Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished a dismal 40th in the rain shortened Coca-Cola 600 on Monday.
It was another miserable finish in an entire season of misery for NASCAR most popular driver to this point.
After starting 27th, Earnhardt quickly faded while battling a nearly out of control racecar soon falling one then two laps down. He’s 19th in driver points and will need a miracle to make the season ending Chase for the championship.
His fans, his fellow competitors and his critics have pointed out the many reasons they feel the No. 88 team has ridden in the gutter the entire season. From being given sub-par pickings of equipment at Hendrick Motorsports, to the lack of chemistry between himself and his crew chief cousin Tony Eury Jr., to even having the lack of a girlfriend, the reasons given by those who adore him and his detractors are many.
As many reasons that people give for his performance, there are just as many who give solutions to Earnhardt’s woes. A new crew chief, a move to a different team, less on his already full plate are just some the solutions thrown on the table.
But what if the 34 year old decided to just quit? What if, perhaps borne out of frustration, Dale Earnhardt Jr., simply said ‘I don’t want to do this anymore.’
It’s happened. In August 1973 during the middle of a Cup race at Talladega, Bobby Isaac, who had won the Cup c
hampionship in 1970 and had 37 career wins, pulled into pit road got out of the car and just walked away.
Isaac said a voice in his head told him to stop and get out of the car and he obeyed. Isaac did attempt a few races starting the following year, but for all purposes, Isaac decided on that August day at Talladega that it was time to quit.
What if Earnhardt Jr. decided his time had come? That he just wanted to sit on top of a pit box, watch cars he owned race, and mentor younger drivers. Or owing to the fact that he has more money then some third world countries, he could decide to buy one of the Bahamian Islands, open a tiki bar and live happily ever after.
It would mark the first time since 1980 that the name Earnhardt would be absent from a Sprint Cup event. But it certainly would not be the end of the world as we know it.
No matter what happens, the Earnhardt name will always be legendary in NASCAR. Dale Earnhardt Sr. gave millions of fans reasons to cheer and engraved his name in the record books by winning seven championships. While his son Earnhardt Jr. may never come close to equaling his fathers success, like it or not, millions of fans who worshipped his father switched their allegiance after Earnhardt Sr.’s untimely death at Daytona in 2001.
Television ratings for this season have been down. And there are some who attribute this to the ‘Dale Jr.’ factor. Their theory is that the reason ratings are down is because Earnhardt Jr. is down. That theory may be a little hard to imagine or prove, but if Earnhardt Jr. did decide to leave, millions of fans would eventually find another driver to owe allegiance to.
During Richard Petty’s glory days he had so many fans that if he dropped out of race it seemed that half the grandstands would empty. When he finally retired, there was some thought that NASCAR’s fan base might actually shrink.
But it didn’t get smaller. New fans came along and those that cheered for Petty found someone else to follow. The same would happen if Earnhardt decided to leave. Because just like when Petty raced, a 43-car field would still compete each week, a winner would be declared and a champion would be crowned at season’s end.
So if Earnhardt Jr. decided to give it all up it’s unlikely it would have a huge impact on NASCAR. Besides it won’t be too long before Earnhardt Sr.’s grandson Jeffery moves into the Sprint Cup series so the Earnhardt name wouldn’t be absent for long.
Of course the chance that Earnhardt Jr., will quit is about the same as the chance someone will get hit by lightning, in the middle of the desert, in the dry season.
If he can’t find the reasons his performance has been so poor this year though, Earnhardt Jr. may just find himself wishing he could hear a little voice tell him its time to get out of the car.
Comments
His leaving would certainly be a good first step in getting NASCAR moving in the right direction. The "junior nation" style fans are the ones NASCAR has attempted to satisfy. Most of the changes made are an attempt to keep these people from being bored. When their idol leaves, they will leave and the rest of the real fans of racing will be able to have their sport back. Oh, by the way, if you watched the 600 coverage to the end, you noticed that junior gained two positions during the final rain
Spoken like a true moron Jimmie, not get off that 'puter and get back to squshing them aluminum cans, we got a trailer note to make.
