For Nascar To Truly Inprove Dale Jr Needs to Race Better

(Photo by John Harrelson/Getty Images for NASCAR)

There are race car drivers and then there are guys that drive race cars. Right now Dale Jr is in the latter. He's in 25th place in Chase, he's Nascar's most popular driver but has yet to win a Sprint Cup Championship even though he is on Nascar's best racing team (Rick Hendrick Motorsports), so bascially he is racing's Alex Rodriguez.

I'm not a fan of Dale nor do I hate him, but he needs to race better and there are no excuses, can't blame the COT, can't blame the rules, he has all the tools and people at his disposal at Hendrick, he needs to live up to his name, his dad's legacy and the pressure that comes up with being on Hendrick's team. Its that simple.

His criticisms this weekend were answered well by Mike Helton and the legitmacy of Dale's statements have some merit but not as much as if they were brought up by Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson or Mark Martin or someone that races hard and makes the most of his team.

Its hard to question your sport and its successes & difficulties when it appears you are not giving 100% and race that badly.

Dale was a great Nationwide (then Busch Series), racer and started his Cup career off decently at DEI but he never got past that okay stage with lots of potential. He appears satisfied with his popularity and that his career has stalled on the track.

Maybe he is trying hard and is just stuck with a legendary name at the best team in the the sport, but he doesn't seem to have the drive to be the best. He doesn't have the frustration of someone who is the first guy in the shop in the morning and the last guy to leave at night.

One of the problems of Nascar is Dale Jr, that he is the sports most popular driver yet he is not the best driver. It's a dilemma like the Chicago Cubs, the lovable loser, then changing into a wanna be contender but lets everything get in its way and blames everyone but themselves.

Part of being a pro is taking responsibility, of looking in the mirror (not the rearview), and making sure you are doing everything you can to win and then looking at your team and making sure all is being done so that checkers are in your near future.

Jeff Burton could complain every week for the crashes he's been in (especially since the double file restart rule change), and the bad luck he has had this year. What about Kevin Harvick and the bad year he has had.

And lets not forget Jamie McMurray, who has not lived up to his potential and now is losing his ride, yet he doesn't complain about his status.

Maybe its time we concentrate and make new most popular drivers, finally give Jimmie Johnson his due, or really give Tony Stewart the respect he deserves for these guys win and then they don't there are no excuses just hard work to get to the next win.

Take note Dale Earnhardt Jr & Kyle Busch, this sport is about hard work and winning, fans respect guys who are about either and who don't make excuses.

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