'01 Til Now, With Dale Earnhardt...

This week marks 12 years since the 2001 Daytona 500 which ended in the tragic death of NASCAR great Dale Earnhardt.  In the wake of Earnhardt's death, NASCAR embarked on the largest safety renovation in its history, resulting in the safety of the sport in 2013.  After NASCAR celebrated the coming Daytona 500 with a remebrance of Dale Earnhardt, one must think about what might have been.

How would the sport have progressed in the past 12 years had Earnhardt not died?  Would safety measures have been made and what other differences would their be?  Lets take a look back at how the past 12 years would have been with Dale Earnhardt around.

Imagine the victory lane celebration February 18, 2001 when Michael Waltrip, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Dale Earnhardt finished 1, 2, 3.  Earnhardt now has an established NASCAR Cup Series team, capable of winning and competing each week.  He just finished second in the points in 2000 and is on the upswing again in his career.  After winning a couple races in 2001 he finishes a close second to Jeff Gordon in the 2001 Cup Championship.

In the next couple of years, driver injuries and another driver death add to the recent deaths of Kenny Irwin and Adam Petty to force NASCAR into further safety measures.  Only a handful of drivers still use open-faced helmets, but all drivers use some form of head and neck restraining device.  NASCAR is also developing safety measure in the cars to absorb more force on impact.

After finishing 5th in the 2002 Cup Series Championship points, Dale Earnhardt decides to retire after the 2003 season.  Dale Jr. finished the 2002 season 3rd in points propelling him to a Championship challenge in 2003.  New talk by NASCAR about a wider, taller, safer car with identical front ends for all manufacturers is met by contention from NASCAR veterans.  NASCAR adapts the front ends to incorporate more brand identity.

In 2004 Dale Earnhardt joins Darrell Waltrip in the broadcasting booth for a few races to add commentary, but decides against a long term contract citing too much hot air in the booth coming from Waltrip as a reason to stay on pit road.  With late season coaching from his father, Dale Jr. wins the 2004 Championship, giving DEI its first Championship and the Earnhardt family its eighth. 

Over the next few years NASCAR sees many changes amongst teams.  There is an addition of a 4th DEI team, as Earnhardt has recruited Tony Stewart away from Joe Gibbs Racing, making the DEI stable every bit as strong as NASCAR powerhouse Hendrick Motorsports.  Hendrick, losing hardheaded driver Kyle Busch to JGR, adds newcomer Juan Pablo Montoya from F1 in a single car partnership with Chip Ganassi and adds Mark Martin from Jack Roush's stable, outbidding startup owner Ginn Racing.

Heading into the current decade, NASCAR has now begun to eclipse the NFL in total market share, and continues to expand into new markets, despite a steep downturn in the economy.  However, fans still appreciate NASCAR's roots, such as its annual Labor Day weekend at the Southern 500 at Darlington, South Carolina.

No, that is not how things turned out, and probably light years from how it may have happened, but one could definitely see how the sport would have been different had the '01 500 ended differently.  Dale Earnhardt was a huge part of the sport's success, not always perfect, but always a part of the conversation.  No doubt NASCAR would be different, but one can only speculate in what ways.

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Comparing Dale Jr. To His Father, Off The Track

NASCAR fans, like those of other sports, are tremendously loyal to their favorite driver.  They wear the numbers, watch religously, and cheer in good times and bad.  When children, or even grandchildren, of drivers have begun racing careers they are instantly compared to their fathers, older brothers, or grandfathers.  Pettys, Bakers, Jarretts, Wallaces, Earnhardts and more have had to prove themselves worthy of carrying their own name.

So many people have compared Dale Earnhardt Jr. to his late father, especially while he was trying to recoup from dissappointing finishes the last few seasons.  They often compared his ability to draft or "see the air" to his father's ability at NASCAR's restrictor plate tracks, Daytona and Talladega.  They have even compared his less aggressive style to his father's aggressiveness that got him the nicknames Ironhead and Intimidator.

Junior's inability to be 'Dale Earnhardt' has often been discussed, but almost always in reference to their on track talents, not their off track successes.  So just how does Dale Jr. compare to his father from monday to thursday?

In Earnhardt's later years he was known as one of NASCAR's best business men.  Earnhardt owned car dealerships, was part owner in a minor league baseball team, started and ran a multi-car NASCAR Sprint Cup team (Winston Cup at the time), and had by far the most successful merchandising machine selling Dale Earnhardt, #3, and DEI merchandise by the millions.

Dale Earnhardt's marketing business was eventually sold to Action Performance, which is currently owned by Speedway Motorsports Inc. and International Speedway Corp., owners of most of NASCAR's tracks, marketing and more.  His head of marketing that helped build his empire was Joe Mattes.  Where does Mr. Mattes currently work?  You guessed it, as VP of Merchandising and Licensing for JRMotorsports.

JRMotorsports began as a management company for Dale Earnhardt Jr., but has grown into a merchandising company and Nationwide Series racing team combined.  In 2006, JRM began running Nationwide series races and since has begun the NASCAR careers of both Danica Patrick and 2012 Sprint Cup Chamption Brad Keselowski.

Whether you are a fan of the 88 on the track or not, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has had a huge amount of success off the track.  He has appeared or done voice work in movies like Talladega Nights and Cars.  He has appeared in music videos for Sheryl Crow, Jay-Z, Nickelback, Three Doors Down, Trace Adkins and more.

Ok, so you say that has all come because of his last name... Yeah, probably, but he has taken that opportunity and ran with it.  His enjoyment of NASCAR history was the foundation to his ownership of Hammerhead Media, a production company that produced his show Back In The Day which aired on the Speed Channel and Shifting Gears which aired on ESPN2.

Earnhardt Jr.'s latest ventures include opening two large-scale bar/nightclubs in both Charlotte, NC and Jacksonville, FL called Whiskey River and two car dealerships in Tallahassee, FL which he ownes in conjunction with Rick Hendrick.

No, Junior will never win seven championships.  He may not win the first one. But whether you believe he is worthy of driving a Cup car (I do) or not, he most definitely learned much from his father off the track as well.

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A 2013 NASCAR Wish List

With Christmas quickly approaching, the 2012 season firmly in the rear view mirror, and January's testing season on the horizon, many possibilities surround NASCAR's Sprint Cup teams.  Drivers are wondering how the new cars will race, Crew Chiefs are trying to adjust their track notes to the chassis changes, and fans are hoping bowl season will keep their minds off the lack of racing to watch.

Below are my top 5 NASCAR wishes this Christmas; wishes for fans, for drivers, and with crew members in mind.  Please include some NASCAR wishes of your own in the comment section below!

Wish #5: Repaired Restrictor-Plate Racing

During the past few years, racing at Talladega and Daytona has been odd, sometimes boring, and always leaves at least half of the fans dissappointed.  With "tandem racing" becoming the norm, even with small adjustments by NASCAR, the racing has been an evolving mess that has determined itself.  Sometimes the racing is good, but races with only 10 or so cars being competitive for the first 90% of the race will not keep fans, or even drivers satisfied.

