Bleacher Report - Articles by Jim Crooks

Carl Long Needs Your Help

Jim Crooks — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 22:47:08 -0400

Carl Long needs your help. He was busted by NASCAR at Charlotte for having an engine that was a tiny bit out of tolerance, and he's been fined $200,000 and 200 points.

Carl is not exactly a Rick Hendrick or a Jack Roush. He's not even a Chip Ganassi or even a James Finch. Carl can't afford this penalty, and he's suffering for it.

David Reutimann, driver of the 00 Aaron's Toyota, a driver for Michael Waltrip Racing, and winner of the Coca Cola 600, has donated $5,000 of his own money to help pay Carl Long's penalty.

I urge you to do the same. I also urge you to to ask your favorite driver to help Carl in his plight. If you go to Carl's website, you can probably find more details about how to contribute to this fund.

Is Kyle Busch Good for NASCAR?

Jim Crooks — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 22:25:27 -0400

In 2008, Kyle Busch could seemingly do no wrong. He won in all three of NASCAR's top series. He won almost everything there was to win, except a championship.

The recently-evicted driver of the No. 5 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet moved over to Joe Gibbs Racing and promptly set the NASCAR world on fire. With his on-track performance over the last year or so, Kyle should probably be one of the most popular drivers in the sport, shouldn't he?

Actually, he is, in a way.

Kyle Busch has been somewhat of a lightning rod for NASCAR fans in recent years, much as was Dale Earnhardt and Darrell Waltrip, or even Tony Stewart, in years gone by. You either like the guy, or you hate him. It seems that very few fans are ambivalent about Kyle Busch.

Does Kyle Busch have skills? Oh, heck yes. He very well might be the most talented driver on the track right now. He might not be, either, but he's making it work...most of the time.

Have you ever worked with, or gone to school with, a person whose personality made you want to commit violent acts against their person? I know I have. To me, Kyle Busch makes me think of a co-worker who I once had, who made me want to slap him about every five minutes, eight hours a day, everyday.

When I wasn't working, I spent an unhealthy amount of time thinking about how badly that guy made me want to drown him in a toilet in the men's room; that's pretty much the way I personally feel about Kyle Busch.

But unlike my former co-worker, Kyle Busch does add something badly needed in the NASCAR world: a guy who causes a buzz, a dude who makes fans angry. Kyle Busch is certainly capable of providing that buzz, as well as that emotional reaction called anger.

In NASCAR, we have the drivers who faithfully recite the company line, and never makes waves. We have some who actually let us get a peek at their true personalities.

With Kyle Busch, we get to see a true bad boy. NASCAR always needs at least one of those.

Right now, Kyle Busch is the bad boy.

Long live bad boys in NASCAR. NASCAR needs them.

A Fourth Generation Of The Family Earnhardt Takes To The Track

Jim Crooks — Fri, 29 May 2009 04:47:11 -0400

The picture you see is of proud poppa Kerry Earnhardt, who will hopefully be watching his son Jeffrey start his very first race in NASCAR's top three series. Jeffrey Earnhardt will attempt his first start in the NASCAR Nationwide series on Saturday.

For those of you who keep up with such things, should young Jeffrey qualify for the Heluva Good! 200 at Dover, it will be the 1,394th start for a guy named Earnhardt in the top three series of NASCAR.

Ralph Earnhardt, the Originator, if you will, of the Earnhardt racing family, drove in 51 races in what was then known as the Grand National series.

Ralph never won a race in that series, but he did have six top-fives, and 16 top-10 finishes. Ralph Earnhardt also won one pole and raced in the old convertible series, making two starts, with one top-five and two top-10 finishes.

For all his efforts, Ralph Earnhardt won a total of $23,553.00 in his lifetime driving for NASCAR.

Next came his son Dale Earnhardt. Dale, the Intimidator, won 76 Cup races, 21 Busch races (now known as the Nationwide series), and seven Cup championships.

Dale won a total of $42,891,023 in his NASCAR career, between the old Busch series and Cup. Dale also won 21 races in 136 starts in the Busch series, and started 676 Cup races in his NASCAR career.

Next, of course, came Dale Earnhardt Jr. Dale Jr. is the only other racing champion in the Earnhardt family, having won the Busch Series championships in 1998 and 1999.

That compiles a total of nine NASCAR championships for the father and son. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has won 18 races out of 339 starts in his Cup career.

In the old Busch series, now known as the Nationwide Series, Dale Jr. has won 22 times out of 111 starts, and has now piled up $60,417,539 in total winnings as a driver in NASCAR.

A guy who's almost been an asterisk in the Earnhardt family is Kerry Earnhardt, half brother to Dale Jr. and father to Jeffrey.

Kerry has also tried his hand at racing, but has often not had the support that his brother and son have been given. Kerry, who probably looks more like his famous father than any of his siblings has amassed $1,806,195 in NASCAR earnings thus far.

Kerry hasn't won a NASCAR race yet, but he still runs a race once in a while.

And now the season changes once again. Jeffrey is 19-years-old, and ready to break into the big time. We'll see how long the Earnhardt name lives on in NASCAR, but right now, the future looks bright.

Source: Racing-reference.info.com

Will Changing Crew Chiefs Solve Dale Earnhardt Jr. Problems?

Jim Crooks — Thu, 28 May 2009 12:32:02 -0400

The news that Tony Eury Jr. has been replaced as Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s crew chief by Lance McGrew is hardly surprising when you consider how the 88 team has been performing lately.

I don't think it was a matter of "if" it was going to happen, but a matter of "when" it would happen.

I believe it unfair to lay all of the blame for the 88 team's poor performance at the feet of Eury. Earnhardt is the man behind the wheel, and he has had more than his share of problems getting the car into his pit stall this season.

Earnhardt has also been roundly criticized for his part in communicating what the car is doing on the track.

Obviously, the 88 team has problems. Sometimes the problems stem from a lack of cohesion between the members of the team. As the guy in charge of the team, the crew chief is the logical place to look when searching for problems.

Hence the change at crew chief.

It apparently was Earnhardt's wish that he drive the rest of his career with his cousin on top of the pit box. It now appears that won't happen.

It is unknown at this point how Earnhardt feels about this move. Earnhardt is however, a professional race car driver, and I'm sure he wants to perform better, no matter what it takes.

Racing is a performance oriented business, to make a gross understatement. As competitive as the Sprint Cup series is, literally every part of the team has to be clicking perfectly just to achieve a win.

To keep it all together for an entire season and win a championship is a monumental effort, but it's necessary to achieve the big prize, which is, of course, the Sprint Cup.

I would caution Earnhardt fans not to expect miracles right away. Changing crew chiefs may indeed be a step in the right direction, but it may be only one step in a long process.

Hopefully, McGrew will be able to improve the 88 team. McGrew will be on top of the pit box at Dover, so he'll get his chance right away.

