Dale Jr's Best Start To A Season...

Prior to the start of the 2013 season, 2004 and 2008 stood out as the best seasons for Dale Jr. out of the gate.  Both seasons were important from different standpoints for Junior: 2004 was Junior's first real title challenge and 2008 was Dale Jr.'s first season with Rick Hendrick.

In '04, Junior started the season with wins at Daytona and Atlanta, a 5th place finish at Rockingham, and a 10th place finish at Darlington.  Although some may say Dale Jr. was better at being aggressive in his earlier seasons, he definitely wasn't as good at taking care of his equipment, which led to a few dissappointing finishes early and late in the season.

All in all, 2004 was a great year for Junior, but had he been able to finish the season the way he started we may all have been calling him a former champion.  His late season finishes of 33rd at Martinsville and Atlanta effectively removed him from the championship hunt.  Even a Phoenix win just before the end of the season couldn't bring him back.

With the 2004 season ending in "What might have been.." Dale Jr. lost his crew chief, Tony Eury Sr., to a "promotion" and began working with his cousing Tony Eury Jr.  Fifteen of Junior's nineteen Sprint Cup wins came with Tony Eury Sr., along with two Nationwide Series Championships.  Even though the '04 season began with promise, iit ended in a change that didn't go as well as many hoped.

The 2008 season, as in '04, began strong, with three top 5's and a top 10 finish.  Everyone was expecting Dale Jr. to show what he could do now that he was finally in Hendrick race cars and away from his stepmother.  The fan fare didn't last long, though, as frustration between he and crew chief Tony Eury Jr. grew from inconsistent finishes which gave way to poor finishes nearing season's end. 

Again, Dale Jr. was left frustrated and confused in the off season.  Soon after, he and cousin crew chief were separated again, and Junior began a long, cold era of his career.

This year, Dale Jr. has started out with 5 straight top 10 finishes, including 3 top 5's.  His average finish so far is 4.4, worlds better than any other season.  He has 47 laps led so far, 5 less than his season total for 2011, a season which he finished 7th in points. 

Dale Jr. is also the current point leader, a spot he has only held in 2 other seasons: 2004 and last year.  Only time will tell, however, if he can hold that spot nearing season's end.

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How Do You Get Your NASCAR?

My how time changes.  We live in a world that never stops turning, constantly moving and ever changing.  I recall sitting down to watch a race on Sunday and listening intently to the prerace show, because that was the only "insider news" you could get.  Yeah there were newspaper articles and a couple select magazines that covered the sport, but for the most part the half hour or so prior to the green flag was where you saw the personalities behind the wheels and behind the pit wall.

Even prior to those days, races may or may not have been televised and even further still, the only NASCAR you could get was by rumor mill or by going to the race.  Imagine how daunting Jimmie Johnson would be if all you heard were tales of his wins and his five championships.  I would image kids would assume he were 10 ft tall and bullet proof.  Of course, some of his fans and even some on-air personalities currently think that way.

Today, NASCAR can get to you a plethora of ways.  You can get an instant NASCAR fix through Twitter, Facebook, or by surfing NASCAR sites on your smartphone.  You can also catch NASCAR shows on ESPN or even on the SPEED channel.

It never ceases to amaze me just how many fans who are die hard never access the inside information that can be had by following drivers, crew chiefs, spotters or even track personnel on Twitter and/or Facebook.  When I personally got on Twitter, I was shocked at how open and personable some of the drivers and team members were.  You literally could have knocked me over with a feather the first time I had a question answered by Jimmie Johnson, Kevin Harvick, or even Mrs. Harvick herself.

Personability and being able to relate to the sports stars is, in my opinion, of utmost importance if NASCAR is to expand its current fan base, reach new markets, and even fill the stands week in and week out.  Social media, to me, provides more insight into the sport than any other avenue.

So how do YOU get your NASCAR?  Do you use Twitter (if so give me a follow @the_Bumpdrafter) or Facebook?  Do you read multiple NASCAR blogs?  Tell us who you recommend following!

FYI: Some of my personal favorites on Twitter are the Harvicks, Jimmie Johnson, definitely Brad Keselowski, @NASCARCASM, and ESPN's Marty Smith among others.

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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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Excited, Kind, And Snide: Reactions To Junior's Michigan Win

It is always funny to me to sit back and watch the reactions after each race.  Depending on who wins and how the win occurs you will have any number of reactions from drivers, TV personalities, fans and writers.  Whether its Jimmie Johnson winning after dominating all day or David Reutimann snagging a lucky win, there are always people who will congratulate and those that will attempt to downplay the event.