The new car template that has given teams a more product-identifiable image has a more rounded, less flat front bumper, so one would hope that staying linked up will be more difficult, but only time will tell.  As long as drivers feel they can link up with another driver, for however long, and pull away, tandem racing will remain.  However, if NASCAR could continue to allow more speed, be it with smaller plates or not, drivers will feel less comfortable having someone shoving them around the track.

Wish #4: A New Rivalry

Ok, so most of us have paid attention to the on and off track "dissagreeent" between Jeff Gordon and Clint Boyer.  Perhaps that will continue into 2013, perhaps not, but what NASCAR needs is another great ON TRACK rivalry.  I don't mind hearing a driver  "jaw-jacking" before or after a race about another driving, but prove it on the track!  Yes, Gordon and Bowyer did somewhat the last race, but neither were racing for a championship at that point.

The problem with this generation of drivers is that they don't quite have the "showmanship" that yesteryear's drivers did.  Yes, they are polished and great for sponsors, but that is not what I mean.  Instead of playing up on-track tensions or throwing out a taunting challenge, leading to added tension and raised efforts, they show their aggravation on track by tearing up cars or try to "fight" in the garage.  Usually that is all followed up by a stone faced "pretty boy" trying to sound good for their sponsor.

Lets see a Petty-Pearson rivalry, or a Earnhardt-Waltrip rivalry.  Run your mouth all you want, but prove who is best at racing, not who is best at wrecking.

Wish #3: More Cars On The Track

For the past few years, more and more owners of small teams have seen it more profitable for them to "start and park" their cars. They make a race only to run a few laps and call it a day. In turn, they spend less on tires, take less risk of wrecking, and can use an engine more, lowering their overall operating costs leaving more for pay.

In turn, less lower tier drivers and teams can make a name for themselves and/or move up through "the ranks" of the sport. Whether or not they have bettered or worsened the overall sponsorship market around the sport is for someone else to decide. The simple fact that drivers are starting and parking, simply being satisfied with being an "also ran" is just a sad comment on the sport in general.

Wish #2: More Fans In The Stands

The state of the economy and everyone's tightening wallet was very apparent during the 2012 season.  Empty seats at Bristol, Martinsville, and Daytona were amazing, not to mention the attendance at less important races.  People are having some difficulty buying 2-4 $60 and up tickets, yes, but spending that $240 plus the two night stay at a motel, concessions and a tshirt and not too many families can handle a family race weekend these days.

Is there anything NASCAR can do about it?  Not much, in my opinion.  It is possible that tracks could charge even less, especially for Nationwide and Truck Series races, which survive mostly on sponsor money, not track attendance money.  Either way, the likelihood that the entry-level price to attend a race will drop to bring in fans is miniscule.  A better overall economy and more door banging are the only things that can fill all the seats.

Wish #1: A Return To What Works!

One of the best moves NASCAR is making for the 2013 season is a return of auto brand identification to the cars.  This brings back some, however small an amount, of the old school character of the sport.  No, there will not be any huge spoilers or bench seats, but seeing a car that I could imagine driving down the highway beating and banging with a driver I can't stand makes me want to watch more racing.

What NASCAR needs to do is to continue a return of some of the 'old school' aspects of the sport that truly worked.  Bringing back a Labor Day race at Darlington, for example, would be a move that would not only make older fan's happy, but it could also be a way to accquaint new fans with some NASCAR roots.  Along those same line, NASCAR could dedicate one or two races each season that they would move around between a set of 4 or 5 tracks.  Iowa, Milwaukee, Rockingham, Road America, or even a street race similar to Indycar's Grand Prix of Baltimore would be great races to have every other or ever third year to bring something different to NASCAR and bring NASCAR to some new markets.  Could you imagine a NASCAR race through the streets of a metropolitan city?

There, those are my top 5 NASCAR wishes for next year, what are yours?
 

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Earnhardt Jr. Haters Are Fuming

After a week off and some relaxation, the NASCAR stars were back to action at one of the world's most loved tracks, Indianapolis.  With a dwindling amount of races left to the Chase cutoff, teams were looking to make a move and either gain bonus points to begin the Chase or to make their way into the Chase by way of victories.

At the top of the story pile, as usual, was Dale Earnhardt Jr.  He was looking to top his best Brickyard finish (6th), become only the second 'son' to win in a 'father/son' combination, to tie Jeff Gordon for most consecutive lead lap finishes in the Modern Era, and to further solidify himself near the top of the standings in preparation for the Chase.  Some 400 miles and a small amount of side-by-side racing later, Earnhardt Jr. finished the day completing 3 of his 4 goals.  Although his teammate, Jimmie Johnson, piloted the 48 to a dominating win, his 4th at Indy, Dale Jr. finished 4th and took over the Sprint Cup Series points lead after Matt Kenseth was collected in a late race collision. 

And the smoke begins.

Although Earnhardt Jr. has had a great season, by many measures his best ever, there have always been and will always be those who cannot stand the attention and following he garners.  Whether those people are former fans that had their feelings hurt by his poor performances from 2006-2010, or they are die hard Kyle Petty fans who only wish their 'son of a legend' favorite had the same ability, they will not be happy.  They are more than willing to pile-on criticism whether Junior is finishing in the top-5 or if he has a bad race and finishes outside the top-10.  They call him "Over88ted", under-talented, rookie, and more.  There is even an Over88ted.com, dedicated to pointing out every Dale Earnhardt Jr. mistake.  And they range from low level, blogging hack to 'Sr. Bleacher Report Analyst', and even a "Journalist" for the Charlotte Observer.  Thankfully, there are also sites like 88-Central, a NASCAR forum website where Junior and NASCAR fans can vent!

This weekend, as Kenseth's car, and points lead, went up in flames, the on-air personalities for ESPN simply pointed out that if the race were to finish as they were running Dale Earnhardt Jr. would be the new points leader.  That fact so aggravated the Junior haters that Charlotte Observer writer, and blogger at ThatsRacin.com, Jim Utter tweeted "Can we wait until the race is over before we crown Dale Junior champion?", which he followed with "Dale Junior is NOT the former, current or future points leader."  Sounds like a particularly impartial NASCAR journalist.

As blogger Jay Busbee wrote in his Yahoo Sports blog, "From The Marbles", the Junior haters are having to "dig deeper."  Some of them are flat speechless, choosing to hold their tongue while praying for a misstep on which to pounce.  Some, not unlike Mr. Utter, are in apparent denial.

Oh, and for the Over88ted.com site?  They have a clock that counts how long it has been since driver 88 has won...  It did not get updated after Michigan, surprisingly enough.  Instead it clicks on, like a town clock above a deserted town square.  It's funny what jealousy can do to people...

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Is Rubbin' Still Racin'?

Rubbing is racing.  We have all heard it and 99% of us has said it on multiple occasions.  Since NASCAR began, quarter panels and bumpers were made to take a beating.  Different from the open wheel racing of Indycar, NASCAR promotes close racing and in many cases a gentle nudge is the only way to set up a pass.

