2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup: Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Living Up to Hype

Thayne Hallyburton shows that Earnhardt, Jr. has had as good a start to the season as everyone expected. In fact, he is even out-performing teammates Johnson and Gordon.

by Thayne Hallyburton (Scribe)

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Sports

April 08, 2008

Although Dale Earnhardt, Jr. has yet to win a points-paying race in the 2008 NASCAR Sprint Cup season, he has accomplished what was expected of him.

Hendrick Motorsports has admittedly struggled thus far this season, and they have been working diligently to find out why and how to get back on track.

Last season, Hendrick Motorsports took home 18 wins in the 36 races on the Sprint Cup schedule, but are still without a win in seven races this season.

Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Casey Mears, and Dale Earnhardt, Jr. are the four drivers making up the most talented stable of drivers in the series. No one at the start of the season would have pegged them to be winless this far into the Sprint Cup schedule.

Listening to NASCAR radio driver channels this past weekend, and a few before it, you would routinely hear Earnhardt, Jr. cursing his race car and the way it was handling.

This past weekend in Texas, he radioed to his crew chief, Tony Eury, Jr.

"This car is *bleeping* terrible,” Earnhardt, Jr. said. “I can barely hang onto it. Just do something and get me a top ten car.”

All year, conversations have been going on like this, and still he continually drives the car into the top 10. It currently sits fourth in the NASCAR Sprint Cup points standings.

Last year many said teammates Johnson and Gordon were better drivers than Earnhardt, but they currently sit sixth and 14th in the points respectively.

Earnhardt has out-performed his teammates all year.

The car quality is out of his control, but any questions about his driving ability have all been silenced.

Sports

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comments (6) write a comment »

reply to comment by Jamerson
4 months ago

Jamie McMurray does not drive for Hendrick Motorsports. Casey Mears is the fourth Hendrick driver in the #5 Kellogg's/CarQuest Chevrolet. Jamie McMurray drives for Roush-Fenway Racing in the #26 Crown Royal/Irwin Ford. Please try to get your facts straight.

Other than that, good column. Although I doubt Jeff and Jimmie will long be out of contention for the Sprint Cup. Jimmie is already starting to climb back up the standings, and I'm sure Jeff will also bounce back pretty soon. I expect to see a tight championship battle between Junior, Jeff, and Jimmie from Hendrick, Busch, Stewart, and possibly Hamlin from Gibbs, Edwards, Biffle, and possibly Kenseth from Roush, and Harvick, Burton, and possibly Bowyer from RCR.
1. by Thayne
  from 4 months ago
  
  sorry about the mixup...i always get them mixed up...I changed it...
reply to comment by Anonymous
4 months ago

Horrible article
1. by Marc
  from 4 months ago
  
  Must be one of the thousands of "Junior haters," and posted by the ever popular (and gutless) "Anonymous."
reply to comment by Anonymous
4 months ago

I'll probably get butchered for saying this, but how can you be considered one of the most talented drivers in the world if you're telling your crew chief to "just do something to the car to get me a top ten." That's horrible feedback from a driver. Talent behind the wheel only gets you so far, you've got to be able to understand car and track physics, and help make the car handle better. Either that, or quit complaining about the car and just adjust your driving style to suit the way it's handling.

Just my 2 cents.

MoeskerRacing.com
reply to comment by Thayne
4 months ago

That is a very interesting take on this. thanks for the comment. I am not sure that I agree but I see where you are coming from for sure!