This Sunday, of course, is no different.  As NASCAR's most liked driver was using up the ample amount of rubber left on his tires on the front stretch, there were all sorts of reactions taking place.  Announcers and NASCAR officials were glad, if not relieved, that the story line had ended in a way that will benefit the sport.  Drivers, for the most part, were congratulatory of a competitor who has been working hard for a win.  And fans were going crazy in the stands, infield, and at home.

Yet, at the same time, some were not so happy.  One particular driver felt the need to remind everyone that the next day was still a Monday and that God Himself had not spoken.  Tony Stewart, probably tired from racing for a few hours, was obviously short (pun intended) with reporters after the race.  His sentiment was that just because everyone wanted a win for Dale Jr. did not mean that he and the other drivers had to make it easy for him.  Good point, Tony, and one that I am sure Earnhardt Jr. would agree with.  To my knowledge, he has never asked Mr. Stewart to pull over and allow a pass.  Not only that, aside from getting around Dale Jr. on a restart during Sunday's race, Stewart did not have much opportunity to see the front of Dale Jr.'s car.  Perhaps he just enjoyed the paint scheme on the rear bumper.

Stewart was not the only person who was less than impressed with the win.  Many fans, and writers, hate the attention that Earnhardt Jr. gets, how TV analysts always mention him, and how devoted his fans are.  They see him as overrated and only in the sport because of his late father, 7 time Champ, Dale Earnhardt.  Are they right?  Not if you look at facts and numbers, but they are taking a purely emotional view, as are those that believe Dale Jr. can do no wrong.

A particular writer, Mr. Norris McDonald, a blogger for Wheels.ca whose posts appear on the Toronto Star website, is particularly unimpressed with Dale Earnhardt Jr.  He as much as said in his latest NASCAR piece, "Was Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Win A Fluke?", that a monkey could have driven better than Junior in the past four years and that perhaps the only way to explain Earnhardt's win on Sunday is to call it a fluke.  Was it a fluke: an accident, a break, a stroke of luck or a coincidence?  Twelve top 10's and six top 5 finishes in 15 races...  Make your own decision.

Either way, Earnhardt Jr. will be taking one less question this week.

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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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Just A Number: Talladega 5/12

What do numbers really mean? Most of us talk about numbers in racing all the time but rarely look inside or behind those numbers. For instance, every member of Junior Nation has something with an 88 on it, but few know that the number 88 has been used by 5 champions (Darrell Waltrip, Dale Jarrett, Rusty Wallace, Bobby Allison, and Buddy Baker) and other racing greats such as Al Unser Sr., Ricky Rudd, and even Richard Childress. There is definitely a lot of history behind the 88.


With that said, there are many numbers being thrown around in NASCAR over the last few weeks that need to be looked at a bit closer. For one, the current Hendrick Motorsports losing streak is at 15 heading into the spring race at Talladega. Attached to that number is the fact that HMS is still looking for its 200th win.   The last time HMS had a 15 race losing skid was a stretch from late 2002 to early 2003 when Gordon won at Martinsville.  Interesting tidbit: the race before Gordon broke the losing streak was Talladega, and the winner was DEI driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Many are saying that this week is when several streaks will be broken, including Junior's losing streak, HMS's losing streak, and HMS's 200th win will be posted.  I am not certain, nor should anyone be, due to the totally random nature of Talladega.  I do thing, however, that HMS has a better chance of winning than any other team.  For instance, in the 16 races at Talladega from 2000 to 2007, 11 of the wins came from Dale Earnhardt Jr, Jeff Gordon, and Jimmie Johnson.  In fact, the three of them have a total of 13 wins at the track.  Therefore, the return to a more "pack-like" style of racing at the restrictor plate tracks will suite these drivers well.

It is important, though, to look at the cause behind the 15 race losing skid for HMS.  I will leave the Junior winless streak for a book as it is too much for a little article.  I believe that although the strength of Roush and Gibbs is partly the cause, there are some issues at HMS that have left the door open for other teams.  First, the relationship between Johnson and crew chief Knaus at the end of last season was cool at best.  They both knew they were about to lose the Sprint Cup for the first time in 6 years and neither relished the thought.  Along with some time and space (from each other) in the off season also comes a few missteps in the new season.

Second, the new teams that were formed for the 88 and 24 last year are still ironing out everything.  Although Gordon had some strong runs last year, as did Junior, the two teams are close, but not yet at their full potential.  And third, the 5 team should be sponsored by a Mr. Murphy.  His law has governed almost every race for Kasey Kahne this year.

Although these teams ALL have their issues, it is just a matter of time before one of them visits victory lane.  In fact, I feel certain that all four, even Kahne, will win races this year, most likely multiple races.  The question for this week is will the magic number be 2 or 1.  Will it be one driver's ability to pick lanes and build momentum, or will a team of two drivers have to win this week?