This rough-neck racing has made for driver spats, fan fights, and many trips to the NASCAR hauler.  The whole while, NASCAR has expanded its following, multiplied its marketing, and carved its place among the top sports franchises in the world.

However, over the past few years, blatant wrecking and on and off track retaliation have followed NASCAR's famous "drivers, have at it" rule.  NASCAR has clarified and penalized yet most drivers have not quite taken the point.  This past week, especially in the Nationwide Series, has been case in point.  Drivers have opted to simply wreck someone out of the way rather than loosen them up and take the spot.

Perhaps they need to be reminded of "Harry Hogge's" quote from "Days of Thunder", the WHOLE quote.  He said, "No, no, he didn't slam you, he didn't bump you, he didn't nudge you... he *rubbed* you.  And rubbin, son, is racin'."  Not slamming, rubbing.

As much as it pains me to say, the best example of "rubbin" this past week had to have been Kurt Busch.  Yes, I said it, and yes it hurt.  He rubbed the bumper of Clint Bowyer's #15 Toyota on multiple occasions coming to the end of the race.  Although I waited for it to happen on every turn, he never punted him off course.  Yes, he did lose, but he did not lose what little bit of dignity he is trying to regain.  I don't know if he gained any fans on Sunday, but Kurt Busch definitely regained some respect from drivers and fans alike. 

Perhaps Busch has remembered one of Hogge's other quotes from the movie, "Oh he can drive. He can drive beyond the limits of the tires, the engine, the car or anything else. If the sum' b___ listened to me we wouldn't hardly ever lose a race!" 

I would be remiss if I did not include a quote for Jacques Villeneuve.  I wouldn't be surprised if Danica Patrick is heard on the radio at Montreal (road course) quoting "Russ Wheeler" with a " if he comes near me I'm gonna put him in the wall. Simple as that."

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Letarte Helping Dale Jr., From Start To Finish

With many people questioning the move by Steve Letarte, Crew Chief for the #88 Chevy driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr., late in Sunday's race at Pocono Raceway to take fuel rather than gamble for a win, I just thought I would underscore some reasons Letarte is making the right decisions for the #88 driver.  Although mistakes are made on a weekly basis by every, yes, every team, the overall direction of Letarte's team is in the right direction.  In fact, some issues Earnhardt has had for several years have been fairly well solved.

For one, Junior has had an issue with qualifying for quite some time.  I don't think it is totally because he has not had good setups, and I know it is not for lack of power.   When he began driving for Hendrick Motorsports in 2008, Earnhardt Jr. had a average starting position of 10.3, the best season average of his career.  However, after the one win that year (at Michigan, his last win, 4 years ago this week) finishes began to taper off, finishing outside the lead lap in five of the ten Chase races. 

After Earnhardt's confidence in himself and the #88 team began to go away, so did his qualifying attempts.  Over the next three years his starting average was 22.2, 19.0, and last year 19.6, which were out of character for Dale Jr., whose career average is 16.4.  This year, Dale Jr. has put up good qualifying numbers almost every week.  In fact, he has only two starts outside the top 20.  Compare that to last year when, in the first 14 races, he had only three starts inside the top 20. 

I thoroughly believe that the primary reason for the change in qualifying success has been confidence.  Confidence that his grip will hold when entering a corner at 160 mph, confidence that he has a crew chief that has listened to his feedback and adjusted accordingly, and confidence that if he gives his 100%, so will his team.

That confidence is the main reason I think Letarte chose to pit and take fuel in a late race caution on Sunday.  Dale Jr. himself pointed out to Letarte that he would not be forgiven if the #88 car ran out of fuel.  In later interviews, Earnhardt Jr. alluded to the fact that running out of gas would have ruined his confidence, the team's focus, and the upward direction of the #88 team as a whole.   I agree.

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Dale Jr. Reaches New Level Of Consistency

All the speculators thought this weekend was the week.  Hendrick was to get their 200th win and Dale Earnhardt Jr. was to break his losing streak and make all of Junior Nation happy once again.  Sometimes things just don't work out the way you plan.  However, Dale Jr. can be thrilled with his 9th place finish for another reason!

Dale Earnhardt Jr's top 10 finish at Talladega marked his 8th in the first 10 races of this season which is the first time he has ever surpassed 7 top 10's to begin a season.  Junior has reached 7/10 three other times (2003, 2004, and 2008). 

An 80% top ten mark to start the NASCAR season has been reached 47 times in the Cup Era (since 1975), and has been accomplished by that year's champion 13 times out of 36 years.  However, that has not been accomplished since NASCAR went to the Chase format.  In fact, the last time it happened was one year prior when Matt Kenseth won the championship with only 1 win.

Dale Earnhardt started the season with 8 top tens in 7 of his seasons, including 6 championship years.  The next driver on the list was Darrell Waltrip, who made that mark 6 times, including twice of those being 9 top 10's out of 10 races.  Out of the other NASCAR greats, Terry Labonte did it 5 times, Jeff Gordon 3, Bobby Allison 3, Cale Yarborough 2, and Richard Petty 2 times.

Some notable drivers not on that list were Jimmie Johnson, Tony Stewart, and other current top drivers.  The best knowledge to take away from that fact is that these racers have been excellent in the past 8 years at turning it on from the summer on, especially during the Chase.  This has been an issue for Junior in the past as even though he has won at some Chase races, such as Talladega and Phoenix, he has not been able to put together 10 great races at the end of the season as he has now at the beginning.

In the mean time, Earnhardt Jr. and the 88 team as a whole are enjoying a building of momentum including 6 straight top ten finishes.  They are listed as the best team over the past 6 races, Junior has one of the highest average driver ratings he has had in his career, and people are looking for them to win week in and week out.  The most important thing driver 88 can do now is prove those people right...

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Is Dale Earnhardt Jr. Getting Too Old To Compete?

Ok, it is just over 3 weeks to Daytona.  The NASCAR season is about to begin.  The front stretch of Daytona International Speedway is cooling down from the 24 hours of racing last weekend at the Rolex 24.  It will not be long until Speedweeks arrives, Dale Earnhardt Jr. does well in either Daytona 500 qualifying, the Gatorade qualifying races or both and Junior haters will begin saying he is overrated, incapable, in over his head or any number of other detractions. 

I never have understood why people so fervently hate Dale Earnhardt Jr.  I know he has a ton of fans that can, admittedly, become obnoxious at times.  I know he has had a ton of coverage and will continue to do so.  But just what is it that makes their blood boil?

I am sure a large part of the anger is the TV, print, and internet coverage he gets.  Let’s admit it:  programs get more views, articles get more reads, and blogs get more clicks when the name Dale Earnhardt Jr. comes into play.  But do the Jr. haters think their driver deserves more attention?  Perhaps!  However, when asked, most of them will not tell you who their favorite driver is.  Odd.

One of the main things Jr. haters throw out is that Dale Earnhardt Jr. isn’t getting any younger.  I have even seen this little thought grace the lines on ESPN, NASCAR.com, and many other blogs.  So just how hold is he and is he past his prime, which the Jr. hater would say never came?