McGrew has been apart of a successful crew in the past, and eventually he might become the second coming of Chad Knaus.

Only time will tell for Earnhardt and the rest of his team.

Note: I obviously mispoke about who would be on Dale Jr.'s pit box this weekend at Dover. Brian Whitesell will act as crew chief at Dover, not Lance McGrew. I didn't discover this fact until after I had already published the article.

NASCAR Penalties: Death Sentence To Small Teams

Jim Crooks — Thu, 28 May 2009 11:49:09 -0400

Jeremy Mayfield, Carl Long, and Robby Gordon.

All of these drivers have been given penalties that hurt. In Long and Mayfield's cases, it could be debilitating. They might not race again this year, or forever, possibly.

Is that what NASCAR is looking for?

Mayfield has been tested positive for an as yet unknown substance.

Long's dead engine was found to be .17 of a cubic inch outside boundaries.

Gordon apparently had the gall to be "found to be in violation of Sections 12-1 (actions detrimental to stock car racing); 12-4I (any determination by NASCAR Officials that the race equipment used in the event does not conform to NASCAR rules); and 20-10.6H (rear axle housing exceeded the maximum specified toe of plus or minus one degree) of the 2009 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Rule Book." (jayski.com)

NASCAR is all about the little teams, aren't they? That was the impression I got.

In the case of Long, he bought an engine and had used it for several qualifying attempts.

When the engine over heated, he had it pulled, and NASCAR decided it was a "big" engine, because instead of the 358 cubic inches allowed, it turned out to be 358.17 cubic inches.

This was an engine that had over heated. Things, like metal, tend to expand under heat. It was the bore of the engine, in other words the diameter of the cylinders that was one one-thousands of an inch out of spec.

That's all NASCAR needs though.

A big team would have brought fresh engines to the track, but a team like Long's brings what it can.

A fine of $200,000 is pretty much a death sentence to this team. Long put about $16,000 into the car to get it ready for the Sprint Showdown, and now he's being penalized $200,000?

NASCAR is going to show me they're willing to help the small teams when they start actually making it easier for the little guy to survive.

I understand that rules are rules, I'm confident that none of these drivers or their teams deliberately tried to beat the system.

If these guys were tearing up the field week after week, and it was found that they were consistently using big engines or out of spec real axle housings, that would be one thing, but a one time violation bringing such serious penalties seems a bit much.

For the big teams, the financial penalties are rather insignificant. For the small teams, they can be a death sentence.

Is It Karma? Or Is It Fate? What's Up with Dale Earnhardt Jr?

Jim Crooks — Fri, 22 May 2009 02:51:26 -0400

What can you say about the son of a legend? Is he the real deal, or is he just playing at being a legitimate driver?

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has won 18 Cup races in his career. He's only won exactly one race, at least a points race, in his last two and a half seasons.

Detractors of "Little E" invariably point to Junior's celebrity status, saying he's got the "big head," as we say here in the south, saying that Junior complains too much, that he's spread himself too thin, that he has basically a much higher opinion of himself than he should.

One fact that many Junior haters should remember: Dale Earnhardt Jr. never wanted the celebrity status that has been forced upon him by the media and his fans. He never desired it. He never asked for it. It just happend when Dale Jr. lost his famous father in 2001. His father died on national TV, which is about the last thing I could ever wish on anyone.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is basically a rather shy individual. I had the pleasure of meeting him one time, and he was about as shy as a high school graduate on his way to his very first job interview. Not only did Dale Jr. come across as a shy person, he also came across as a very real and genuine person, at least to me.

He was certainly friendly, but cautious as well. One could easily get the impression that he was a man who had been burned too many times by people who claimed to be his friends. One easily gets the impression that Dale Jr.trusts very few people, and with good reason.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., I believe, is one of the last few remaining 'good guys' in NASCAR. He respects the roots of the sport, and was a fan long before he actually became a driver.

Dale Jr. respects drivers like Richard Petty, David Pearson, Cale Yarborough, Bobby and Davey Allison, Tim Richmond, and a host of others. Dale Jr. knows the sport as well as you or I know our families or our best friends.

Dale Jr., as I have already said, has won 18 races in the Cup series thus far. That feat does not occur because a driver is overrated. Winning 18 Cup races takes skill and talent, and obviously having a pretty fast race car.

Dale has become muddled in a battle with his own team, at times. He needs the car to be tighter, or looser, and for some reason, the team keeps getting the car not quite right. Many fans blame crew chief Tony Eury Jr., but I'm not sure that's where the problem lies.

The relationship between driver and crew chief is not only an almost sacred bond, but also about as complicated as the relationship between wife and husband.

Communication is the key, obviously, and that's where some relationships begin to disintegrate.

Very few husbands and wives communicate with perfect accuracy, but eventually, husbands and wives who stay together, who actually "make it" in the long run learn to anticipate each other's thoughts, and eventually actually complete each other's sentences at times.

Thus far, Dale Earnhardt Jr. stands by his crew chief, who's not only his crew chief, but also his cousin. They've known each other their entire lives, and have basically been more like brothers than anything else. That relationship does not automatically translate to the perfect communication that they need, however. Even brothers don't understand each other at times.

The quick solution for many of Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s fans is to simply fire Tony Eury Jr. and put someone, anyone, on top of the pit box in Tony Jr.'s place. I'm not so sure that will work.

The driver has to trust the guy making the pit decisions, and though Dale Jr. and Tony Jr. argue, just like brothers do, it seems that Dale Jr. has a tremendous amount of trust in his cousin.

Is Tony Eury Jr. the best crew chief in the sport? I would say no. But he does have one thing going for him, which is the trust and support of NASCAR's most popular driver. As a Dale Earnhardt Jr. fan, that's good enough for me.

Jeremy Mayfield Still Claiming Innocence

Jim Crooks — Thu, 21 May 2009 22:46:59 -0400

It's not a new story by any means, but one has to wonder why Jeremy Mayfield is fighting against his indefinite suspension by NASCAR. I suspect the truth is very simple.

Mayfield believes he's innocent. It's that simple.

Supposedly, Mayfield has been told exactly what drug or drugs he tested positive for by a representative from NASCAR.

Mayfield denies that he took anything illegal, and the fact that he seems to be the whipping boy for NASCAR has made some other drivers worried about just what NASCAR supposedly found and if they need to stop taking what have been considered "legal" medications.

Mayfield taking on NASCAR is somewhat like David taking on Goliath, but remember who won that battle in the end.

I will admit that I'm not the biggest Mayfield fan in the world, but I welcome a guy going out on the limb and risking his entire career and also a lot of his own finances to once again race in the NASCAR Sprint Cup series.

It's possible that Mayfield feels that he has absolutely nothing to lose, and that he's actually been shooting up heroin or smoking crack and thought nobody would find out.