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Appeal Turns Hendrick Week From Bad To Good

Although prospects for Hendrick Motorsports is always good at Bristol Motor Speedway, especially with 5 time Bristol winner, Jeff Gordon, Hendrick luck went downhill as the race went along last weekend.  First, early in the race, Kasey Kahne was knocked out of contention in a pile up in the top ten.  Then later in the race, Gordon's left rear tire was cut down after minor contact from Dale Earnhardt Jr., a teammate, no less.  Then to top things off, as Dale Jr. was running at the back of the top 5 and looking for a possible top 3, the 88 team received a speeding violation which dropped them to a 15th place finish for the day.

Johnson, the only Hendrick car to finish in the top 10 (9th), salvaged his day after early damage from the Kahne wreck by slowly taking what he could get.  After a few weeks of fines, points taken away, crew chief suspension and on track troubles, Johnson was probably glad to post a top 10 and go home.  With one more opportunity for appeal to the judgement NASCAR handed down for their Daytona violation, off track preparation to get the 48 back on track to compete for a 6th Sprint Cup was, no doubt, in high gear.

Well, thanks to the appeal judgement by John Middlebrook, Johnson will not have to go 6 races without crew chief Chad Knaus.  Although he and car chief Ron Malec will face a probationary period, their track privileges will remain in tact for now.  Johnson will also regain the 25 championship points that were taken after Daytona, which, along with his 9th place finish on Sunday, will bring him to 12th in the early season standings. 

Although a lack of wins for the Hendrick stable just four races into the 2012 season is hardly a reason for concern, with much invested over the off season into each of the teams, some dividends are probably expected soon.  Most people probably did not expect the new 5 team of Kahne and Francis to exit the gate with wins, but becoming the weekly appointment for the first caution flag has to be aggravating.  Also, some results from the 24, which started 2011 hot, and the 88 that many people feel is getting close, will be expected soon, especially with Martinsville and Texas just around the corner.

For now, the Hendrick family will have to be happy knowing that everyone will be packing to go to California for this weekend.

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Will Earnhardt Jr. And Letarte's 2012 Achilles Return?

One day after finishing the first ever nightime Daytona 500, after racing all night, fire balls and all, NASCAR's Sprint Cup teams are loading up the cars to start the "rest of the season."  As the Daytona 500 is NASCAR's "Super Bowl", it is different than the rest of the season and often produces winners that may stumble during the rest of the early season.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his crew chief Steve Letarte begain their first season last February with a pole award for the Daytona 500 and if their primary car had not been wrecked would have had a good 500 finish to go along with it.  They did not start the next several races as well, however.  Over the next 9 races, Dale Earnhardt Jr. would start in the top 20 only once.  In fact, over those 9 races, team 88 would average a starting spot of 26th.

During that time span, Earnhardt and Letarte would hone their communication skills.  Letarte would better learn how Earnhardt wanted his cars to handle, and Earnhardt would learn what information Letarte would need to make the cars better.  The two would continuously better the car throughout the races and made some good finishes.  However, they were constantly begining well behind the leaders and having to work hard to get those finishes.

By late season, the 88 team had made good progress on starting positions, averaging a 14th place start over the final 10 races of the season.  Although they did not get the finishes they hoped for during the Chase, the 88 team was definitely unloading better cars that were better prepared for the race weakend.

The question the 88 fans must be asking themselves heading into this Phoenix weekend is will team "Earntarte" pick up where they left off or will they have to rebuild their foundation.  If Junior and Letarte can come out this weekend and next with cars that are fast from the hauler and comfortable for the driver, team 88 could get a great start on the 2012 season.

Yes Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a great Daytona 500, and although many Junior fans can't wait for the next plate track for the 88 to flex its muscle, the meat of the season lies in the 1 mile and the 1.5 mile tracks and there is where the path to competing for a championship lies.  We watched the 88 driver make soem good moves in the final laps of Daytona, but lets see what he has up his sleeves for the rest of the season. 

A couple weeks ago during media days Dale Jr. said he was eager to get to the non-restrictor plate tracks to see where they are as a team.  Well, here we are.  Bring it.

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Dale Jr. Lone Hendrick Horse In First Gatorade Duel

Of and on, during the Budweiser Shootout Saturday night and during Daytona 500 qualifying, you could hear announcers and commentators talk about how the racing for this years 500 will be different: a combination of pack and tandem racing.  Many have suggested that the change could benefit some of the more traditional restrictor plate racers, such as Dale Earnhardt Jr. who had much early career success at restrictor plate tracks.

