He Said, She Said

July 2, 7:20 PMDale Earnhardt Jr. ExaminerLindsey Marks

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Dale Jr. today at Daytona International Speedway (AP Photo/John Raoux)

http://tinyurl.com/ltcoqu
With a new crew chief in the fold, is Dale Jr.’s season going any better? By Jeffrey Reynolds, Sports Editor for The Williamson Daily News in Williamson, WV

He Said: In this article, Reynolds dissects Junior’s performance in the five races since the crew chief change. After quoting Dale Jr.’s positive post-race interview in New Hampshire, Reynolds wrote, “Now, I don’t know what races he’s been watching, but he couldn’t be talking about the Lenox Tools 301 last Sunday, could he? This was a race he got as high as second - only to plummet like a rock to finish 13th. How that could be termed as a “good day” is beyond me.”

She Said: In my opinion, I think it is wonderful to hear Dale Jr. thanking his crew chief and team in post-race interviews. It is good to hear positive comments rather than seeing the disgruntled, almost-surly man we’ve been seeing way too often. Perhaps 13th is not a win but it’s definitely in the top-half of the 43 car field. Plus, it is always good to leave the track with the car in one piece. After some of the finishes he has had recently, I would say that the 13th place finish last weekend was indeed a “good day” for the #88 team.

He Said: Reynolds went on to compare Junior to teammate Mark Martin saying, “When a 50-year old driver can take over the fourth Hendrick car such as Mark Martin has and tie for the most series win this season with three, then Earnhardt Jr should be rolling off top 5 or 10’s every week.” He finished the article with one last jab at Junior. “I?only know this. Something has to give - and fast- or Junior’s legacy is going to be forever tarnished.”

She Said: I would have to say that Reynolds comparison of these two teammates had the opposite affect he was going for. Instead of seeing the comparison of ‘old guy’ vs. ‘young guy’ that Reynolds wanted his readers to get, I only see a comparison between two guys who have never won a championship. Martin has finished second in the points four times in his career but has never won the title. Obviously, he has been able to race and be successful without ever winning the championship, so why should Junior be any different? Even if he never wins the Cup Junior can still have a successful career. A championship does not define a driver’s entire legacy.

http://ktar.com/?sid=1183986&nid=680
Earnhardt Jr. Can’t COPE with COT by Becca Gladden, Special to KTAR in Phoenix, AZ

He (She) Said: In this article, Becca Gladden discusses Junior’s performance statistics based around her theory that the COT is the cause of all his on-track troubles (and she discreetly mentions that she questions his ambition). She states that prior to the first COT race Junior “had won 17 Cup races” and “since then, he's won … one - a fuel mileage win at Michigan last year.” Gladden also said, “this year, short of a miracle, he won't even finish the season in the top 20.” She continues with some quotes from Junior on his dislike of the new car in which Junior said that the COT “makes everyone’s job harder” followed by Gladden’s ending statement of “especially that of his forlorn fans.”

She Said: First of all, there are three comments in this article that frustrate me more than the overall idea. Number one, Dale Jr.’s ambition should never be questioned. If I had to deal with people questioning my every statement, gesture and business endeavor like he does I would probably not be openly ambitious either. I would want to go back to the simple life when I wasn’t under so much scrutiny by everybody and their brother. Number two, we are only half-way through the season. The miracle comment is a little premature. If we were headed into the Chase then maybe it would be legitimate, but we have 9 races left before that point in time so there is still plenty of time for Junior to improve on his position in the point standings. Number three, being a fan is never a job and if a fan makes any sort of comment about it being “hard” to be a fan of someone (I’ve heard it from people and you know you have too) then they aren’t a true fan anyways. Plus, the driver should never have to feel bad about their performance because of the fans. This is a sport. A recreational activity. It is supposed to be fun. Besides, everyone has bad days at work but your poor performance is not plastered on every newspaper, website and news channel across the country. So, next time you feel like complaining about your “job” as a fan, think about how you would feel if your little mess-ups at work cost your boss millions of dollars a year. The drivers certainly do not need any more pressure put on them, thank you.

Ok, now on to the real meat of this article. The COT has been a challenge for every single one of the Cup drivers and whoever denies that is lying. Sure, some have adapted faster than others (Kyle Busch) but that is a combination of more than just talent, especially considering all of the other issues that came along with the transition to the COT, such as tire wear. Also, Dale Jr. is not the only driver who has given the new car a poor review. Remember Tony Stewart’s “flying brick” comment? And Stewart is a past Cup champion who has successfully raced everything with wheels on it. Yes, the COT could be causing Junior some frustrations still, but the car cannot be fully blamed for his performance issues. There are so many things that affect this sport that one particular issue cannot be pinpointed as the exact cause of poor performances. The team is working hard to address each and every issue and as time passes they will continue to improve.