Personally, I doubt that.

NASCAR made a big deal about stepping up their drug testing before the season began, and I personally doubt that Mayfield would embark on a new venture such as starting his own team, knowing that if he got asked to take a drug test, he would fail. It just doesn't make sense to do something like that if you know you can't pass a drug screen.

Personally, I've probably taken at least half a dozen drug tests for jobs for which I was applying for. I've never failed one, but can understand the anguish that one would feel had they wrongly been tested positive for some substance they never knowingly ingested.

I've heard the stories about people eating poppy seeds on a roll and testing positive for narcotics. I don't know for sure whether that's true or not, but it does lead one to believe that some drug tests might not always show accurate results.

For several reasons, one of which I've always been a fan of the underdog, I'm hoping that Mayfield somehow proves to be the David who somehow gets the upper hand on Goliath in this case. I find it hard to believe that Mayfield is a drug user, and feel that the road he must now drive down is going to be fraught with pot holes.

Making NASCAR admit they made a mistake is going to be an almost impossible task.

Perfection When it Counts: Jimmie Johnson

Jim Crooks — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 13:32:41 -0500

Is there a reason why Jimmie Johnson currently holds an almost insurmountable lead in Sprint Cup points? Sure, there is.

Jimmie Johnson and his crew chief Chad Knaus are that good. Period.

Carl Edwards and his crew chief, Bob Osbourne have won a lot of races this year. So have Kyle Bush and Steve Addington.

But no one has combined to win and lead races at the most crucial times as has Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus.

Mr Johnson and Mr. Knaus have earned the title of Mr. Chase and Mr. Pressure-I-Didn't-Even-Think-Existed respectively. Will Jimmie and Chad stop at three? Will they continue on until eight? Who knows.

All I know is that Jimmie Johnson is one of the best drivers in modern era of NASCAR. Chad Knaus is one of the best crew chiefs in the modern era of NASCAR. Together, they seem to be almost unstoppable.

Would your put your hard-earned money on Jimmie Johnson right now? I would, if I had any to bet. Jimmie is the Chase specialist driver. Chad is the Chase specialist crew chief.

Can the Jimmie and Chad combination lose at Homestead? Of course, they can. My money's on that they win, though. Jimmie only has to finish 36th or better to sew up the Cup.

My money's on Jimmie in this one. He's been too good, for too long to believe he'll lose this endeavor.

How Important Are Crew Chiefs in NASCAR?

Jim Crooks — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 12:58:54 -0400

Crew chiefs are variously described as team leaders, or even as the quarterback of the team. That part is obvious. What many fans may not know is that the crew chief is much more than just the guy in charge in the shop and in the garage.

Once the green flag drops, the performance of the race car is out of the hands of the crew chief and in the hands of the driver. At that point, the crew chief sits more or less helplessly on the pit box, listening to the spotter talking his driver though the traffic. He watches his driver's lap times.

He gauges the driver's performance on the track. He makes plans, and then dashes them as events unfold. He talks to his crew, getting them ready for any eventuality. He tries to think ahead to the next pit stop. More importantly, he tries to think ahead to the last pit stop of the race.

During the week, the crew chief acts as the shop foreman. He directs his crew as to what they need to do to get the cars set up properly. I say cars, because the teams take two to the race track.

On travel day, they load up the cars and the hauler takes off, whether to Lowes Motor Speedway just down the road in Concord, NC, or to Sonoma, California or Brooklyn, Michigan.

NASCAR travels all over the country, so long airplane flights are part of the job as well. Along with the car chief, the crew chief directs every single task performed on the race cars.

On race weekends, the crew chief becomes the statistician. He watches lap times during practice and qualifying. He looks at the tires that come off the car after it's run laps. He looks at the spark plugs. He looks at the lifters and the valves. He measures fuel mileage on long runs during practice. He's writing on his clipboard, taking down the data.

On race day, the crew chief transforms into not only the boss of the team, but his driver's primary cheerleader.

Along with the spotter, the crew chief's job is to keep the driver focused on the task ahead of him. Whether it be maintaining a lead, or trying to pass the cars in front of him in order to gain better track position.

All the while, the crew chief remains in statistician mode. He's gauging lap times against fuel mileage.

He's looking at options such as short pitting, two tires or four, up or down on the track bar or air pressures. He's sitting on the pit box, but he's working as hard as his driver is. He looks calm, but he's nervous.

He didn't get to his position by being naive about anything in this sport. He knows his crew and his driver, and he, himself have to perform perfectly to get his driver into victory lane.

Another quality that's required of a crew chief is to have good relationship with his driver. The driver often gets cranky on the track, in the heat of battle.

It's the crew chief's job to decipher the clues that his driver is giving him about the car's performance.

Some drivers are better at giving feedback than others, but a good crew chief can simply watch the car and know what changes need to take place, should he be working with a young or inexperienced driver.

The crew chief tries to calm his driver down when he gets frustrated. He tries to tell his driver to save fuel if he can.

He basically becomes the driver's best friend. Chemistry between driver and crew chief is more important than many people realize.

When it comes right down to it, a great driver can only be a good driver with a so-so crew chief. A great crew chief can make a so-so driver look great though.

Are we now in the Post Gordon Era in NASCAR?

Jim Crooks — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 12:14:00 -0400

Statistically, he's the greatest active driver in NASCAR. He's won 81 races and four championships. In his 17 years in the sport, he has 245 top 5's and 334 top 10's. He's won 66 poles in his career. He has almost 100 million dollars in winnings. But he's not won a race in 2008, and hasn't won a championship since 2001. He's Jeff Gordon, and even after all he's won, he's still hungry for more.

When interviewed yesterday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Jeff said that he's happy with how his 24 Chevrolet team has been progressing this year. He said they need to get better, but he's not unhappy with his team. He has hinted in past weeks that they may need to tweak certain things, such as personnel. Many of Gordon's fans have been putting a lot of blame on his crew chief, Steve Letarte. Jeff has done nothing but praise Letarte, but that's what drivers do. Placing blame on the crew chief is common in this sport. As an Earnhardt fan, believe me, I know the feeling.

Jeff Gordon's personal life has changed greatly over the last few years. He's remarried and now has a daughter. Jeff appears to be a very happy family man now. Has that made a difference in his driving performance? Some think it's a possibility, but I don't. On race day, I see the same guy with the same game face on that I watched 10 years ago. His focus does not appear to have changed. What's going on in his mind, nobody can know but Jeff though. Does having a family change what a driver is willing to do? In some cases, I'm sure it does. Jeff Gordon, being the professional that he's always been appears to be able to compartmentalize his life and his various roles in it.

At the age of 37, it's doubtful that Jeff is past his prime as a race driver. His reflexes may be slower than they were 10 years ago, but he's still consistently one of the best drivers on the track race-in and race-out. Other drivers have won races when they were 10 years older than Jeff, though not lately. Certainly the competition is tougher than it ever has been, but Jeff has always found ways to win against the odds.

