at the crowd. It wasn't until much later we found out just how badly he had suffered from his injuries. Dale Earnhardt would climb into another race car a week after breaking bones, and go on an compete for, and often win races.
The day that Dale Earnhardt died was one of the toughest days I've ever endured. I, like many fans, walked around in a fog for days, even weeks afterward. It was just impossible to believe that the greatest driver ever, our hero, was gone. The outpouring of grief from fans was something that I have never seen before, and as touching as it was, is something I hope to never, ever see again.
On that same day, the boy that had been Dale Earnhardt Jr. became a man. Dale Jr.'s emotional interview from the hospital after the 2001 Daytona 500 was heart rending. "I know he'd want us to keep going, so that's what we're gonna do." The following Sunday, FOX Sports showed us a somewhat subdued Dale Jr. sitting on the pit wall at Rockingham, between teammates Steve Park and Michael Waltrip. Steve and Mikey are both talking to him, and Dale Jr. stares gamely ahead, a small, brave smile on his face. In the early laps of the race, Dale Jr. gets spun into the wall, a low speed re-enactment of the horrible wreck we had seen just the week below. This time, all of the Nascar world held it's collective breath.
Dale Jr. limped from the car, and we all were concerned. Dale Jr. later said that basically his foot was going to sleep, mostly because he had drawn his belts tighter than he had ever drawn them before.
I have been a Dale Earnhardt Jr. fan since it was first announced in 1997 that he would be driving in the Busch series. I had never seen much of Dale Jr. before that, usually only in a few victory lane celebrations with his father. I remember the young blond kid with the big smile mostly. When Dale Jr. started the 1998 Busch season, he was a young man on a mission. Winning the 1998 and 1999 Busch series championships, Dale was set to roll in the Cup in 2000, with a fantastic sponsor, Budweiser.
Dale Jr. charged out of the box in Cup, much like he had in the Busch series. He won is first race at Texas, his second at Richmond, and he won the Winston in 2000, all in his rookie year. Earnhardt fans everywhere were ecstatic. After the tragedy of February 18, 2001, Dale Jr. went on to win 15 more Cup races, as well as several more Busch races. In 2006 and 2007, we watched the 8 car struggle more and more, and we began hearing more and more about how overrated he was, and how he had no talent, etc. We as the Earnhardt Nation closed ranks around our driver, and when he announced that he was leaving DEI, most of us were happy. Some were not, but in the process we found out who the real fans of Dale Earnhardt Jr. were. Some folks could not fathom Dale Jr. driving for anyone but his dad's team, and especially not Rick Hendrick. Those folks were fans of the team, not a fan of The Man, the New Man, Dale Earnhardt Jr.
I suppose the Dale Earnhardt fans forget that early on, even after winning his first championship with Rod Osterlund, Dale moved around a bit too. He drove Bud Moore's Fords for a while, and though he won a few races there, he hated the Fords. When Dale reunited with Richard Childress, the two forged more than a team, they forged a bond, and they excelled in a way that has rarely been seen since. As I've said many times before, Dale went to where the racing was. Dale Jr. did the same thing when he moved to Rick Hendrick Motorsports. The racing simply wasn't at DEI anymore.
So far in his first season with Hendrick, Dale Jr. is the class of the team. Dale Jr. sits 3rd in championship points, and is consistently better than even champion teammates Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. Though Jimmie has won Hendrick's only points race so far, it has been Dale Jr. that has kept the Hendrick name consistently in the running. Dale Jr. did win his very first race in his new 88 Hendrick Chevrolet, the Bud Shootout, and went on to win his Duel qualifying race. Though Dale Jr. has yet to win a points race this year, his team is beginning to come together, and every race, he and crew chief Tony Eury Jr. seem to be clicking together better and better.