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was born October 10, 1974.  Entering the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup season he will be a ripe old 37.  He has no Sprint Cup Championships and 18 Sprint Cup wins to show for 12 years of full time Sprint Cup racing.  Will he amass a huge sum of wins?  Can he win a championship or more than one?  Or is he just a few years away from climbing from the car, grabbing hold to his walker, and hobbling off into the sunset?

Well, let’s compare Dale Jr. to some great racers from the past.  I know most people, especially Jr. haters, will compare him to his father.  Comparing someone to the best is interesting, but not always sensible.  Let’s see how Dale Earnhardt Jr. compares to some other drivers, such as Dale Jarrett and Cale Yarborough.

I know that many fans would not consider Jarrett one of the greatest, but he is a past champion and had 32 Cup wins.  Earnhardt Jr. is entering his 13^th year in Cup and has 18 wins and 0 championships.  Entering his 13^th season, Jarrett also had 18 wins and 0 championships.  No, Dale Jarrett was not 37.  Indeed, he was 42.

So just how did Jarrett fare in the 5 years after?  Well, he had 13 wins and 1 championship, with an average season finish of 9^th.

Cale Yarborough is widely thought of as one of the toughest NASCAR drivers ever.  It is often said that he could manhandle any car in any situation.  It is no shock then that he was able to have success in his later years.  Yarborough raced in 284 races winning 31 times over a 18 year period before winning his first championship at the age of 37.  Yarborough went on to win 40 times, 3 consecutive championships, and had an average points finish of 2^nd over the next 5 years.

No, don’t blast me yet.  I am not saying that Earnhardt Jr. is on the edge of a run like Yarborough had.  Nor do I think he is as tough.  But the simple fact is that 37 is not entirely that old in NASCAR.

Yes, there have been huge gains by young drivers over the past 15 years or so.  But handfuls of wins aside, Sprint Cup Championships don’t tend to be won by the “Young Guns”.  For example, there has not been a Champion younger than 25 since Jeff Gordon did it at 23 in 1995.  On top of that, it has only been done that one time since Bill Rexford did it at 23 in NASCAR’s second year, 1950 (which was, by the way, more impressive since he did not race in 2 of the 19 races.)  There have only been 11 champions under the age of 30 since NASCAR’s inception 63 seasons ago, most recently Kurt Busch in 2004.

One other number: the average age of the Sprint Cup Champion over the last 10 years is 32.

No, Earnhardt Jr is not too old to win.  No, he is not too old to win the championship.  Debate his skills.  Hate the attention he gets.  Say he is the worst driver in the garage (stretching it quite a bit).  But he is not too old.  Let me know when he starts growing the beard solely to produce hair plugs, or his prostate will only allow him to run 200 mile races.  Then we can talk.

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Can Kyle Busch Focus?

Over the last 10 years, no drivers have been compared to the late Dale Earnhardt more than Kyle Busch with exception of Dale Jr. and possibly Tony Stewart.  Kyle Busch has been known for his smirky grins, his dented front bumper, and his ability to let his temper both push him to win and at times push him to be called on the carpet by NASCAR.  There is probably no closer copy of Dale Earnhardt's early years in NASCAR.

Long before the black #3 had millions of fans and won 6 championships in 9 years, Dale Earnhardt drove a pink #2 followed by the yellow #3 Wrangler car.  Those cars and Earnhardt's long hair and bushy mustache were synonymous with on-track beating and banging.  Yes Earnhardt won the championship in 1980, his second year, but he did not produce consistent domination until he developed his ability for long term focus. 

There is no worker in the garage, fan in the stands, or commentator on Sunday afternoons that doubts Kyle Busch's ability for short term focus.  Every driver in NASCAR knows exactly how far Busch will go if he ends up on their rear bumper with 10 to go.  But what Kyle Busch has lacked is the ability turn winning races into winning Sprint Cups.

Part of what has been in Kyle's way of winning Cups is the fact that the season is long.  Thirty years ago when Dale Earnhardt was wrecking Waltrip and Labonte the season was 29 or 30 races long.  Today Busch is driving in 36 Sprint Cup races per season.  That is, when he can control himself.  Sure that is only 6 more races, you may say, but that is a month and a half more of a season.  Multiply on top of that the fact that Busch has been racing Nationwide races and truck series races and managing his own truck series team.  No wonder that by mid October he may not remember exactly where NASCAR's line is.  I'm sure they are more than happy to point it out for him when needed.

Some of that packed schedule may be thinned for the 2012 season.  Word out this week is that Busch will possibly run a small Nationwide schedule with little to no truck series races.  Although Busch would rather be behind the wheel than anywhere else, perhaps given some time to sit and watch could do him good, especially as the season progresses.

In the past 4 years Kyle Busch has had one of the best winning totals in NASCAR, 19 wins, just two behind Jimmie Johnson.  However, in those years when he should have contended and possibly won championships, Busch had zero wins in the final 12 races of the year.  Actually, Kyle Busch has only one Chase win in his career and that was in 2005.  Also, in 2008 when Busch dominated victory lane with 8 wins, he had no wins in the final 14 races.  All of the 8 wins came in the first 22 races.  Yes, 8 out of 22 is domination, but 0 for 14 allows championships to slip away, especially in the Chase format.

Will a thinning of his itinerary and a tight grip on the reigns by Joe and J.D. Gibbs propel Busch to contend and perhaps win the championship in 2012 or beyond?  Time will tell, but I don't foresee him wrecking any cars under caution or spinning any unmanned cars on pit road during the 2012 season.  That, of course, doesn't mean he can't "rattle their cage" every now and then...

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NASCAR's Burning Busch...

As everyone who follows NASCAR knows, this past weekend NASCAR "benched" Kyle Busch, driver of the Joe Gibbs Racing number 18 M&M's Toyota, not only for the Nationwide Series race on Saturday, but also for the Sprint Cup Series race on Sunday at Texas Motor Speedway.  After spinning Truck Series driver and championship contender Ron Hornaday during a caution flag lap, Busch was called onto the carpet by NASCAR for what may be the worst penalty of his career.  May be...

I say that because NASCAR has made it clear to great drivers in the past and no doubt has made it clear to Mr. Busch now that NASCAR races will continue whether he is in a car or not.  Past greats such as Rusty Wallace and Darrell Waltrip have made comments in the past that they have been cut down to size by NASCAR as well, so the sentiment is not new, but one has to wonder just how Kyle Busch will receive it.  Will Busch continue to burn out of control or will the fire be put out?  Hopefully for Kyle Busch and JGR it will be somewhere in the middle.

This season supposedly brought out the "new and improved" Kyle Busch after JGR had to reassure sponsors last year that Busch would play by rules and be a good face for their brands.  The new calmer and less "Rowdy" Busch, who most of the year looked as though he had gained a few pounds after his off-season marriage, won less races during the 2011 season but seemed poised to make a serious run for the Sprint Cup as he entered the Chase.  No doubt the let down of another Cup slipping away from his grasp fanned the flame in his Toyota Tundra last Friday night.