Gordon can chalk up some of his problems in 2008 to just plain bad luck. He's been involved in several crashes this year, mostly as an innocent victim. The 24 team seems to be missing the setups on the new car, a problem common among almost all drivers in the sport this year. Though Jeff is currently sixth in points with three races to go, he will not win his fifth championship this year. With three races to go, he could, of course, break his winless streak, and undoubtedly that is his primary goal right now.

Gordon's primary sponsor, Dupont, is supposedly signed with the 24 team through 2010. Jeff can supposedly drive for Hendrick Motorsports as long as he desires. It has been speculated that Jeff might retire if Dupont leaves. I suppose it's not unreasonable to suppose such a thing.

Jeff has already won pretty much everything there is to win, has more money than he can spend in 10 lifetimes, has a lovely wife and daughter, and except to race for his personal satisfaction, he really doesn't need to. I don't see it happening though. Jeff will certainly retire one day, but I feel like he will keep trying for at least one more championship.

I imagine somewhere in the back of his mind, he knows that with just a few more wins, he can top legendary drivers such at Darrell Waltrip, Bobby Allison and Cale Yarborough in all time wins. Other than Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty, Jeff has already won more championships than any other driver. Surpassing Earnhardt and Petty's record of seven championships each would appear to be a fading dream though.

I doubt that we will ever see Jeff Gordon running partial schedules much in his later years. Jeff does not appear to be the type of driver who even wants to be on the track unless he thinks he can win, and win it all. Every single season he's driven has been a championship run, at least in his mind. Missing the Chase for the Cup in 2005 must have been a devastating development for him. Every driver wants to win, but a lot of them know that realistically, in the Cup series, if they finish in the top 15, they've had a very good day. Fifteenth for Jeff Gordon must feel like 43rd to him.

Whatever the future holds for Jeff Gordon, you can never, ever count him out. Not yet.

Spoils of Victory somewhat spoiled for Carl Edwards at Atlanta

Jim Crooks — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 11:30:00 -0400

After the Pep Boys 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway on Sunday, Carl Edwards performed his signature back flip into the infield grass and celebrated in Victory Lane. He celebrated, that is, until he got the news. Jimmie Johnson finished 2nd.

A jubilant Carl Edwards was visibly deflated when he was informed during the initial post race interview on ABC that Jimmie Johnson, who at one point was a lap down after being penalized for speeding on pit road, had come charging back during the final 9 laps, in an amazing performance which was definitely the highlight of the race. On several message boards that I scanned after the race, it was difficult to tell who had won the race. One person on my board, who had not actually seen the race, scanned another board and posted that Jimmie had won again. When I replied that Carl had won, she was surprised. That surprise is understandable, because today, hardly anyone is talking about Carl Edwards. They're all talking about Jimmie Johnson, even though he finished 2nd.

It's hard not to be impressed by Jimmie Johnson during the 2nd half of the 2008 season. I'm not a Johnson fan, but I can appreciate that what looked to be at the outset a down year for the 48 team has become a runaway freight train to another championship. Not that it's over, mind you, but it's going to take practically a miracle for anyone but the 48 team to win the Cup in 2008.

What's great for the 48 team and Jimmie Johnson fans is probably not so good for NASCAR as a whole.

ABC could not disguise the many empty seats at Atlanta yesterday. Dale Earnhardt Jr., in a pre-race TV interview even mentioned that he wished more fans would buy tickets to come see the race at Atlanta.

Many of the empty seats can certainly be blamed on the recent financial upheaval on Wall Street and elsewhere, and what I consider to be outrageously high ticket prices. I do feel, however, that part of the lack of attendance can be blamed on what has become a lopsided Chase for the Cup. Who wants to spend all that money to see the same guys win every week?

As much as I love to go to Atlanta, I'm glad I didn't go this year. In the early part of the season, it was all Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards. Now during the Chase, it's been all Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards. It's strange, isn't it, that though Carl Edwards has won races all during the year, it looks like he's going to come up short in his championship hopes. That all leads to another subject though, and I hope to address that one later.

All in all, I could have skipped yesterday's race except for the final nine laps. Jimmie Johnson's charge through the field was indeed amazing. He and several other drivers had new tires, but to pass that many cars in so few laps was really something to see. The race had it's other moments too, but nobody's going to remember them.

Oh yes, congratulations to Jimmie, er, I mean Carl Edwards on your win at Atlanta.

Jr. Nation? We're Fine, Thank You All The Same.

Jim Crooks — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 15:54:18 -0400

So he's won races but no championships. So he's won Bud Shootouts and even the Winston in 2000. Oops, excuse me, he has won what was once known as the Busch series championship, now known as the Nationwide championship in 1998 and 1999. Jr. Nation? We're fine, thank you.

Say what you want to about the Jr. Nation. We're dedicated. Maybe we don't know so much about stats. I do. Maybe we don't know so much about win/loss records versus other drivers. I do. It's possible that some of my brethren are not as educated about Dale Jr. as I am. It's possible. If you rank your NASCAR fans on a whim, then go ahead. We're about a real guy. Dale Jr. is about as real as it gets. We're about as real as it gets.

We laugh together. We cry together. We pray for each other. Some of us might be superficial. Examine the sport closely, and you'll find much the same for any driver. For the most part though, we care about the statistics. We care about the team. We care about the crew chief. We also care about the driver. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has made us believe in him, win or lose.

Does he lose more than he wins? Yes. That can be said for all drivers though. Sprint Cup is the hardest series on the planet in which to achieve wins, but Dale Jr. has done quite nicely, thank you very much.

You may rank the Jr. Nation as part fake, part real, but the vote for MPD counts. I'll give you this: Some members are simply interested in the man, not the driver. But we all care about Dale.

To many of us, he's the link to the past, the path to the original Dale. Many of us miss Dale, me included.

Don't dis Dale Jr. He's the real deal and he's doing great things.

Dale Jr. Nation? We're Fine, Thank You all the Same

Jim Crooks — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 22:46:00 -0400

So he's won races, but no championships. So he's won Bud Shootouts and even the Winston in 2000. Oops, excuse me, he has won what was once known as the Busch series championship, now known as the Nationwide championship in 1998 and 1999. Jr. Nation? We're fine, thank you.

Say what do you want to know about the Jr. Nation? We're dedicated. Maybe we don't know so much about stats. I do. Maybe we don't know so much about win/loss records versus other drivers. I do. It's possible that some of my brethren are not as educated about Dale Jr. as I am. It's possible. If you rank your NASCAR fans on a whim, then go ahead. We're about a real guy. Dale Jr. is about as real as it gets. We're about as real as it gets.