Why are we Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans? I can only speak for myself. Besides his great racing skills, I see a man who has integrity, and who is honest, both with himself and his fans. He takes responsibility for his mistakes to a fault at times. I find myself yelling at the TV "Junior, that was NOT your fault!", as I'm sure do many others. I like Dale Jr.'s complete sincerity, and his honesty. I like him because what you see is what you get. I like him because of his touching concern for his fans. I think that every race he doesn't win, he feels more disappointed for letting his fans down than he does personally for not winning the race. I'm a fan for Dale Jr. because he shows a tremendous amount of class and graciousness, when so many other drivers seem so totally lacking in that capacity. My being a fan of Dale Jr. has practically nothing to do with who his father was, though I was a fan of his too. I am a fan of Dale Jr., because of who he is, and I'm proud of him for who he is, not who his father was.
Dale Jr. will never let me down. Even if he were never to win another race, which he will, Dale Jr. is my favorite driver, and always will be as long as he's behind the wheel.
Often, we as Earnhardt fans find ourselves in an 'us versus them' mentality, because at times we feel like the rest of the Nascar world is against us. At times, that seems to be true. Dale and Dale Jr. have drawn controversy in the fan world ever since both drivers began their careers. Dale came from basically nothing. His father Ralph was a successful race car driver, but Dale was largely a self made man, and a self made race car driver. Dale practically starved to race. Dale suffered through 2 failed marriages, gave up the custody of 3 of his children, and was flat broke many times in his life before he hit the big time. When he did finally achieve success, he married Teresa Houston, who was a stabilizing force in his life. Due to a catastrophic fire, Dale was given custody of Dale Jr. and Kelley, and the Earnhardts settled down into as close to a normal family life as was possible.
Apparently, as we now know, things weren't always fun and games for the two Earnhardt children and their new step mother. Teresa took over a lot of the duties raising the two children, while Dale spent most of his time at the shop or at the track. Although Dale Earnhardt now lived better than he had ever dreamed he would, he did not foolishly waste his hard won money. Dale created a series of businesses, including Dale Earnhardt Inc. Dale also pioneered the marketing of driver themed merchandise. Over the years, Dale Earnhardt single handedly changed the face of Nascar more than any driver in it's history.
The fans of Dale Earnhardt saw a man that was simply unstoppable. Dale never, ever gave up. If the cars had 4 wheels and an engine that would start, he would drive it just as hard, even if he were laps down after an accident. To us, Dale Earnhardt was The Man, the great one, the man that was just too tough to beat. To me and many others, Dale was ten feet tall and bullet proof. Over the years, we saw Dale crawl out of horrible wrecks, and painfully wave at the crowd. It wasn't until much later we found out just how badly he had suffered from his injuries. Dale Earnhardt would climb into another race car a week after breaking bones, and go on an compete for, and often win races.
The day that Dale Earnhardt died was one of the toughest days I've ever endured. I, like many fans, walked around in a fog for days, even weeks afterward. It was just impossible to believe that the greatest driver ever, our hero, was gone. The outpouring of grief from fans was something that I have never seen before, and as touching as it was, is something I hope to never, ever see again.
On that same day, the boy that had been Dale Earnhardt Jr. became a man. Dale Jr.'s emotional interview from the hospital after the 2001 Daytona 500 was heart rending. "I know he'd want us to keep going, so that's what we're gonna do." The following Sunday, FOX Sports showed us a somewhat subdued Dale Jr. sitting on the pit wall at Rockingham, between teammates Steve Park and Michael Waltrip. Steve and Mikey are both talking to him, and Dale Jr. stares gamely ahead, a small, brave smile on his face. In the early laps of the race, Dale Jr. gets spun into the wall, a low speed re-enactment of the horrible wreck we had seen just the week below. This time, all of the Nascar world held it's collective breath.
Dale Jr. limped from the car, and we all were concerned. Dale Jr. later said that basically his foot was going to sleep, mostly because he had drawn his belts tighter than he had ever drawn them before.
I have been a Dale Earnhardt Jr. fan since it was first announced in 1997 that he would be driving in the Busch series. I had never seen much of Dale Jr. before that, usually only in a few victory lane celebrations with his father. I remember the young blond kid with the big smile mostly. When Dale Jr. started the 1998 Busch season, he was a young man on a mission. Winning the 1998 and 1999 Busch series championships, Dale was set to roll in the Cup in 2000, with a fantastic sponsor, Budweiser.