Junior may be glad to see the change for Sunday's race, but he is likely to be relieved with the change going into Thursday's duel qualifying.  Out of the four Hendrick Motorsports cars preparing for the Daytona 500, Earnhardt Jr. is the only one that will be in the early qualifying race.  As the duel lineups are set by qualifying, odds in the early race and evens in the late race, Earnhardt entered the early lineup with a 3rd place qualifying effort.  The other Hendrick cars, Gordon 6th, Johnson 12th, and Hendrick newcomer Kahne 24th, will all be in the later duel.

One other plus this year is that Junior qualified so well.  Although Earnhardt Jr has qualified well for the Daytona 500 before (he has one pole), the stout showing by the teams with Ford engines had most people feeling as though the Fords had the pole locked up.  Apparently, the changing winds that had been pushing the cars around all afternoon worked somewhat to Earnhardt's advantage, because coming through turn 3 and 4 he began to pick up steam and rose from 5th to almost 2nd on the speed tracker.  Also I am sure Earnhardts knowledge and experience at the track helped him find a little speed.

Whether Earnhardt Jr wins the Daytona 500 or another more traditional pack racer like Gordon, it is safe to say that after the showing on Saturday night that the product of NASCAR's changes will be a wild finish.  No doubt there will be pack racing, and like it or leave it there will be small bursts of tandem racing.  I guess its a little of each and a whole lot of speed.  If you don't love Daytona, you don't love racing.

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The Best New Driver/Crew Chief Pairing In 2012?

The 2011 Silly Season has been quite a busy one.  Usually there are drivers sliding from this team to that so fast you can hardly keep up.  While that has not quite been the case this year, there have been a multitude of crew chief changes for drivers that struggled in 2011, and in a couple cases for drivers that did not struggle.

In 2011 there were several new driver/crew chief combinations, most of them were in the Hendrick Motorsports garage.  It was definitely interesting to watch which new combination would win and how each of them would deal with problems that arose.  Although the Gordon/Gustafson combination would top most lists, the Earnhardt/Letarte duo definitely did better than most assumed they would.

In 2012 there will be no less than 11 new driver/crew chief combinations starting in February at the Daytona 500.  There will be at least 3 or 4 of these new combos that will visit victory lane, and no doubt 3 or 4 of them will make the Chase.  Will there be any surprises?  Will any of the new teams gel quickly and become the next Jimmie and Chad or Jeff and Ray?  Well that may be a long shot, but below I have listed the best three of these new combinations along with how they will impress in 2012.

1.  Hamlin / Grubb-  The #11 FedEx Toyota will begin the year with a driver that faded last year after his dominant run in 2010, and a crew chief with something to prove after being let go a couple weeks after winning the Sprint Cup Championship.  Will Hamlin/Grubb win a race?  Without a doubt.  Grubb has never had a season without a win, and Hamlin has never had a full season without a win.  Make the Chase?  Of course.  Hamlin has never finished outside the top 12 in a full season and Grubb has never finished outside the top 15.  Given Hamlin's ability to put a great Chase run together as he did in 2010, combined with Grubb's recent success at Chase race domination, be prepared for a strong charge in the final races of 2012 by Denny Hamlin.

2.  Harvick / Wilson- After the 2011 season, Shane Wilson has been moved over from the #33, formerly driven by Clint Bowyer.  Although Harvick and last year's crew chief, Todd Berrier, had some great success, including becoming the "Closer" and having a great run in the 2010 Chase to challenge for the Sprint Cup Championship, RCR has elected to move Wilson to the #29 for 2012.  Wilson will be working with many of the same people, so all that will change from last year will be the driver, and moving from Bowyer to Harvick is a step up.  Shane Wilson only has 2 Sprint Cup wins, but he does have 14 Nationwide wins, 13 of which were driven by, you guessed it, Kevin Harvick.  With the same crew, same garage, and having already won together, it won't take long for these two to develop the chemistry needed to compete.  Oh, and 7 of those Nationwide wins the two had were at Chase tracks.

3.  Stewart / Addington-  After almost every championship win, the winning team changes a little.  Very few championship teams have been able to field the exact same team in February.  However, that particular type of change has not happened to a championship team since owner Billy Hagan replaced Dale Inman, arguably the greatest crew chief ever, with Steve Hmiel for driver Terry Labonte after winning the 1984 championship.  I could not find the details about how Inman left the position open, someone older than I will have to answer that one.  What I do know is that Labonte did not repeat his success of 1984.  Don't get me wrong, Hmiel was no slouch, but changing the crew chief is no small change.  With that said, Stewart has proven he has plenty of drive left, and after coming up short with Kyle Busch and Kurt Busch, Addington is sure to have something to prove.  Addington has a knack for pulling a rabbit out of his hat and Stewart has more determination that most drivers, so look for these two to get at least a couple of wins and a Chase appearance.