We laugh together. We cry together. We pray for each other. Some of us might be superficial. Examine the sport closely and you'll find much the same for any driver. For the most part though, we care about the statistics. We care about the team. We care about the crew chief. We also care about the driver. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has made us believe in him, win or lose.

Does he lose more than he wins? Yes. That can be said for all drivers though. Sprint Cup is the hardest series on the planet in which to achieve wins, but Dale Jr. has done quite nicely, thank you very much.

You may rank the Jr. Nation as part fake, part real, but the vote for MPD counts. I'll give you this: Some members are simply interested in the man, not the driver. But we all care about Dale.

To many of us, he's the link to the past, the path to the original Dale. Many of us miss Dale, me included.

Don't dis Dale Jr. He's the real deal and he's doing great things.

Chad Knaus: Giving Credit Where Credit Is Due

Jim Crooks — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 15:00:00 -0400

Many of the NASCAR pundits have already declared the 2008 season as being over. Jimmie Johnson will win his third straight title, even though there are still four races to go.

I'm not so sure about that, but it's obvious that Jimmie and the No. 48 team are going to be very tough to beat in 2008, just as they were in 2007 and, to a certain degree, in 2006.

Jimmie Johnson has earned a reputation as a driver who can win on virtually any track. He appears to be a very calm driver, not prone to fits of rage or frustration. Johnson's ability to keep his cool under pressure has probably earned him quite a few of his wins.

In other words, Jimmie Johnson is not likely to beat himself on the track. He's already a two-time champion and his talent as a driver has certainly made him deserving of those titles.

But there is a puppet master behind the scenes, and that is Johnson's crew chief, Chad Knaus. Chad has probably won as many races for the No. 48 team from atop the pit box as Jimmie has won by staying calm and using his talent.

Chad Knaus has come from a position of relative obscurity to become perhaps the sport's most admired crew chief in just a few short years. Though Johnson certainly has the talent to have won races with any crew chief, it is from Chad Knaus that the 48 Chevrolet truly gets its magic.

Jimmie Johnson himself entered the ranks of Sprint Cup drivers as a relative unknown as well. After enjoying a lackluster showing in the Nationwide series, Jeff Gordon personally pointed the young driver out to team owner Rick Hendrick. Gordon became the co-owner of the 48 Cup ride along with boss Hendrick. The rest, as they say, is history.

Chad Knaus has been with Jimmie Johnson since the very beginning of his Cup career. Chad worked his way up through the ranks at Hendrick Motorsports, and finally got his shot at the big time when he was tapped to be the crew chief of the brand new 48 car.

Since 2002, the duo has managed to win 39 Cup races and two championships. This is a feat that could be seen as on the same level as that of Dale Earnhardt in the 1980s or Jeff Gordon in the 1990s.

Chad Knaus' ability to make the proper adjustments on the 48 Chevrolet and to make pit calls that make him appear to be an absolute genius are fast becoming, if not already, legendary.

It's not very often that Jimmie Johnson runs out of gas with half a lap to go. It's not very often that the 48 car is not running at the front of the field. Chad Knaus has fit in perfectly with the Hendrick formula of putting the best people in the places where they are most talented, and then giving them what they need to make it all work.

We've seen this formula work with Jeff Gordon's team in the past, and now we are seeing it work with the No. 48 team. They are on the verge of winning their third straight championship, the likes of which has not been seen since Cale Yarborough did it between 1976 and '78.

Jimmie and Chad could very well make history. Earnhardt never won three consecutive championships. Neither has Gordon. Not even Richard Petty could win three in a row. Jimmie Johnson could be next.

I believe that Jimmie Johnson would be the first to tell you that he could not have achieved nearly as much success as he has without the help of Chad Knaus. When it comes to crew chiefs, Chad Knaus has indeed proven himself to be a genius.

Reviewing a Clean Slate: Dale Earnhardt, Jr.'s First Year with Hendrick

Jim Crooks — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:01:00 -0400

These are questions that few but the most expert fans of the sport can answer. Most of those experts are already on top of pit boxes. As is the case with any driver and crew chief combination, the comfort level must be there, especially for the driver. Dale Jr. trusts his crew chief, and it appears that he has the final say on that matter.

Problems with pit stops have been the cause for some missed opportunities this well. Even the most well oiled pit crew can and does occasionally make mistakes. A missed lug nut here, a snarled air hose there, and positions are lost on the track, and this season, more than other, track position is important.

Overall, this season has been a success for the 88 team. Goals have been achieved, and hopes and expectations will undoubtedly be even higher next season. Is there room for improvement? Of course there is. The more time this team spends together, I feel the better they will be.

Is Dale Jr.'s first season with Hendrick Motorsports the best first season with a new team this year? Critics point at the driver whom Dale Jr. replaced at Hendrick, Kyle Busch.

Kyle has eight wins to Dale Jr.'s one win, that's true, but here's one important fact that many are willing to overlook: After 31 of 36 races, there are only 28 points separating the two drivers. It's very possible that Dale Jr. will finish ahead in the points standings at the end of the season.

Are wins more important than championships? That's debatable. Wins are important, but the ultimate goal of any driver is to be holding the Cup trophy at the end of the year. It is unlikely that either Dale Jr. or Kyle Busch will be holding that trophy in November, but it's possible that Dale Jr. finishes higher in the standings than 2008's golden boy.

Reviewing a Clean Slate

Jim Crooks — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 11:01:00 -0400

Many commentators proclaimed this 2008 season the year of Dale Earnhardt Jr. How has that worked out? So far, it has and it hasn't.

Dale Jr. and the 88 team set some goals for themselves which they have largely achieved. They won, not only a points race at Michigan, but also the Budweiser Shootout in February. They made the Chase for the Cup. Up until the last few races, the 88 team was a very viable contender to win a championship. Much of the disappointments which have occurred since the Chase began have been the result of plain bad luck.

Have there been miscues by the team? Surely there have been. Some of the miscues this season were made by the driver himself. Some were made by crew chief Tony Eury Jr. Much blame has been heaped upon Eury Jr., and though some of it may well be deserved, much of it is not. Two tires or four? Are we good on fuel? Up or down on the air pressures or track bar? These are questions that few but the most expert fans of the sport can answer. Most of those experts are already on top of pit boxes. As is the case with any driver and crew chief combination, the comfort level must be there, especially for the driver. Dale Jr. trusts his crew chief, and it appears that he has the final say on that matter.

Problems with pit stops have been the cause for some missed opportunities this well. Even the most well oiled pit crew can and does occasionally make mistakes. A missed lug nut here, a snarled air hose there, and positions are lost on the track, and this season, more than other, track position is important.