Dale Jr. charged out of the box in Cup, much like he had in the Busch series. He won is first race at Texas, his second at Richmond, and he won the Winston in 2000, all in his rookie year. Earnhardt fans everywhere were ecstatic. After the tragedy of February 18, 2001, Dale Jr. went on to win 15 more Cup races, as well as several more Busch races. In 2006 and 2007, we watched the 8 car struggle more and more, and we began hearing more and more about how overrated he was, and how he had no talent, etc. We as the Earnhardt Nation closed ranks around our driver, and when he announced that he was leaving DEI, most of us were happy. Some were not, but in the process we found out who the real fans of Dale Earnhardt Jr. were. Some folks could not fathom Dale Jr. driving for anyone but his dad's team, and especially not Rick Hendrick. Those folks were fans of the team, not a fan of The Man, the New Man, Dale Earnhardt Jr.
I suppose the Dale Earnhardt fans forget that early on, even after winning his first championship with Rod Osterlund, Dale moved around a bit too. He drove Bud Moore's Fords for a while, and though he won a few races there, he hated the Fords. When Dale reunited with Richard Childress, the two forged more than a team, they forged a bond, and they excelled in a way that has rarely been seen since. As I've said many times before, Dale went to where the racing was. Dale Jr. did the same thing when he moved to Rick Hendrick Motorsports. The racing simply wasn't at DEI anymore.
So far in his first season with Hendrick, Dale Jr. is the class of the team. Dale Jr. sits 3rd in championship points, and is consistently better than even champion teammates Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. Though Jimmie has won Hendrick's only points race so far, it has been Dale Jr. that has kept the Hendrick name consistently in the running. Dale Jr. did win his very first race in his new 88 Hendrick Chevrolet, the Bud Shootout, and went on to win his Duel qualifying race. Though Dale Jr. has yet to win a points race this year, his team is beginning to come together, and every race, he and crew chief Tony Eury Jr. seem to be clicking together better and better.
Why are we Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans? I can only speak for myself. Besides his great racing skills, I see a man who has integrity, and who is honest, both with himself and his fans. He takes responsibility for his mistakes to a fault at times. I find myself yelling at the TV "Junior, that was NOT your fault!", as I'm sure do many others. I like Dale Jr.'s complete sincerity, and his honesty. I like him because what you see is what you get. I like him because of his touching concern for his fans. I think that every race he doesn't win, he feels more disappointed for letting his fans down than he does personally for not winning the race. I'm a fan for Dale Jr. because he shows a tremendous amount of class and graciousness, when so many other drivers seem so totally lacking in that capacity. My being a fan of Dale Jr. has practically nothing to do with who his father was, though I was a fan of his too. I am a fan of Dale Jr., because of who he is, and I'm proud of him for who he is, not who his father was.
Dale Jr. will never let me down. Even if he were never to win another race, which he will, Dale Jr. is my favorite driver, and always will be as long as he's behind the wheel.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Being an Earnhardt Fan
Being an Earnhardt fan means many things to many people. There are people that were fans of Dale Earnhardt, but couldn't care less about Dale Jr. There are people who never even saw Dale Earnhardt race, but are die hard Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans. There's no right or wrong when it comes to Earnhardt fans.
Reason's why people are Earnhardt fans are much more diverse. Some like Dale's old school, wreckers or checkers style of racing. Others like Dale Jr.'s more finessed style. Some people argue that Dale Jr. does not have the same talent or the same drive that his father had. I would have to disagree.
Dale Earnhardt was a great race driver who could put his car in impossible situations and still pass other cars. Dale was rough at times, but he usually made his reckless style work. Dale would beat and bang on other cars, back when that was more acceptable than it is now. If Dale was behind you, and you didn't get out of his way, Dale would 'move' you out of the way. Some drivers and many fans thought that Dale's style was too rough, even back in the day. The thing about Dale was this: Dale didn't care what you thought about him on the track, he was going to go for the win, even if he was two laps down. The win was always everything to Dale. If Dale came driving up behind you, even if he was two laps behind you, he was going to push you out of the way if you didn't move over. In the old days, that was perfectly acceptable. Today, that behavior will get you black flagged.