First of all, there is no lack in girlfriend, maybe that's the problem, Second, there was no problems with the car, very embarassed at his coward/lame attempt to drive and act like there were problems with the car and to not speak to Tony Jr. during the race, very mature Jr. let me tell you, I suppose you think you are smart to divert things yesterday when it seems to me to be a blatent attempt to get Tony Jr. fired cause you don't have the guts to say something to someone's face, make it look l
You guys are stupid. Jr. is nascar and nascar knows it. Jr. quits,they will go down. I will not go to another race. I am a true Earnhardt fan and will always be. Why do you think the rating are down. You let Jr get back in the running and watch the rating go up. So get a life. Jr. is very important to nascar and will always be until retiring. People like you, nascar don't need.
Junior! time to go.maybe you can be a co owner
Jr. would have done himself good and the fans to yesterday by parking that crappy running car on pit road and getting out and telling Eury Jr. and Hendrick to fix the car and don't call me back to get into it until it can run. Most all the fans would have stood up and cheered.
His lack of a girlfriend or boyfriend for that matter means nothing to me. What he does behind closed doors is his business.
Jr. is nothing like his dad and that is a damn shame too.
Nascar could and would go
There was NASCAR bedore there were Earnhardts and there will be NASCAR after they are gone.
You say millions people are Jr fans because of his father. There are actually millions of Jr fans in spite of his father. Jr puts fans in the seats at the tracks and in front of the TV on weekends. A majority of us have only one favorite driver. You think Nascar is in a mess now? Don't fool yourself, if Jr retires, you will see what a mess looks like. I and many other Jr fans will leave the pathetic sport we used to love. Nascar has become a bad joke, and the media is one of the biggest p
I offer Tessa Cooper and Holly as evidence in making my point. Do they sound like fans of stock car racing or are they just little junior groupies. As for "jimmies dad", I take your comment to mean that real fans of racing are a bunch of goobers who live in trailer parks. I'm sure you have offended a lot of people with that low brow comment. Oh, by the way, even morons know there is no "t" in "now".
Jr is not in Nascar now so if he left it would make no difference to the racing, he ought to be ashamed to show up every week and complain about his car from the get go, 18 yr old drivers are running up front every week with little experience, whats his EXCUSE????
Jr should be ashamed to show up each week and complain about his car from the get go, its never right for him and it never gets to his liking. 18yr old drivers are coming into the sport and running in top 10 each week. Whats his EXCUSE ????
After yesterday's race, after Jr. ran so well in the 2nd practice and Kenny Wallace said that he thought something broke on Jr.'s car, for the first time I wondered about 'sabotage'. Marybeth
What would NA$CRAP be like if JR. left? BETTER OF COURSE! It would be a relief for FANS WITH BRAINS that are forced week after week to put up with unending OVER-HYPING, OVER-RATING of an UNDERACHIEVING AVERAGE driver. Why do you only see JR. around, BUT NEVER WITH a women, only in commercials? It would be the ULTIMATE eating of crow for JR. Nation, especially the older ones, if it turned out the OVER-HYPED one Amped the other way!
JR RETIRE.... REMOVE YOURSELF FROM THE SPORT, COMPLETELY ... NO OWNER, NO VIEWING IT, NO COMMENTS... GET RID OF THE BAR, YOUR FRIENDS, AND LIVE IN DARKNESS AT YOUR HOME AND NEVER APPEAR AGAIN. FANS OF NASCAR WANT THAT! FACE IT YOU ARE WORTHLESS... HENDRICK AND THE SPONSORS SHOULD SUE HIM FOR FAILURE TO PERFORM... THEN TAKE HIS MONEY, BUT LEAVE HIM A SHOTGUN... YOU FANS WANT THAT RIGHT? BE HONEST...