Overall, this season has been a success for the 88 team. Goals have been achieved, and hopes and expectations will undoubtedly be even higher next season. Is there room for improvement? Of course there is. The more time this team spends together, I feel the better they will be. Is Dale Jr.'s first season with Hendrick Motorsports the best first season with a new team this year? Critics point at the driver whom Dale Jr. replaced at Hendrick, Kyle Busch. Kyle has 8 wins to Dale Jr.'s 1 win, that's true, but here's one important fact that many are willing to overlook: After 31 of 36 races, there are only 28 points separating the two drivers. It's very possible that Dale Jr. will finish ahead in the points standings at the end of the season.

Are wins more important than championships? That's debatable. Wins are important, but the ultimate goal of any driver is to be holding the Cup trophy at the end of the year. It is unlikely that either Dale Jr. or Kyle Busch will be holding that trophy in November, but it's possible that Dale Jr. finishes higher in the standings than 2008's golden boy.

Dale Earnhardt Inc. Takes Out the Fork, Fights On

Jim Crooks — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 16:52:00 -0400

Dale Earnhardt Inc. made a very strong showing at the Amp Energy 500 at Talladega on Sunday.

Regan Smith (basically) won the race, by passing the leader, albeit below the yellow line. He got penalized for it, though, and was classified on the tail end of the lead lap in 18th place.

Martin Truex Jr. and Paul Menard, along with Aric Almirola, also had good cars and ran well. Truex got wrecked while running in the front, but the DEI cars were always near the front throughout the race.

Truex had to be at least as frustrated as Regan Smith was on Sunday. A blown tire on the car of Brian Vickers ended his day early after Truex made it known he had a car that could win.

DEI's day will come, and probably soon, if they can keep up the kind of performance they showed at Talladega.

They have definitely shown some muscle in at least their super speedway program this past week, even after it was announced that Paul Menard was leaving the team after the 2008 season for Yates.

I was among those who thought DEI was headed for trouble. But, here I stand, totally reprimanded. They are still a factor, and even though they have no drivers in the Chasep, they can still upset the apple cart by putting a driver in Victory Lane.

Races are still won by drivers who have the ability to become "creative." What Regan Smith did certainly wasn't a sin, at least to me. By NASCAR's standards, I suppose it was.

To me, it was a driver doing whatever it took to win. If the guy ahead of you blocks you low, go lower. On any other track on the circuit, except Daytona of course, this move would have been totally legal.

DEI is not out of the game yet. They still have some cards to play.

Jimmie Johnson the Best Driver in Nascar? It's Easy to Figure Out

Jim Crooks — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 16:28:00 -0400

Who is it? We'll wait until the end to show you. But I have to ask you, who else has won 38 races out of 249 starts, and also has 98 top five finishes and 152 top ten finishes?

Who also has 18 poles out of his 249 starts? Who also has never finished worse than 5th in the points standings since he started driving all the races in Cup?

This driver's ability to cultivate wins astounds me. He has a fantastic crew chief as well, though about as nerdy as Mr. Spock on Star Trek. But, the combination has produced fantastic results.

This driver also lacks, or so it would seem, in personality. He is one of those "I want to thank my sponsor" kind of guys in interviews. He never seems to have a hair out of place, and never says the wrong thing on camera. In other words, he's a sponsor's dream.

This driver overcomes adversity at all costs. He never sounds tired or overly frustrated on the radio during the longest of races. I would know. I spent a lot of time listening to his radio during Sunday's Talladega race, and he had more reasons than I have the space to list here to be frustrated. His crew chief kept him in line very well.

Who am I talking about? Of course it's Jimmie Johnson.

Since his first Cup race in 2001, he's managed to win 38 times and has two championships.

He never gives up, as evidenced on Sunday. He salvaged a 9th place finish after losing a lap early. He currently leads the Cup standings, and appears to be on his way to a third consecutive championship. What he lacks in on camera personality, he makes up for with on the track greatness.

Performance is what counts, and Jimmie Johnson has proven that he's one of the best.

Carl Edwards', Goodyear's, Nascar's Bad Decisions Mar Exciting Talladega Race

Jim Crooks — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 13:46:00 -0400

Photo by AP.

Tony Stewart scored his first victory of the 2008 season on Sunday, after crossing the finish line second in the Amp Energy 500 at Talladega Super Speedway. The picture above speaks for itself.

Regan Smith, driver of the No. 01 Dale Earnhardt Inc. Chevrolet, passed Stewart just before crossing the finish line. There was one problem though: Part of that pass occurred while Smith was below the yellow line, considered a no-no by NASCAR.

It would appear that Stewart, driver of the 20 Subway/Home Depot Toyota, had actually forced Smith below the yellow line. NASCAR, in it's infinite wisdom, said it didn't matter. Tony Stewart went to Victory Lane and Regan Smith was penalized and credited with a very disappointing 18th.

Yellow line passes on restrictor plate tracks have been controversial in the past, but none is likely to be as controversial as this one.

It seems that NASCAR changes the rules from incident to incident, making for a lot of angry drivers, crew chiefs, owners, and fans. Right or wrong, Tony Stewart was awarded the trophy, and as always, what NASCAR says goes.

Only NASCAR makes the rules in NASCAR, and if they want to change them, it's their option. I personally feel it makes the sport look bad, and gives it a certain WWE feel. If that's what NASCAR wants to do, neither you, nor I, nor Regan Smith can change that. There will be no asterisk in the record book.

Poor Goodyear rubber once again led to some unnecessary danger in Sunday's race.

Blown tires nearly caused at least one very serious injury; Denny Hamlin blew a right front tire while leading the race, shooting him hard into the wall. He was taken to an ambulance on a stretcher and transported to a nearby hospital and kept overnight for observation.

Brian Vickers and Mike Wallace were among others who experienced catastrophic tire failures as well.

Even with restrictor plates, Talladega races produces speeds of up to andexceeding 200 mph. This track is dangerous enough without Goodyear providing an inferior and unsafe product.

Harsh words, you say? I think perhaps not harsh enough. Several of the drivers expressed their concerns about their safety after Sunday's race. Talladega is nerve racking enough for the drivers without them wondering if the next blown tire could seriously injure them.

Another bad decision was made by Carl Edwards, driver of the 99 Office Depot Ford. In attempting to push teammate Greg Biffle to the lead, he caused a spectacular wreck, taking himself and teammates Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was also caught up in that crash, which ended his day. Edwards did take responsibility for his mistake, but that was small consolation for the drivers who's championship runs were effectively ended by one bone headed mistake. Aggressive is one thing, but stupid is another.

One true high point of the race, from this fan's perspective, was the 13th place finish by Kenny Wallace, who drove a one race deal in the Michael Waltrip owned 00 Toyota.

Kenny was penalized a lap early on for speeding in excess of 100 mph on pit road, but was able to recover for a very good finish. Kenny, who is a well liked personality, showed yesterday that he's also a pretty good race car driver. I hope to see this open up an opportunity for Kenny Wallace to drive more Cup races in the near future.