People say that Dale Earnhardt Jr. just doesn't have the drive or the willingness to win that his father did. I say bunk to that. Due to recent advances in technology, even we at home can listen to drivers on their radio conversations during the races. As one who listens to Dale Jr.'s radio conversations, I can tell you one thing: Dale Jr. is just as driven to win as the old man was. As far as Dale Jr.'s aggressiveness on the track, I don't think Dale Jr. is any less aggressive. I have seen Dale Jr. put his car in impossible places on the track and still pass cars as did his father. Dale Jr. is just a little more refined. He charges hard, all the time, and really, when you measure raw drive and talent, I see very little difference between the two Earnhardts.
If through a time warp, Dale and Dale Jr. had been able to race every race together, I think we would have seen basically the same show every week by both drivers. Both would have been hard chargers, both would have bumped and banged, and both would have spun cars out on the way to victory. Both would probably have been booed loudly early in their careers, but both would have been cheered late in their careers.
To tell you the truth, I don't see that much difference except the generational thing. This is now a kinder, gentler Nascar than it was in days of old. Dale Earnhardt made Nascar history, and now Dale Earnhardt Jr. is making some more history, but in his own way.
Reason's why people are Earnhardt fans are much more diverse. Some like Dale's old school, wreckers or checkers style of racing. Others like Dale Jr.'s more finessed style. Some people argue that Dale Jr. does not have the same talent or the same drive that his father had. I would have to disagree.
Dale Earnhardt was a great race driver who could put his car in impossible situations and still pass other cars. Dale was rough at times, but he usually made his reckless style work. Dale would beat and bang on other cars, back when that was more acceptable than it is now. If Dale was behind you, and you didn't get out of his way, Dale would 'move' you out of the way. Some drivers and many fans thought that Dale's style was too rough, even back in the day. The thing about Dale was this: Dale didn't care what you thought about him on the track, he was going to go for the win, even if he was two laps down. The win was always everything to Dale. If Dale came driving up behind you, even if he was two laps behind you, he was going to push you out of the way if you didn't move over. In the old days, that was perfectly acceptable. Today, that behavior will get you black flagged.
People say that Dale Earnhardt Jr. just doesn't have the drive or the willingness to win that his father did. I say bunk to that. Due to recent advances in technology, even we at home can listen to drivers on their radio conversations during the races. As one who listens to Dale Jr.'s radio conversations, I can tell you one thing: Dale Jr. is just as driven to win as the old man was. As far as Dale Jr.'s aggressiveness on the track, I don't think Dale Jr. is any less aggressive. I have seen Dale Jr. put his car in impossible places on the track and still pass cars as did his father. Dale Jr. is just a little more refined. He charges hard, all the time, and really, when you measure raw drive and talent, I see very little difference between the two Earnhardts.
If through a time warp, Dale and Dale Jr. had been able to race every race together, I think we would have seen basically the same show every week by both drivers. Both would have been hard chargers, both would have bumped and banged, and both would have spun cars out on the way to victory. Both would probably have been booed loudly early in their careers, but both would have been cheered late in their careers.
To tell you the truth, I don't see that much difference except the generational thing. This is now a kinder, gentler Nascar than it was in days of old. Dale Earnhardt made Nascar history, and now Dale Earnhardt Jr. is making some more history, but in his own way.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
What's going on with JR Motorsports?
The rumor mill is once again in high gear this silly season. First Tony Stewart announces that he'd like to take a crack at team ownership, and that will not be an option with his current team, Joe Gibbs Racing. Tony has driven his entire Cup career in the fabled 20 Home Depot car, with the same crew chief. With two Cup champions and numerous wins under his belt, Tony is likely to be welcomed as an investor as well as a driver for many teams out there. Stewart did stipulate that he would like to return to Chevrolet though, so that will narrow the field somewhat.