Another question is what assurance can Joe and JD Gibbs give their #18 sponsors heading into the 2012 season that this will not occur again?  Will any of their sponsors look elsewhere to spend their money?  Only time will tell.  I am sure that if Busch begins to stack up wins again that the sponsors will be happy to ride along, no matter how bumpy the road.

It may well be a good idea for JGR to seek sponsorship money for the #18 from UFC, WWE, or perhaps having him do some public awareness ads showing him teaching police officers how to properly spin cars out with the PIT maneuver.  Give him a black paint job, buy the #13 for him, and embrace the image.  Or better yet, buy him the #2 and paint the car pink.  To much, Earnhardt fans?  Don't tar and feather me, I am one of you.

The simple fact is that a "Rowdy" Busch is good for NASCAR.  Does NASCAR need Kyle Busch, no more than they need in-car cameras or double-file restarts.  But they sure make the races more interesting.

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Dale Jr. A Villain? Yes, Please!

During Sunday's Sprint Cup Series race at Martinsville Speedway, Dale Earnhardt Jr. did all he could to win friends and influence people.  He rubbed a lot of elbows...well, fenders.  Yet several racers, like Carl Edwards and Denny Hamlin, had sour words to say about him on their in-car radios. 

Of course I am being sarcastic.  Junior ruffled many feathers, but at least he did so with a smile!

For a few years now, well, at least since he has been at Hendrick Motorsports, he has been more "prim and proper."  Rarely looking scruffy, cleaning up his off-track persona, and being more even-handed on the track became a way of life with his new team.  I was not a fan of Dale Jr.'s changes initially, but Hendrick Motorsports has grown on this NASCAR fan that began as a #3 fanatic.

Many of Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s fans have screamed for years that he needed to be more aggressive, and less polished.  Although Dale Jr. has never been huge on using his front bumper and has always wanted to win "the right way," he has definitely been sure to repay any rough driving with swift retribution. 

On Sunday, Dale Jr. said on the radio that he would like it if NASCAR had more short track races but that if they did he might become a "villain."  He added "I'm getting kind of a reputation."  Well, I am sure JR Nation would be glad to see it.  Most of his reputation on Sunday came from not only his use of his fenders but also for his aggressive entrance to the corners on the outside.  He made some drivers a bit edgy, as Hamlin said on his radio that "the 88 is all over the place." 

Hmm, made drivers edgy.  Used his front bumper.  Drove aggressively.  Who does that remind you of....?

For the most part, Junior's driving at Martinsville was due to the fact that he had a very fast car and knew it.  Although many people would add that he may have had a better finish if he had been more conservative early, few could argue that driver 88 didn't enjoy driving this Sunday.

The question is how can Letarte and Hendrick get Dale Jr. to be that aggressive every week.  He has had fast cars at other tracks, but it's the knowing part that comes up short.  He has not had as much confidence in the setups and chassis since his slide this summer.  If he and Letarte can continue with their confidence building the next three races, the 88 crew could start off 2012 with a head of steam.

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The Most Boring Talladega Race Ever?

Yes, I said it.  I doubt I am the only one.  I am sure there will be plenty of reporters and comentators saying how great the two car racing is and how much the NASCAR fans love it.  My reply to them is best summed up by two words: Empty Seats.

Sure, some of you will say I am testy simply because Dale Jr. was relegated to another disappointing Talladega finish.  Perhaps you are correct, but let me finish.

I believe that NASCAR's premier series is best when they have 43 (or as close to 43 as they can get) competitive cars all racing to get their best finish.  No "team orders."  No need for a "partner." 

Yet this past Sunday we had about 20 teams competing.  We had drivers told not to help other makes (Ford, Chevy, Etc) so that drivers with their own make that are in the Chase would benefit.  (No, I am not just speaking of the Roush/Bayne situation, because I am sure it happened with other teams as well.)  We saw about half the field content with laying back until about 20 laps to go.  They were simply happy to just ride for about 170 laps to compete in the last 18. 

NASCAR, that is not competition.

After the race, Richard Childress made the point that the drivers are not on the track to simply ride around.  I am sure that his former driver of the #3 would totally agree.  Previously, Dale Jr. would have as well.  Although he and Johnson have laid back in the past 2 or 3 plate races, earlier in his career Junior prefered to be ahead of the "big one" rather than dodging it from the back of the pack.  Hopefully the Hendrick teams can see that laying back with this two car tandem racing may be easy to overcome with 100 laps to go, but not so easy when everyone else at the back is also trying to wake up and start racing in the final laps.

Don't get me wrong.   Although I do prefer the pack racing to this ridiculous two-car stuff, much of what I am complaining about would still occur.  Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. would probably still have "hidden out" in the back.  Trevor Bayne would still have been scolded for helping Jeff Gordon.

Should NASCAR fix this non-racing and make Talladega competitive again or should they simply tell the drivers that Talladega will only be 30 laps next year so they can conserve fuel and quit wasting tires simply to make time for commercials.  How many fans actually watched all 188 laps anyway?  I did.  But I will admit that the last 30 were the only laps where all the cars were actually competing. 

Again... NASCAR, that is not competition.

How can NASCAR fix the restrictor plate races.  Can they remove the restrictor plates?  This is what many NASCAR purists would love.  "Let 'em loose," they would say.  But with safety being so paramount these days, NASCAR will not let the cars maintain a speed above 200 mph.  Although that would do away with pack racing and tandem racing, if NASCAR says its not going to happen, it is not going to happen.

There are other possible solutions.  Changing the shape of the front and/or rear bumpers so that "linking up" is much more difficult is a possibility.  Opening the Restrictor plate up much more so that the car's ability to produce horsepower by itself makes running in a pack less necessary.  Mandate that the air intakes on the front bumper be only in the center of the bumper, that would really screw up the two car tandems.  I am sure there are others, but NASCAR should know after this weekend that 1/64th of an inch more opening in the restrictor plate and lowering the pressure allowed on the cooling system by a few pounds makes absolutely no difference whatsoever.

Perhaps NASCAR should conduct a test with one car from each team and experiment with several packages on track.  Obviously the wind patterns on the "drawing board" don't react the same way they do at Talladega and Daytona.

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Earnhardt Jr. And Letarte Return To Early Season Results

Beginning the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup season as a new driver/crew chief duo, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Steve Letarte were unsure how soon success would come, but were resolved to reach it.  Within a few weeks, the 88 team was finishing near the front week after week.  What was exciting to watch was not that they were dominating.  They weren’t.

For several years Earnhardt had been experiencing an occasional good run coupled with weeks of disappointing finishes.  In most of those races Earnhardt would race near the front until something went wrong with the handling of the car.  Soon after losing the handle on the car he would drift toward the back of the pack.

Many people supposed that Earnhardt had lost his nerve.  They thought that his inability to wrestle with ill-handling cars showed a lack of desire and hunger.  Often fans and commentators alike said that Earnhardt was done.

Others thought Dale Jr. was just distracted.  They said he was so focused on trying to appease his fans’ expectations for him to be as good as his late father that he was overwhelmed.  Or they would suppose that his bar-opening, late-sleeping, and fun loving life was not disciplined enough for him to ever meet his true potential.