With all of these changes, and more changes to come, February will be a busy time in both North Carolina and Daytona.  Will any of the new duos become the next super team?  Who knows.  Either way 2012 is coming soon, and all of these teams are definitely working to make this season a wild one.

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A Relaxed 2012 For Earnhardt Jr.?

After finishing a season inside the top 10 in points for the first time at Hendrick Motorsports, and the first time since 2006, Dale Earnhardt Jr. could be poised for a much more relaxed start to the Sprint Cup season.  He did not win in 2011, nor did he blow any doors off, but he did finish better more consistently than he has in a while, and his cohesion with crew chief Steve Letarte seems to be getting stronger going into the off-season.

It has been quite a while since Earnhardt Jr. entered a season without a ton of questions surrounding him or his team.  Since he joined Hendrick Motorsports in 2008, he has entered Daytona either with a new crew chief, a new team, or lingering issues from the previous season.  In his last 3 season openers while at DEI, Junior either had a new crew chief or a looming showdown with his stepmother over his contract to look forward to.

The last year Dale Jr. flew down to Daytona with a clear mind and a relaxed right foot was 2004.  He had crew chief, and uncle, Tony Eury Sr. and had little question about his ability to win.  In that season he went on to win 6 times and contended for the championship until late in the Chase.

No.  Calm down.   I am not saying Earnhardt Jr. will win 6 races in 2012, but I do think he will win one or two.  If Letarte spends as much time reviewing notes and preparing setups as I think he will in the off-season, the 88 team could be in for a definite improvement on 2011.

The question for Junior, as it has been in most of his seasons, comes in the summer races.  Earnhardt seems to always get bogged down from Sonoma to Richmond.  In the past that has led to missing the Chase or entering the Chase with absolutely no momentum whatsoever.  If the 88 team is going to be in a position to contend in the Chase, they must enter the Chase with a head full of steam.

A definite stepping stone for “team Earntarte” going into 2012 is his improvement at tracks like Pocono, Kansas, and Martinsville.  At the 6 races at those tracks in 2011 he had an average finish of 6.7.  Granted, Earnhardt’s average finish at Martinsville is 13^th, but he definitely improved at Kansas and Pocono where his averages are 17.2 and 17.0, respectively.

Steady foot, clear head, budding driver/crew chief combination…  How many more weeks?? 

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Was "Team Earntarte" A Success In 2011?

Well, its the offseason now, no more getting ready for this weeks race or wondering what drama will come from last weeks race.  Its the cold, lonely time between Homestead and Daytona.  About the only things we can talk about regarding NASCAR is who did well this year and then who we think will do well next year.  Its time for reflections and predictions.

With that in mind, I have to reflect on the 2011 season for one of the most talked about new driver/crew chief pairings made in the 2010 offseason, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Steve Letarte.  As everyone remember, Steve Letarte was moved from the #24 team of Jeff Gordon to help refocus the quickly derailing Cup career of most popular driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr.

While the two began the season with much expected by some and little predicted by others, just how did the 2011 season stack up for Dale Earnhardt Jr.?  Well, overall, there is much to be happy about.  Junior seemed more capable, more communicative, and less unravelling for pretty much the whole season.  His overall willingness to apply continued focus and work through problems helped the team have only 2 DNF's and finish 7th in the Chase, his best Chase finish since 2006, despite having no wins and only 4 top 5 finishes.

Another positive for the 2011 season is that on average, Junior had better finishes.  His total average finishing position was 14.5, slightly better than his 16.8 career average.  The total average for the season was weakend, however, by his turbulent late summer stretch and a decent Chase performance.  In the first 15 races of the season he finished better than his average at 12 and had an average finish of 10.7.

Some of the negatives for this past season have to include the fact that he only led 2 laps during the Chase.  In fact, Earnhardt Jr. led less laps this year than any season since he joined the series full time in 2001: just 52.  "Team Earntarte" will definitely have to focus on this stat in the offseason to improve on the win column (still 0 for the duo despite two runner up finishes).  Although the 88 car did seem a bit more racy this year and spent much more time inside the top 10 than last year, they have to lead more laps in order to have more opportunities to lead last laps.

Part of what I, all-knowing as I am, believe was one of the teams issues this year is that they did not often unload very fast, meaning they had to make many adjustments to get the car fast.  In the early season this often did not finalize until late in the race, allowing Junior to push forward to snag a good finish.  This is most evident in the fact that Junior had an average starting position this season of 19.6.  Although Earnhardt Jr. has never been known for posting top 5 qualifying runs week after week, if the team can improve on this number by being better prepared prior to arriving at the track, the overall outcome for the weekend should get better. 