You Jr. haters are pathetic!!. Go to some other blog for a driver you do like. You have no idea what you are talking about when you refer to Jr. How sick of the "fan" to write that Jr. should have a shotgun to put himself out of his misery. I like to see some of you "bozos" drive the COT. Leave him alone and maybe he might get some of his confidence back. He didn't ask to be the most popular driver and it seems more of a "curse" than anything else!!!!
jr will be terminated from hendrick motorsports at the end of next yr. rick hendrick wants wins! his last name means nothing! i hear jr's sponsors wants him out!
It is obvious from the comments above that these folks must be Kyle Busch fans - most of them are talking like the idiot himself - Kyle - JR deserves more respect than any other driver, he is a great driver but just like all great drivers he is having some problems right now and you want to crucify him or give him a shotgun, I'd like to meet up with the "shotgun fan" myself and give you a piece of something, regardless Rick Hendrick is a smart man he will get the problem solved and JR will come
My comment did not complete - I said JR will make a comeback and he'll win races and then what excuse will you doubters have. And don't call me a groupie I have been watching Nascar since Richard Petty and David Pearson days, JR is a great driver he just needs a break.
Any other driver that UNDERperformed as he has done the last few years would have been gone long ago,back to the ARCA series or Legends. Give someone a chance that knows how to drive and win in Hendrick equipment, he obviously cant???
Junior is not NASCAR and never will be. He inherited his fan base from his dad. He's an average driver with no motivation to succeed. Just listen to him talk, he has no passion. NASCAR will be just fine if he decides to hang it up.
Earl Lewis I heard you were an idiot. Just because I said it doesn't make it true does it. And just because you heard that Junior's sponsors want him out doesn't make it true either. A sponsor could careless whether or not the driver wins. They care if they are bringing in dollars. Can you imagine that Mountain Dew would want to swithc from the most popular driver in Nascar. Millions of fans walking around in Mountain Dew gear as well as National Guard equipment. That's called free advertising.
So Earl Lewis you must be an idiot. At least that's what I heard.
a fan? A fan of what? Suicide? Deranged is the best way I can explain "a fan." I know it must be hard to go to races and blow the dust off the merchandise at your driver's hauler. Here's a challenge. The next time you actually go to a race go to one of Dale's haulers and say what you said. That sinking feeling will be you hitting the floor. Stop hating. Even if Jr. leaves NASCAR your driver will still suck as bad as you.
Overra88ted, where are the ratings? I have looked everywhere and can't find any reputable NASCAR site that rates the drivers. There are standings and Junior currently stands 19th. He is also in the Top 10 among active drivers in wins. He is also a 2 time Busch series champion. In case you think that doesn't matter why don't you ask Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards how bad they want one.
And Overra88ted your allusion that Dale Jr is gay lends creedence to the steroetype that NASCAR fans are inbred, homophobic, redneck, white trash. Please stop feeding that sterotype by spreading your hate. Just because your affection for Jr. has gone unrequited shouldn't turn you against all men. I'll look forward to your response as soon as you get off dictionary.com
It's a shame and disgrace that these people get so much pleasure from putting one man down so much. It's devilish. Although, let me ask all Junior haters a question. Do you think Junior gives a crap about what you think? The answer to that is NO. Because he already has all the fans that he needs and he always will.
No that isnt correct, a top level sponsor wants to be in the winners circle just as bad as a driver. Why do you think sponsors jump from losing teams to ones who win? I like Jr just as anybody else but the time has come to make a perminant change at crew chief. and if he cannot perform he needs to be relieved as a driver.
If all the fans are watching is Jr. they are having a rough time of it, I have nothing against Jr. but I get sick of the writers & DW talking about Jr. Drivers like Kyle Busch are what is putting the fan's in the stands drives just like ole Curtis Turner wide open very exciting to watch like it or not.
I'm an avid Dale Jr fan. It's amazing to me how hard the NASCAR media is on Dale Jr and his team. If I remember correctly when Gordon didn't win a single race last year EVERYONE chipped in to come with thousands of excuses for him, and had no doubt that they would find success again. It's really quite amusing, I think. It's also very interesting to me that all of the Hendrick teams, except Dale Jr's, has experienced success this year. This seems to be a recurring formula for Hendricks Motorsport
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