All the while, Rick Hendrick, Earnhardt’s boss and owner of Hendrick Motorsports, was trying to figure out just who Earnhardt needed behind him to help him compete.  He originally tried Tony Eury Jr., Earnhardt’s cousin, with whom he had some success at DEI.  After that combo fell apart, Hendrick matched Earnhardt up with Lance McGrew, a previous winning crew chief in the Nationwide Series with multiple driver and a technical thinker who had headed up Hendrick’s R&D team.

After limited successes, disappointing progress, and too much radio traffic of short tempers, Hendrick decided to make changes at the end of the 2010 season.  Hendrick decided to pair Earnhardt up with Letarte, the crew chief of the 24 car and Jeff Gordon.  Gordon and Letarte had cooled from some earlier successes and were in need of a new spark. 

With Letarte we were told Earnhardt was getting a cheerleader.  We was to be the eternal optimist that could handle Junior’s tirades and redirect his energy into the race.  For the most part, in the first half of the season that is what happened.  Along with getting better communication and seemingly more dedication from Earnhardt, Letarte was able to make good changes to the car throughout the race and keep Junior focused on pulling out a good finish.

Monday that is what happened again.  After a summer long run of poor finishes, conservative setups, and worrying over a fleeting possibility of a Chase berth, Earnhardt and Letarte finished a race off similar to their spring finishes.  Earnhardt had a mediocre car most of the afternoon, staying in the mid teens and rarely making waves.  However, after adjusting time after time, Earnhardt looked strong in the final run of the race.  He made several passes, getting into the top 10 for the first time of the race, and then with help from cars with poor fuel mileage, Earnhardt rose to 3^rd by the checkered flag.

With their first top 5 finish since Kansas in early June, Earnhardt and Letarte also have scored his best first race finish of the Chase since he finished 3^rd at Loudon in 2004.  In 2004 Junior began the Chase with 5 wins and a favorite to win his first championship. Although he won at Talladega, he then fizzled out after wrecks in both race 6 and 7 of the ’04 Chase.

This year Earnhardt and Letarte are the underdog’s in the Chase, merely happy and relieved to have made the cut.  Perhaps their relief coupled with a change in luck from the summer could help the duo do well and end their first season with hints of a great year next year.  Or perhaps they could make this year a great year.  Either way, I guarantee Earnhardt will finish higher than 13th.

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How Will “Team Earntarte” Handle Adversity Heading To Daytona

The Amp Energy, #88, of Dale Earnhardt Jr. came into this weekend 3rd in points with 8 top ten finishes. He had recently been knocking on the door of his first win in more than 3 years while on the cusp of his best season since coming to Hendrick Motorsports.

Of course, the short term prognosis was not so good.

The race this weekend, at Infineon Raceway, is one of the worst races for Dale Jr. He struggles on the road courses, excluding his one Nationwide win at Watkins Glen. His best finish at Sonoma prior to this week was 11th. I am sure he would have gladly taken an 11th and headed to Daytona early.

Instead, he began the race 18th and ran mostly around 20th until, on lap 38, he was on the receiving end of a disagreement between the rear bumper of Brian Vickers’ car and the front bumper of Tony Stewart’s car. Guess who won... Of course, Tony Stewart did – for a while.

I’ll tell you who lost: Dale Earnhardt Jr., not Brian Vickers. Dale Jr. went to the pits and came back out, but on lap 49 he had to go to the garage due to engine failure from overheating. He eventually finished 41st, relegating him to a second straight poor finish due to someone else and a slide to 7th from 3rd in the points.

How did the other two fair? Stewart finished 39th and Vickers 36th after the two had contact later in the race. Amazing, this time the disagreement was between the front bumper of Vickers’ car and the rear bumper of Stewart’s car. Funny how that happens.

Stewart later admitted to “dumping” Vickers in the initial contact because he felt Vickers was blocking him. Something “Smoke”, of course, never does. It’s funny because they all do it. They just tend to do it less to people who will wreck them for it, a talent these two are in the process of proving to each other.

In the meantime, Junior heads into Daytona with a familiar feeling. He had his first finish outside the top 25 and his first consecutive finishes outside the top 20 this year. The question this week will be how the new duo of Letarte and Earnhardt will handle the tough couple of races. Will they come through the tunnel at Daytona eager to race and determined to win, or will Earnhardt slide back to the complaining he did in 2010 if the car is not as strong as he hopes.

There probably are few places the 88 team would rather go when they need a rebound, however. Earnhardt Jr. and Hendrick Motorsports both have excellent records at Daytona, with wins a-plenty. Junior has two wins, himself, at Daytona, but one in particular shows how well he can drive there with a lot on his mind.

In 2001, months after losing his father on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500, he powered his way to the front to win the July race at Daytona. He came into the race facing the memory of his father’s death, but also was coming off of 3 straight finishes of 19th or worse.

No, this week is not 2001, and the number on the roof will be 88, not 8. But there are few places Dale Jr. feels at home the same way he does at Daytona.

Homecoming or not, the days leading up to Saturday will be important for Steve Letarte. He will have plenty of people looking to see how he can refocus the team along with the driver. If the past is any indication of how Letarte will do, however, get ready. After all, he has done a pretty good job of righting the ship for the 88 so far…


Follow Joseph on Twitter @the_Bumpdrafter

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NASCAR’s Greatest Crew Chief

With the announcement this week of 5 new inductees into NASCAR’s Hall Of Fame, NASCAR has recognized some of its greatest competitors. The third induction class will include Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip, Richie Evans, Dale Inman and Glen Wood. Each of these people have stamped their name on NASCAR in many ways, but for most newer fans, the name of Dale Inman may be a mystery.

It is easily understood, however, that Inman could be relatively unknown to the casual fans of the past 20 years. After all, for most of his career he stood in the shadow of one of NASCAR’s largest heroes. Richard Petty won seven championships, 200 races, and will forever be known as the “King” of NASCAR. He dominated the sport for the better part of two decades. Yet much of his success may have never come about if not for Dale Inman.

Dale Inman, Petty’s first cousin, was the first person to personify what we associate today with title “Crew Chief.” He was Petty’s crew chief from 1960 until leaving the team after winning the Daytona 500 in 1981. He had 192 victories and 7 championships with Richard Petty, along with 10 straight, and 27 total in 1967. His ability to set up the 43 and to keep the handling to Petty’s liking in no small part helped Petty become the “King.”

After leaving Petty in 1981, Inman worked with Dale Earnhardt on the #2 Wrangler car for part of the season. Earnhardt, the defending champion, left the team mid-season due to an owner change, but had several top 5 finishes with Inman in what could have been a budding relationship. Earnhardt would go on to race for Richard Childress and win 6 more championships, while Inman would join Terry Labonte a few years later for Labonte’s first championship.

His role in creating the basis for the crew chief position, along with his 190 plus wins and 8 championships definitely makes Inman the most important, if not the best crew chief of all time.