I should say that I do not believe this is a particular downfall of Earnhardt Jr. or Letarte, but that it is a product of a newer driver/crew chief combination that needs time for the maturation of communication and knowledge of the driver's handling preference.  This is somewhat shown in the difference in qualifying during the first half and second half of the season.  In the first half, the 88 team average a starting spot of 21st and had bettered that average by 3 to 18th for the second half of the season.

I fully believe this team will be successful and will win and that success will come in the 2012 season.  Surely "Team Earntarte" will not be satisfied with just 7th in the points when they left so much on the table this season.  Knowing they finished better than Gordon and only 14 points behind Johnson should only push them to see just how much more success they can have in the coming season.  I know all the "Jr Haters" will undoubtedly give me much grief for this post, but that is fine, I am sure there is plenty of server space at Blogger to accommodate all of your loving comments, just please keep it clean!

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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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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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Qualifying Key For Earnhardt Jr.

This weekend the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series travels to the Irish hills of Michigan to the Michigan International Speedway. With only three races left after this weekend until the Chase, the stakes are high and pressure is mounting on those at or near the cutoff. Last week’s race at Watkins Glen only added suspense to the Race to the Chase by moving a few people around in the points standings, so this weekend could make or break several teams.

Three weeks ago, Dale Earnhardt Jr. entered Indianapolis in 9th place in the standings, just 7 points ahead of 11th place (at that time, Tony Stewart). Few people, me included, felt he would make these three races and remain in the top 10. Not only does Junior have an abysmal average finish at both Indy and Watkins Glen, but the two drivers directly behind him, Hamlin and Stewart, have excellent records at Indy, Pocono, and Watkins Glen.

Most bloggers said he was finished. On-air personalities asked if the 88 team was at the point of panicking. All the while Letarte and Earnhardt said they would stay calm and plug away. And plug away they have.

No, they have not had amazing finishes or wins to finally satisfy their many fans. The 88 has not muscled its way to the front and dominated. But they have been steady. They have not panicked. They have not wavered.

Outside of some great running at Pocono, where he had an average running position of 9th, and some luck at Watkins Glen to get up front, Earnhardt has not been great the past three weeks. He did not have to be, however. He simply had to be better than his average at those tracks. With the coming four tracks being strong tracks for him historically, he just needed to weather the storm at Indy, Pocono and especially Watkins Glen.

Now, heading to Michigan, Earnhardt Jr. must return to running in the top 10. He has had good runs at Michigan in the past, and with Hendrick horsepower and Letarte’s Michigan statistics, there is no excuse for mediocrity.

One key for the 88 crew this weekend may be qualifying. In the past, Earnhardt has run well at Michigan if he has a slick, good qualifying car. In his top 10 starts there, Earnhardt has an average running position of 5th. Not to mention that this year it seems as though he has begun from mid pack almost every race. Earnhardt Jr. will not be able to dominate a race again unless he has the car, and the confidence, to push it for all its worth when qualifying.

This weekend may also be a slight shift of focus for the 88 team. With a 36 point cushion over 11th place Clint Bowyer, Letarte has chosen to bring an unraced and untested chassis to the 2 mile track in Brooklyn, Michigan. Letarte either is on the offensive to chance it for a win or is taking a page from his shop-mate, Chad Knaus, and preparing for a Chase race. It is definitely possible that the info the team gained by modeling the chassis after another chassis, or placing the chassis on the 7 post shaker that simulates the coming track made Letarte feel that it was a good choice for the weekend. However, if you were playing it save until the Chase cutoff, would you choose a car that had NEVER been to a race track?

Either way, it should be a great race to watch this weekend. With Bowyer, Stewart and others feeling the pressure for a win to get a Chase wild card slot, look for fuel and pit strategies to run wild!


Follow Joseph Davis on Twitter @the_Bumpdrafter

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Is Earnhardt Jr. Really “Done”

Over the past few races, with the rapid decline of Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the Sprint Cup Standings, many people have speculated whether the 88 team would make the Chase. Some NASCAR pundits have even implied or even outright stated that Junior’s Chase hopes are already finished.

For the most part, people are speculating that his downward points trajectory will not change enough to keep him in the top 10 in points and, without a win in the coming 7 races, he will miss the Chase cutoff and the wild card. The number one reason they may be right is not Earnhardt Jr.’s poor finishes, but the average finishes the drivers around him in the standings have at the coming tracks. Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin, Jeff Gordon, and even Clint Bowyer and Ryan Newman all have great finishes at some of the next few tracks. Therefore, not only does Earnhardt have to stop the bleeding, but he also has to return to competitiveness.