Rumors abounded that Martin Truex Jr. would leave Dale Earnhardt Inc. as soon as the end of 2008, and has been rumored to be driving next year, or sometime in the near future, for teams such as Richard Childress, Joe Gibbs, and I've even see Jack Roush's name thrown in the pot. The latest rumor that concerns Truex though, is that he will be a driver for JR Motorsports new Cup program, which will be owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr. Last week, Dale Jr. said in an interview that having a Cup team next year was a definite possibility.
The reasoning behind this move makes sense, and Dale Jr. has thought it out well. Next year, the Nationwide series, in which his cars currently run, will move to a new car, much like the Car of Tomorrow. Dale Jr. has said that it doesn't cost much more to run a Cup team than a Nationwide team these days, and sponsorship will probably be easier to find in the Cup. Dale Jr. thinks that if he's going to have to re-tool his shop to produce the COT, why not just roll out a Cup program? In my opinion, that makes perfect sense.
During the interview, Earnhardt Jr. was asked if Martin Truex Jr. would be a part of the new cup team. Dale Jr. answered in the negative, and expanded by saying that Martin would be better off staying where he was, because a brand new Cup team invariably experiences some problems, and that it just wouldn't make sense for Truex to be a driver for JRM, at least not right out of the box. I think that makes sense as well, because whether Truex stays at DEI or not, there are plenty of other established teams out there that would be more than happy to give Martin a ride.
Tony Stewart might be a different scenario, however. Tony has expressed an interest in team ownership, and I don't know Dale Jr.'s feelings about having another driver buy into his team, but I imagine that even if you have as much money as Dale Jr. has, you still don't want to spend more on your business ventures than you have to. Two owners sharing the costs is cheaper than one owner footing the entire bill. Business is business, and I imagine Dale Jr. is at least thinking about having an investor, and old friend Tony Stewart might just be the perfect business partner.
Stewart, as a driver, is still as competitive as ever, and badly wants to win more races and championships. However, Tony is at a point in his career where he no longer has to prove anything to anyone, and if he's willing to take on the challenge of hammering out a brand new team, especially if he's got a stake in the ownership, I can't think of anyone better to take on the job. It would fulfill two of Tony's wishes, in that he would be back with Chevrolet, and he would be an owner. JRM will have the advantage of running Hendrick engines and other equipment as well, so a JRM entry into Cup racing will have a spring board that most fledgling Cup teams don't have. A Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart partnership would attract the best sponsors as well.
Will we be seeing an Earnhardt-Stewart Motorsports in the future? I think it's a definite Maybe!
Looking back at the All Star race, I'd like to congratulate Kasey Kahne for doing what no driver has ever done before by getting into the race by the fan vote, and then winning the entire show.
Rumors abounded that Martin Truex Jr. would leave Dale Earnhardt Inc. as soon as the end of 2008, and has been rumored to be driving next year, or sometime in the near future, for teams such as Richard Childress, Joe Gibbs, and I've even see Jack Roush's name thrown in the pot. The latest rumor that concerns Truex though, is that he will be a driver for JR Motorsports new Cup program, which will be owned by Dale Earnhardt Jr. Last week, Dale Jr. said in an interview that having a Cup team next year was a definite possibility.
The reasoning behind this move makes sense, and Dale Jr. has thought it out well. Next year, the Nationwide series, in which his cars currently run, will move to a new car, much like the Car of Tomorrow. Dale Jr. has said that it doesn't cost much more to run a Cup team than a Nationwide team these days, and sponsorship will probably be easier to find in the Cup. Dale Jr. thinks that if he's going to have to re-tool his shop to produce the COT, why not just roll out a Cup program? In my opinion, that makes perfect sense.
During the interview, Earnhardt Jr. was asked if Martin Truex Jr. would be a part of the new cup team. Dale Jr. answered in the negative, and expanded by saying that Martin would be better off staying where he was, because a brand new Cup team invariably experiences some problems, and that it just wouldn't make sense for Truex to be a driver for JRM, at least not right out of the box. I think that makes sense as well, because whether Truex stays at DEI or not, there are plenty of other established teams out there that would be more than happy to give Martin a ride.