Why Paul Menard Is a Great Addition to Yates Racing

Jim Crooks — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 13:10:00 -0400

It's very simple. Paul Menard brings to Yates what all NASCAR teams need, in order to survive. $. Yep that's it.

It doesn't matter that Menard has not won a race in the Sprint Cup series. He did win one in the Nationwide series, back when it was still called the Busch series. In the Cup series, he has exactly one top 10 finish, which came as a seventh place finish at Atlanta in 2006. That's out of a total of 68 races thus far in the Cup series.

I'm not saying that Paul Menard is not a good race car driver. I'm just saying that a driver without a built in sponsor, which is what Paul brings to the game, would not even be in the series at all. Paul's father, John Menard, is the owner of Menards, a major mid western home improvement chain. John Menard is the richest person in the state of Wisconsin, as of 2007, according to an online encyclopedia.

Having a rich father certainly helps a young race car driver succeed. Many people attribute Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s success to the fact that his father was a successful race car driver, and not that Dale Jr. could possibly have any talent of his own. That point of view is foolish at best, and ridiculous at worst, because drivers with no talent who win the Busch series championship two years in a row and 18 Cup races by the time they are 33 years old are rare indeed.

Paul Menard is not among the top tier of drivers in NASCAR, and never has been. However, as long as Menard's keeps doing business, and as long as his father believes in his son, Paul Menard will have a sponsor. Is this a trend that will become more prevelant in NASCAR in the future? It's difficult to say.

As long as money is the life blood of all NASCAR teams, any driver with a built in sponsor will be poplular. Race wins or championships will not make any difference, as long as the bucks keep pouring in. Yates Racing, now run by Doug Yates, has done what his organization needed to do to keep the doors open for next year. They hired a guy with a rich dad. Does this cheapen the sport in any way? I say yes, it does.

There are drivers out there that cannot get a job anymore. They have won races in the past. Steve Park comes to mind. Though he's had some terrible accidents, Steve is a proven Cup winner. He drove for DEI, basically as the company's first Cup driver. His dad doesn't own a multimillion dollar business though.

Once again, I have no beef with Paul Menard. If racing is what he wants to do, then so be it. I find it somewhat of a shame when Paul gets a ride with Yates Racing, and Steve Park is still on the outside, looking in.

Danger: Message Boards May Be Dangerous to Your Health (Satire)

Jim Crooks — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 13:46:00 -0400

I'm not kidding, folks. I had a near-death experience on a certain NASCAR-related message board recently. I will not name the message board because legal details are involved, but I can say that recently, I was threatened with death by deletion on a message board.

I'm familiar with message boards. Heck, I even have one myself. We've got four members pumping out information with all their might. Recently, on a board dealing with not only politics, but religion, I was threatened with removal because I committed the greatest sin of all: I told the truth.

I said to the board, and I quote here: "George W. Busch has not been the greatest president in history."

I backed up my facts there. I did my research before I made such an audacious post. I did my homework, in other words. I based my reasoning upon the fact that none of us, here in the USA, the land of the brave and the home of the free, have yet to acquire space cars. Yeah, I said it. Space cars.

I once watched a film, back when they had film, about the future. In the future, we would all have space cars. I'm in a midlife crises here. I want a Corvette, but should I wait for my space car instead?

I watch guys like Dale Earnhardt Jr, and he makes life fun by being a guy that makes me think that he lives like a rock star. I imagine being Dale Jr, because being him must be so much fun, right?

The fact is, if Dale Jr. wanted a space car, he'd probably already have one. That's just how cool that guy is. Everything he touches seems to turn to gold. He's got his own racing teams. He's got his own production company. He rocks, he rolls, he's like so totally cool.

I wish I had my space car, but I'm probably not going to get one anytime soon. The prices seems to be very high, and the registration costs seem to be very not so nice either. I'd hate to think about the insurance on one of those things.

Getting back to my original topic, I have to report that I once had a message board contact offer to shoot me in the face. I was talking about Kyle Busch at the time. This kind board contact offered to shoot me in the face, free of charge.

With the price of ammunition these days, that was indeed a kind offer. I declined, however, because I'm apparently too sissy to take on an armed racing fan. What a shame.

I find it refreshing to know that so many fans out there feel passionate enough about their drivers to kill someone. I'm also a bit disturbed by it. But that's just me.

Don't mind me. If I offend you, why don't you just shoot me in the face?

Big Shoes To Fill For Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Jim Crooks — Sun, 21 Sep 2008 19:42:32 -0400

It's just not the same anymore. In 2001, NASCAR lost one of it's largest personalities ever on February 18th. That was the day that the flame of Dale Earnhardt was snuffed out, the flame that had burned like a road flare among birthday candles for so long. NASCAR indeed lost a hero and one of its greatest drivers that day. But yet a son remained.

It's not been all celebrity and fun and games and drinking beer for Dale Earnhardt Jr. since then. Dale Jr. has built a reputation as a business man, beginning with JR Motorsports which fields two Nationwide series teams. Dale Jr. later created his own TV production company and his own popular Charlotte night spot called Whisky River.

He still drives a race car, the 88 Chevrolet Impala SS for owner Rick Hendrick. Dale Jr. is in the Chase for the Cup, and he's a winner.

But at the age of 33, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. has no Sprint Cup championships to his name yet. As a two time winner of the Busch series, which is now called the Nationwide series, Dale Jr. is indeed a champion, and a race winner. 18 wins in Cup since 2000 is a record that many veteran NASCAR drivers would love to have.

He's won the Bud Shootout. He's won the All Star race. He's won the Daytona 500. He's basically done it all but win a championship, and for many of his critics, nothing means anything at all unless he wins at least several championships.

Critics of Dale Earnhardt Jr. are many and varied, but most follow one common theme, which is that he would not even be racing were his name not Earnhardt. According to his critics, Dale Jr. is highly overrated, and basically has a driving talent quotient of exactly zero.

If you read many of the message boards and comments to articles posted from all over this land, you will get a taste for the abject hatred that many people feel for NASCAR's most popular driver. Many feel that the MPD title is undeserved, and then eventually they say they don't care because he hasn't won a championship. It is true that any driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr. included, would rather have the title of Sprint Cup Champion added to their list of achievements rather than being the sports most popular driver.

I'm sorry to report to the many Dale Jr. detractors that his 18 wins and Daytona 500 victory put Dale Jr. in a class that very few drivers, past or present, can boast much about. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has won exactly as many races as has Kurt Busch, who is the 2004 champion. He's also won exactly as many races as Geoffrey Bodine, Harry Gant and Neil Bonnett.

If you don't recognize what an achievement that is for a guy that's been racing for nine years in Cup for full time, you don't know your NASCAR history.