The number one reason detractors may be wrong is that most of the slide in points has been due to bad luck, rather than bad racing. After 3 straight top 7 finishes, Earnhardt Jr. finished a disappointing 21st at Michigan, but his 41st the following weekend at Sonoma was due to being caught up in someone else’s wreck. The next week at Daytona, Junior was again caught in someone else’s wreck, relegating him to a 19th place finish. A third week in a row, Earnhardt Jr. had damage to his car; this time at Kentucky he blew a tire. And finally, in the last race, at Loudon, he ran poorly until saving a decent 15th place finish.

No, Junior did not stand much chance at winning in these races, except possibly at Daytona, but if he had finished 20th at Sonoma, 12th at Daytona, and 20th at Kentucky, each a likely finish without his mishaps, he would be 38 points higher. That would put him 1 point behind 6th place Matt Kenseth and give him a comfortable lead on 11th place Tony Stewart.

However, he is not 1 point behind Kenseth, and Tony Stewart is lurking. So let’s take a look at the next few races.

Although the next three tracks are probable pitfalls for Earnhardt Jr., there is a possibility that some of his detractors may have jumped a couple races early. Although Earnhardt Jr. has a poor average finish at Indianapolis and Pocono, 22nd and 17th respectively, he has had some success at those tracks.

If you overlook last year’s 27th at Indy, Junior’s past several races there haven’t been so bad. In ’07 he had an engine failure after having led 33 laps as one of the two favorites for the win. In ’08 he finished 6th, and in ’09 he started the race 3rd yet had another engine failure. Also, his crew chief, Steve Letarte, has been preparing cars for Jeff Gordon at Indy the past few years, which is definitely an advantage for 2011. Letarte has an average finish of 10th the last 4 visits at Indy with Gordon.

At Pocono, Junior is not necessarily considered a force to reckon with, but he has 7 finishes between 2nd and 6th, including a 6th place finish in his last visit there in June. Also, with his performance at some flat tracks this year, along with how close he has come on fuel mileage races, Junior should be considered a possible factor at Pocono in August.

At any rate, the races at Indy, Pocono, and Watkins Glen will tell whether Earnhardt Jr. has the drive to make the Chase this year. But I wouldn’t throw dirt in his face just yet.


Follow @the_Bumpdrafter on Twitter!

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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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Earnhardt Returning To Familiar Ground

After posting an average finish of 19th over his career, Dale Earnhardt Jr. reaffirmed on Sunday that he has returned to competitiveness. Of course he was already in the top 5 in points and has been for several weeks, but when listening to people speak about his chances in 2011, one would have to think something would change mid season. This week he showed he was intent on staying near the top of the points.

Prior to Sunday, Junior had not finished in the top 10 at Pocono since the spring of 2008. In that race he finished 4th, then followed it up with a win at Michigan the next week, his last win. He may not be one of the strongest drivers at the 2 mile oval, but plan on seeing him near the front.

Although this weeks track is the location of his last win, it is not the only “Familiar Ground” Dale Earnhardt Jr. is returning to. It has been quite a while since Junior has been expected to contend for a win on a weekly basis, a change not lost on the North Carolina native. He has alluded on multiple occasions to the fact that he would rather be expected to win and get a decent finish than to not be on the radar at all.

Even if Dale Jr. is not at or near the front for a majority of the race, don’t worry, he will get there by the end. That has indeed been one of the most refreshing changes for the 88 team. Earnhardt Jr. has finished, on average, 3.5 places better than his average running position this year. In fact, in 10 of 14 races this year he has surged forward at the end. That means that the 88 team is making the right changes coming down the stretch.

The most undeniable reason for that statistic is that the communication between driver and crew chief is, beyond a doubt, better than it has been for quite a while. The other reason for the late race improvement is that, not only has Earnhardt’s confidence in his crew chief grown, but his self-confidence has grown as well.

Also, Michigan is a notorious fuel mileage track, which will seem typical for 2011. Due to the long, green-flag runs, common at Michigan, gas mileage is always at the forefront when preparing for this weeks race. Given the 88 team’s ability to stay close on fuel mileage races in 2011, expect to see Earnhardt’s crew chief, Steve Letarte, have the strategy down pat should it come to it on Sunday.

For Hendrick Motorsports in general, Michigan has its ups and downs. Jeff Gordon has 2 wins at the track, his average finish there is 11.4, and he has eight 2nd place finishes. Mark Martin has 5 wins at Michigan, an average finish of 13.6, but his last three finishes there were 16th or worse. And Jimmie Johnson has an average finish of only 15.2, has no wins, and only has 2 top 5’s in 18 starts there.

