2010 NSCS No. 88 HMS Chevy driven by DALE EARNHARDT JR
I keep wondering why it is that Dale Earnhardt Jr. just doesn’t get the job done most days.
Last Sunday he pulled off a top-10 finish at Bristol and I am sure that Jr. Nation is happy to see that. But why aren’t we seeing more of these kind of results? He has the equipment. But does he truly have the right chemistry with his crew? Or better yet, is he flexible enough to recognize when change is needed on the track? I know he’s a past champion in the other series, but times and equipment are different now.
Crew Chief
We’ve all heard how he used to run up one side of Eury and down the other on the radio during races. Some of us have even heard his lap-long tirades when he has to come back into the pits for a pit-crew error like a missing lug-nut. But despite being the man he is, the boy has got to put a cap on it and let the crew chief do the coaching and let it happen.
I can’t tell you for sure if Dale Jr. has already done that or if he’s still a bit of a radio-brat, but I can’t help but wonder if he would just let go for a bit.
Would that help him even farther or has he done this already? Has Papa Rick sat him down and say here’s how it is, now focus? The team keeps things close to the vest, and that’s fine. But is this the issue?
Letting Go of Stubborn and Being Flexible
During last Sunday’s Bristol race, the infamous in-car camera that everyone hates lingered from Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s car for a few laps and I’m not sure if what I’m about to describe is really what happened, but let me give it a go at describing my thoughts from what I saw.
We watched 2 cars in front of Dale Jr. fighting it out, the outside line seemed just a touch stronger as you can see that after each lap of struggle, the outside car was just a touch farther past the inside car until he did take the spot away from the inside line. Yet Dale Jr. kept dogging the inside line. He hit up the outside line for about a lap, but it didn’t pay off in that one instance, so he went back to the inside line.
I don’t think he was protecting any real estate from anyone behind him. An errant camera shot from above seemed to show that, yet he stuck it out for the inside line despite the evidence showing the strength of the outside line.
Was his car not set up to use the outside line? I don’t know. But if Jr. is being stubborn and not letting the track tell him some things, I can understand why he’s been struggling.
Of course, I could be wrong. I’ve badgered the inside line waiting for the guy in front of me to make a mistake. It works. But what if they don’t make a mistake? Eh. Then you get stupid and pay the price.
Regardless of what I thought I saw and what was from last Sunday, we all know that the prodigal son of NASCAR needs to “git ‘er done” this year. The fans need it.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Even though I am an ardent “Junior Nation” dude, I have to agree with you about getting it done this year! “The most popular driver in NASCAR” must produce this year. There are no more excuses that are acceptable.
Having said all this, I still root week in and week out for the #88, whether I am watching on TV or attending the few races each year that I can make.
Go #88!