There are those, such as Leonard Wood, who would later be credited as one of the best and smartest crew chiefs in NASCAR history. However, to place Wood, and others of that day, in context, they were generally hailed as great for finding a way to beat the 43. While Wood and others tried to outsmart other teams by being innovative, Petty, with Inman, simply dominated. They pounded out every race with consistent, powerful cars and a driver that often would assume the lead as if it were a birthright.

NASCAR fanatic or casual fan, anyone can appreciate the special ability and character it takes for a person to build the caliber of career that Dale Inman built over three decades. Not only did he work with a high caliber athlete, but he excelled with him consistently for 21 plus years as his crew chief. Then to top it off, he reached the top of the sport again with another driver. Well known or not, he was definitely the best.

Follow Joseph on Twitter @the_Bumpdrafter

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Can Hendrick Motorsports Return To Victory Lane At Talladega?

No other owner has quite the amount of restrictor plate success in his garage as Rick Hendrick. Sure, Richard Childress can boast a good bit of success, both by the late Dale Earnhardt and in recent years with Kevin Harvick and Clint Boyer. However, he still comes up short of Hendrick’s 17 wins at Daytona and Talladega. If you add the wins that Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Mark Martin had before coming to HMS, the team has the experience of 26 wins heading into this weeks race at Talladega.

What is somewhat surprising of late at the restrictor plate tracks is that HMS has not visited victory lane at either track in 14 races. From July of 2001 to October of 2007, the trio of Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. won 15 of 26 plate races. Yet since 2007 they have been relegated to doing post race interviews barely within earshot of the victory party.

Even worse, in the 7 races since an HMS win on a restrictor plate track, the for teams have only added up a total of 6 top 5 finishes out of a possible 28. The good news for 88 fans is that 3 of those top 5’s were posted by their driver. The bad news is that the last time Junior posted a top 5 at Talladega was two years and four races ago.

As if the HMS teams needed any more discouragement for the coming race, they again have to return to 2 car pack racing. Since it started in 2010, the new “form” of plate racing has not smiled on HMS drivers. Although Dale Jr. and Jeff Gordon showed some strength in the season opener at Daytona, they never were able to dominate the way they have so often. It is highly likely that, unless they want to rely on being lucky like the rest of the field, they will have to adapt some new strategy to regain their plate dominance.

If there is anyone out of the HMS stable that has concreted his Talladega strategy, it may be Jimmy Johnson. Although he has not had a top 5 there in 4 years, he has repeatedly had a solid top 10 in each of the last 4 chase races there. His strategy there seems to have been survive to the last lap then get all you can. No doubt this strategy is what Johnson will go with this fall, but in the current season where wins are premium to solidify a chase berth, look for some aggressive racing from each of the HMS drivers this weekend.

Be sure to follow Joseph Davis on Twitter @the_Bumpdrafter !
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Earnhardt Jr. Building Steam; Harvick Making A Name

This weekends race at Martinsville Speedway brought the great ending we have all become accustomed to at the half mile track. Yet again, after 500 laps, it all came down to two or three cars beating and banging for the win. It did not, however, involve the winners of 14 of the last 16 races there. Due to ill handling cars and late-race penalties, Johnson, Hamlin, and Gordon were all relegated to watching the finish by way of replay since they couldn't see it from their "seat."

Although each of the three had a good race, along with near-winner, Kyle Busch, they did not factor in to the last run after the final caution. Instead, Busch's car, sluggish on restarts, gave way to a great finish between a resurgent Dale Earnhardt Jr. and a heavy footed Kevin Harvick.

Harvick, fresh off of a win at Auto Club Speedway, is currently picking up the pace he had at the end of 2010 and gaining speed toward an eventual Chase berth. He and his team are the first out of last year's contenders to hit on all eight cylinders and is unlikely to slow down anytime soon.

Earnhardt Jr. has been running a touch slower than Harvick, but is bye many measures gaining ground. He began this season with more questions than answers, learning a new team, a new crew chief, and hopeful for a return to the success he tasted earlier in his career.

The Earnhardt-Letarte duo has taken off much quicker than anyone, possibly even Rick Hendrick himself, dreamed it would. The two are communicating well and are finishing much better than they start each weekend. If the 88 team can get a grasp on their qualifying setups and get a good start, the transformation could be closer to complete.

Coming into the final laps of the race, Earnhardt Jr. had battled from his 26th starting spot to the top five. He did so slowly, position by position, biding his time and taking care of his car. For quite a while, a race like this would have left Jr. frayed and unoptomistic, yet Sunday he was concentrated and poised. The mental recooperation is definitely coming along.

Harvick definitely had his sights set on the bumper of the 88, chasing him down from almost a straightaway back. He took little time getting around Kyle Busch, and was again set to be the “Closer.” He has definitely earned his new name, and I think he is quite comfortable coming from behind. Fitting he took over his current ride after the death of Dale Earnhardt.

To be totally honest, I am sure Earnhardt, the father, would have been just as glad to be the “bad guy” Sunday, as Harvick said he felt he was bye taking the lead from Earnhardt Jr. I highly doubt, however, that Harvick left as much paint from his bumper and fender on the 88 as his predecessor would have.


For more by Joseph Davis, visit The Spotter Stand and follow him on Twitter @the_Bumpdrafter

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So The Earnhardt Jr Conspiracy Theories Begin…

Every sport has conspiracy theorists.  People will believe anything.  There are idiots everywhere.   

I keep trying to tell myself certain things to help me overlook some of the ignorant views of certain fans in this sport.  It’s starting to not work anymore.

Every time Dale Earnhardt Jr won in the past 6 years, which, mind you, has only been a few times, the NASCAR conspiracy theorists come out.  These people believe that when Jr. won the 2001 July Daytona race that NASCAR fixed the race.  They believe that any change in NASCAR is engineered to benefit Dale Earnhardt Jr.  They believe NASCAR made Earnhardt’s 1998 Daytona 50 win happen.  

Just today I read a blog article at Fanhouse.com by a “writer,” David Whitley , who apparently takes NASCAR for professional wrestling.  He supposes that NASCAR puts the fix in for Dale Jr. when it needs a boost in ratings.  Apparently Mr. Whitley has not watched the past few years: NASCAR could have used plenty of boosts, yet no bounty of Junior wins…

In fact, in the past six years Dale Earnhardt Jr. has only won 3 races.  Two of those wins came due to fuel mileage.  I’m sure he had an extra gallon or two of fuel capacity.

Mr. Whitley would propose that the only reason Dale Earnhardt Jr. could win the Daytona 500 is for NASCAR to have “the fix” in.  Apparently he has not driven around any of the Cup drivers.  I’m sure ole Happy Harvick would be glad to let Dale Jr win.  Heck, he and Kyle Busch would probably push Dale Jr. past everyone just to help NASCAR out.  

While you’re at it, Mr. Whitley, why don’t you just ask NASCAR to have Dale Jr. finish the race backwards for the win?  We could pitch it to them and tell them we’ll have Vegas odds-makers bet on the possibility or even set it up for half of the winnings to go toward NASCAR charities!