Tony Stewart might be a different scenario, however. Tony has expressed an interest in team ownership, and I don't know Dale Jr.'s feelings about having another driver buy into his team, but I imagine that even if you have as much money as Dale Jr. has, you still don't want to spend more on your business ventures than you have to. Two owners sharing the costs is cheaper than one owner footing the entire bill. Business is business, and I imagine Dale Jr. is at least thinking about having an investor, and old friend Tony Stewart might just be the perfect business partner.
Stewart, as a driver, is still as competitive as ever, and badly wants to win more races and championships. However, Tony is at a point in his career where he no longer has to prove anything to anyone, and if he's willing to take on the challenge of hammering out a brand new team, especially if he's got a stake in the ownership, I can't think of anyone better to take on the job. It would fulfill two of Tony's wishes, in that he would be back with Chevrolet, and he would be an owner. JRM will have the advantage of running Hendrick engines and other equipment as well, so a JRM entry into Cup racing will have a spring board that most fledgling Cup teams don't have. A Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart partnership would attract the best sponsors as well.
Will we be seeing an Earnhardt-Stewart Motorsports in the future? I think it's a definite Maybe!
Looking back at the All Star race, I'd like to congratulate Kasey Kahne for doing what no driver has ever done before by getting into the race by the fan vote, and then winning the entire show.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Chips on shoulders do not entitle one to win.
Today I break the Kyle Busch embargo. Go Kyle Busch! Go! Prove to me that you're a worthy stock car driver, and I'll always be your fan. Ok, I'm waiting.
Kyle Busch just announced that he's going to test a Formula One Car in Japan later this year. At age 23, I'm glad Kyle is branching out. He also told at least one person in the media that he was planning to retire by age 30 from Nascar stock car racing. That's great news, Kyle. I hope your competitors survive your inane antics for that long.
I said "inane". I didn't say "insane". There is a difference. Kyle Busch basically exhibits a total lack of respect for every one else on the track with whom he's racing. Kyle does not qualify as "insane" though.
Smart is as smart does, I suppose, and Kyle has shown us all how smart he can be. He's currently 1st in Cup points, with 3 wins to his credit. Kyle has not shown much class in the way he's kept his points lead, but he's still got the lead. Numbers matter, and Kyle's got the numbers that count.
Nascar, by the way, could not be happier over the recent unpleasantness between Kyle and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Rivalry equals ratings, and Nascar understands that. Kyle Busch Vs. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a rivalry that is guaranteed to generate ratings on TV. Nascar could not have had a more perfect wreck, even if it were written into a script.
We've got a non points race coming up tomorrow night, and both drivers will be in the race. If I were Dale Jr., I'd put the little punk from Las Vegas into the wall on the pace laps. But then, there is probably a reason why I write about this stuff, and don't actually drive the race cars.
Kyle Busch just announced that he's going to test a Formula One Car in Japan later this year. At age 23, I'm glad Kyle is branching out. He also told at least one person in the media that he was planning to retire by age 30 from Nascar stock car racing. That's great news, Kyle. I hope your competitors survive your inane antics for that long.
I said "inane". I didn't say "insane". There is a difference. Kyle Busch basically exhibits a total lack of respect for every one else on the track with whom he's racing. Kyle does not qualify as "insane" though.
Smart is as smart does, I suppose, and Kyle has shown us all how smart he can be. He's currently 1st in Cup points, with 3 wins to his credit. Kyle has not shown much class in the way he's kept his points lead, but he's still got the lead. Numbers matter, and Kyle's got the numbers that count.
Nascar, by the way, could not be happier over the recent unpleasantness between Kyle and Dale Earnhardt Jr. Rivalry equals ratings, and Nascar understands that. Kyle Busch Vs. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a rivalry that is guaranteed to generate ratings on TV. Nascar could not have had a more perfect wreck, even if it were written into a script.
We've got a non points race coming up tomorrow night, and both drivers will be in the race. If I were Dale Jr., I'd put the little punk from Las Vegas into the wall on the pace laps. But then, there is probably a reason why I write about this stuff, and don't actually drive the race cars.
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