Follow Joseph on Twitter @the_Bumpdrafter

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Dale Jr.’s Improvement On 1.5 Mile Tracks Bodes Well

One of the most telling stats in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series is a driver’s average finish on 1.5 mile tracks. These tracks include Charlotte, Atlanta, Texas, Las Vegas, Kansas, Chicagoland, and Kentucky. This year these tracks account for 10 of 36 races on the Sprint Cup Series, including 4 of 10 Chase races. Continued success at these tracks often indicates an ability of a team to adapt to the ever changing balance on picky tracks, a strong suit that Junior's crew chief, Steve Letarte, has aptly demonstrated this year.

In the past years, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has had success at 1.5 mile tracks. He has one win each at Atlanta, Texas, and Chicago. However, in the past couple years, Junior’s performance on these “cookie cutter” tracks has been lackluster, to say the least.

In 2009, Junior had four 1.5 mile races by this point in the season, and had an average finish of 20th. In 2010, he had good improvement, but only averaged a 13th place finish on these tracks by the 12th race of the season. So far, in 2011, Dale Jr. has an average finish on 1.5 mile tracks of 8th. The last time he did so well on downforce tracks was in 2008.

In 2008, Dale Jr. had an average finish of 7th on downforce tracks at race 12. He went on to enter the Chase in the 4th spot in points and had one win. If he can build on his improvement in this area, the 2011 Chase could go well for Junior.

Now don’t misunderstand me, although I am a fan, I am not saying Junior will win the Chase. But I don’t think that a top 5 finish in points is unlikely.

This year’s Chase has a great mixture of tracks for Junior’s strong points. There are four 1.5 mile tracks, one restrictor plate track, and three flat tracks (Phoenix, Martinsville, and Loudon). The other two tracks, Dover and Homestead, have not been the best for Junior. Although Junior has a decent history at Dover, he won there the race after 9/11, he has an average finish over 17th.

Junior’s history at Homestead is much worse. After 11 races at the South Florida track, he has no top five’s or top ten’s and has a dismal average finish of 24th. He has never done well here, in fact, since 2001, his best finish is 19th. If Junior will ever be competitive for the Championship, he will have to be able to have a decent finish at the season finale. If not, he will take the chance that someone like Harvick will sneak up and take it away, just like Sunday night at the Coke 600.

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Racing Into The All-Star Race New Territory For Earnhardt Jr.

In a few days, two weeks of racing will begin at the Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina. NASCAR’s Cup teams will be returning to racing at their home track (home track for most, at least) for both the Sprint All-Star Race and the Coca-Cola 600 the following weekend.

The All-Star race at Charlotte has been an event marked by wild passes, hard wrecks, and aggressive racing for 26 years and this Saturday will be held once again. It began in 1985 as “The Winston”, named for the series sponsor at the time, and quickly became a hit with NASCAR fans and drivers alike. The short length and aggressive racing being much like the feature races at local tracks, the all-star event was soon a staple in the NASCAR Cup Series season.

The storied race has had many winners, beginning with Darrell Waltrip in 1985. There was much history for the initial race, which was not preceded that year by a qualifying race for those who did not automatically qualify, like there will be this week. The pole sitter for the Winston was Terry Labonte and the race was called by Mike Joy, and the color commentator was Neil Bonnett. The race this week will be called by Mike Joy and one of the color commentators will be Darrell Waltrip. Familiar territory for both, I am sure.

One thing that will not be familiar, since 2000 at least, is that Dale Earnhardt Jr. will not be automatically in the All-Star Race. In 2000, his rookie year, he posted his first Sprint Cup Series win at Texas Motor Speedway, five races before the All-Star event, and then won again at Richmond, one race before. He then became the first rookie, and one of two total (Ryan Newman 2002), to win the event. Now, since he has not won in over 103 races and his automatic bid due to winning the All Star race has expired, Earnhardt Jr. will have to gain entry by either winning the Sprint Showdown, or, very likely, receiving enough fan votes.

One positive for having to race in the showdown before the main event is that Earnhardt and Letarte will have extra laps to dial the car in before racing with the best of the series. That has been a benefit for some drivers in past races, but rarely translates into wins.

An obvious negative is that he has much more possibility of wrecking out before reaching the end of the All-Star race. Due to the nature of the events with no championship points applied, there are always big wrecks and a good bit of beating and banging.

Either way, whether Junior reaches the end of the Saturday night thriller or not, fans can bank on the race being eventful and fun to watch as it always is!


Follow Joseph Davis on Twitter @the_Bumpdrafter

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