The most outrageous thing I have heard so far, came at the beginning of his post where he said the following:

   
NASCAR is asking 200,000 fans to honor Dale Earnhardt this coming Sunday. On the third lap, everyone at the Daytona 500 will be asked to extend three fingers.

The announcer might as well say, "Everyone who thinks Dale's son will win, please raise your hand.”

Honoring a great race car driver who died ten years earlier has only one thing to do with Dale Jr.  It was his father.  Showing him respect does not mean Junior has to win.  I am sure many of the fans who hold up three fingers on the third lap will hope he does not win.  Yet they respect the memory of his father and they respect the sport.  Maybe you could learn a lesson from them Mr. Whitley.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has 18 Cup wins, 7 of which were in restrictor plate races.  He has two Nationwide championships.  Only two other drivers have shown the same dominating ability at Daytona and Talladega: Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon.  So IF he indeed does win this Sunday, at least consider thinking he may have won it on his own just prior to typing more blather about a conspiracy theory.


Read more by Joseph Davis at the The Spotter Stand  and follow him on Twitter @the_Bumpdrafter

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2011 To-Do List For Earnhardt Jr.

Every January we all take stock of what we accomplished the prior year, and more importantly, what we would like to accomplish in the year ahead.  Much more than mere New Year's resolutions, we make detailed plans and sacrifices to get where we need  to be in life.  I personally have a very long list for 2011.

For Dale Earnhardt Jr., the list has grown longer since last year, not because he has more to attain, but because he feels he can attain more and is becoming more resolved to do so.  He has gone from speaking like an athlete who is coming to grips with not winning anymore, to someone who won't stop until he wins and can consistently compete again.  SO, besides win, what else is on Dale Jr.'s list for 2011?

1. See less rear bumpers in 2011.  The only way to be able to win consistently and challenge for a championship is to be a regular up front.  In the past two years, the 88 has often been missing from the view of the camera; the only way to track him was by waiting for his name on the ticker up top, hoping he was moving up and not back.  If Jr. wants to make it happen he will have to bring back some of the steel will he got from his father.  All of us remember how hard driving Jr. was in 2002-2006 when the red 8 was usually within striking distance.  He will have to find the resilience he had in those days to keep his car up front even if he had a bad set of tires or an ill-handling car.

2. Less foul language on the radio.  Earnhardt Jr. took some early ribbing from his new Crew Chief, Steve Letarte, due to his reputation for cursing on the radio during races.  Letarte said Dale Jr. would have to "tone it down" due to Letarte's child at home who always listens to the radio communication to and from his father.  Although it was the basis for some joking, there are definite pearls here.  One of Jr.'s main problems with his original 88 team was that, as insiders say, he felt they (not McGrew, the crew and those back home) were not totally behind him.  People have long said that Jr. does not communicate what he needs in the car very well, this may be due to his habit of becoming defensive and corrosive on the radio when handling becomes poor.  Although, in the past, a stern voice, like that of Eury Sr., was needed to whip Jr. into shape, hopefully the cheerleader Letarte can remind Jr he is an 18 time winner in the Cup series and can do better with what he has.

3. More marks on the front bumper.  Although he will never be his father personified, he does have a little of his temper.  Nobody in the NASCAR world did not enjoy the Jr./Busch feuds, whether Kurt or Kyle, and whats more, NASCAR needs those rivalries back.  I personally believe that Jr. will have some minor success to start the season, but if someone could really tick him off, the right situation could bring the confidence back even more quickly than metered success.

4. More smiles when climbing out of the car. This one may seem redundant, but besides enjoying success, Dale Jr. needs to enjoy driving again.  So many times in his career, when he is enjoying racing, he races harder.  I am sure that some of his unhappiness behind the wheel comes from his lack of confidence, so more than likely, he will have to have successes before he can enjoy it again...redundant again, I know.  But if he can string a few good finishes together and really start to click with his new Crew Chief and team, look for that old smirk of his father's to return, and if so, hold on.

5. A return of the "Pied Piper."  From the early '90's until his death ten years ago now, Dale Earnhardt, among many things, was known as the Pied Piper at Daytona and Talladega.  Lines would build up and die down simply because of his choice of lane during the restrictor plate races.  For a few years, Earnhardt Jr. became the Pied Piper and had some great success, showing a steely confidence and an uncanny knowledge of where to gain momentum on the two tracks.  I'm sure he had a good teacher.  Be ready for a return of the Pied Piper.  He began showing his head during a couple of plate races last year, as Jr. began charging late, and showing muscle again.

I have gone from seeing Earnhardt Jr. as the next "greatest ever," to what he is, a little like his father, but mostly like himself.  Although he lacks much of the grit his father had, he seems to be more like the Dale Sr. of the late '90's: less "Ironhead" and more a lover of the sport.  Whether I would like to admit it or not, his lack of success in recent years has made me less of a starry-eyed fanatic, but it has also allowed me to be a much more educated lover of the sport.  Even still, I would like to see that smirk again, so see how many of these you can check off Junior, and soon we will.


Read more from Joseph Davis at The Spotter Stand and follow him on Twitter @the_Bumpdrafter

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What Do Carl Edwards, Marcos Ambrose, And Dale Earnhardt Jr. Have In Common?

The 2010 season saw many surprises.  Between "Have at it boys!", return of the spoiler, and the rookie of the year driving the "Extenze" car, I'm not sure any of us have an idea what to expect from 2011!  There were, however, some changes at the end of the year that could indicate an upward trend for 3 drivers.

Edwards, Ambrose, and Earnhardt Jr. each experienced some change in direction at the end of the year and I am sure that each of them are eager to begin 2011!  For Edwards, the changes came earlier in the year, but in the last 5 races the 99 team obviously began reeping their rewards.  Edwards' average finish for the last five races was 9.2, with back to back wins to finish the season.  I am sure the 99 team is eager to see if they can continue their dominance from the last two races and compete again with Jimmie Johnson.

For Ambrose, 2010 was not a good year.  He had 6 top ten finishes this year, with none coming in the final 10 races.  To make it worse, with only 5 or so races left, he had no definite ride for next year: the team he was moving to, RPM, was possibly going out of business.  Thanks to the King, the outlook now for Ambrose in 2011 is much better.  He will be with RPM, a much better team than he was with in 2010, and will have a much better shot at winning.

Lastly, Earnhardt Jr. had much to be thankful for this past Thanksgiving!  For one, the 2010 season was over.  2010 brought nothing but confusion to Jr: he had great starts and the handling would go away, or he would unload a so so car and could not improve all weekend.  Nothing seemed to work.  Now in 2011 he will have a new Crew Chief, new team, new shop, and a new roommate, Jimmie Johnson.  I'm sure Earnhardt Jr is as eager to begin 2011 as the other two drivers, if not more so, but is also a little anxious.  If he does not perform with the changes Hendrick made in the off season, there will be no doubt where the problem is.  I for one hope that does not happen, and have a hunch that it won't.  While typing that I'm trying my best impersonation of Dale Earnhardt's trademark S--- eating grin...

Bring on 2011!!!

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