With one more win, Dale Jr. will tie Buddy Baker and Davey Allison. With two more wins, Dale will tie Jeff Burton's current win record. Jeff's been around a lot longer than Dale Jr. In other words, for a grossly overrated driver, Dale Jr. seems to have a pretty impressive record.

It's probably not as much fun anymore for Dale Jr. as it used to be. The tiring ordeal with leaving his father's company, Dale Earnhardt Inc. to make the move to Hendrick Motorsports must have made for a lot of sleepless nights. Many of his critics call him a traitor for ever leaving DEI.

I beg to differ, however. Anyone with the name Earnhardt has to know that it's better to go with a winning team, with better equipment and more resources as far as engineering and technical support than it would be to stay with a team that served up a whopping 10 engines that failed to finish races last season.

An Earnhardt will always go to where the racing is. This Earnhardt did just that, and I seriously doubt that Dale Earnhardt Sr. would have had any problem understanding that.

Tony Eury Jr., Dale Jr.'s cousin and crew chief has spoken of the switch from DEI to Hendrick. He left DEI early last year to get a head start on learning the Hendrick equipment and personnel. Tony Jr. has mentioned that he has had to work harder at HMS than he had to work at DEI. He has more resources available to him, and he's finding that he's spending more time in the shop than he ever did at DEI.

Tony Jr. doesn't mind though, as long as it all adds up to better performance. Though many will criticize Tony Jr.'s decisions from on top of the pit box, his peers at HMS feel that there is a good reason for him to be where he is.

General manager Marshall Carlson said, "Tony Jr. is one of the smartest guys we've got at that whole place. He's as sly as a fox…He made friends with everyone through that place, front to back, so that when the season started, it was pretty neat to see everyone through the organization, all these channels of support they have, they were all pulling for Tony and Dale."

Hendrick Motorsports and Dale Jr. have the opportunity to do great things together, and for those who discount Dale Earnhardt Jr. as a driver with little or no talent, I would advise you to remember one thing. This is only the first year out of a multi year contract, and Dale Jr. is performing. He's not where he wants to be, but he's getting there, slowly, race by race, lap by lap.

Beware, detractors: Before you disparage a man you don't understand, make sure he's not kicking your driver's tail out on the track. Regardless of what you might think of him, I'll bet that his old man would be proud. I am.

Tony Eury Jr.'s comments supplied by Brant James at the St. Petersburg Times

Kyle Busch a Worthy Hero and NASCAR Champion?

Jim Crooks — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 09:23:01 -0400

You love him or you hate him. There don't seem to be too many fans who feel ambivalent about Kyle Busch. He wins too much. He's too arrogant. He's too immature. Sure. A lot of people feel that way. If you feel that way, you're not alone.

What Kyle Busch does do well is win. He's won eight Sprint Cup races this year, while winning six times in the Nationwide series and twice in the Crafstman Trucks series. He probably would have won more if he'd been driving either the Nationwide or Trucks series full time.

Kyle is first in championship points in the Sprint Cup, and that accomplishment is not likely to be seriously challenged before the Chase for the Cup starts. Kyle is on a roll and he seems to be unstoppable right now.

In his first year at Joe Gibbs Racing, Kyle Busch has dominated everything in sight. His current and former teammates have to be scratching their heads, wondering just what they have to do to catch this bad boy from Las Vegas.

Jeff Gordon, who drives the No. 24 Chevrolet for Kyle's former owner Rick Hendrick, is winless this season so far. Jeff has four Cup championships and 81 wins in the series, but he's currently having one of the longest dry spells of his career.

Jimmie Johnson, who drives the No. 48 car for Hendrick, has won twice this season, but that is far short of his championship winning performance of 10 wins last year.

The only other Hendrick driver that has won is Dale Earnhardt, Jr., and he has won just a single race this year.

It's August, and Hendrick has only won three times in Sprint Cup? Imagine that.

Arrogant or immature, it really doesn't matter. When Kyle Busch straps on that No. 18 M&M's Toyota he's going to be hard to beat pretty much wherever he goes. Kyle wins on super speedways. Kyle wins on short tracks. Kyle wins on road courses. Kyle can win anywhere, on any given day.

If there is any driver on the track in Sprint Cup who thinks he's better than Kyle Busch, he needs to think again. Right now, he can beat anyone, anywhere.

His worst enemy is probably himself, and his ability to keep his emotions in check. If he can stay cool under the pressure, Busch can win it all.

These next few months of NASCAR racing are going to be very interesting to watch.

What's the Secret for Toyota's NASCAR Success?

Jim Crooks — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 06:19:37 -0400

In only their second year in the elite division of NASCAR racing, Toyota seems to be unstoppable. After a very dismal rookie year, the sport's first Japanese-based manufacturer has literally taken the Sprint Cup series by storm.

Nine wins so far in 2008, as opposed to zero wins in 2007 is certainly a way to prove that you've gotten your program over the hump. The biggest noticeable change has been Joe Gibbs Racing's entry into the Toyota program.

In the winter of 2007, and even before that, chief engine guru Mark Cronquist apparently performed some magic on the power plants that have powered Joe Gibbs racing to nine cup wins thus far this season. Wizardry might be a more accurate term.

One has to wonder, however, why the other Toyota teams have not seemed to benefit as much from Cronquist's coup.

Team Red Bull, with Brian Vickers, has come close. Denny Hamlin, who drives for JGR in the 11 car, has won one time. Tony Stewart, who used to be the franchise driver for JGR, has not won at all. Newcomer Kyle Busch has won eight times, and is the championship points leader.

Michael Waltrip Racing basically spearheaded the Toyota program in its entry into Cup racing. Michael and his teammates have done better this year than they did in 2007, but have never been a threat to win a race this year. Joe Gibbs Racing certainly has more history with wins and championships than MWR does, but does that mean that Toyota has been giving JGR more than other teams?

One wonders.

No one who has ever won a championship at JGR has even won a race yet with Toyota in Cup. As a matter of fact, Tony Stewart returns to Chevrolet next year with his own team, under the banner of Stewart-Haas Racing. One wonders if Tony is leaving just because he craved ownership or Chevrolet so much that he would abandon NASCAR's most successful manufacturer?

I certainly don't have the answers to any of these questions. What I do know is that NASCAR has long had a problem with one manufacturer dominating all the others.

Nascar has taken steps in the Nationwide series, by mandating that the Toyota teams use a spacer, much like a restrictor plate between the carburetor and the intake manifold on the racing engines. NASCAR has taken no such steps thus far in the Cup series.

Back in the old days, which weren't so long ago, NASCAR would notice one particular manufacturer winning more races than the others were. Mostly, we're just talking about Ford, Chevrolet, and Pontiac here.

When Dodge re-entered the sport a few years ago, NASCAR tried to make sure that Dodge got some breaks too. Pontiac left, and now Toyota's here, but so far this year, I'm seeing very little effort on the part of NASCAR to regulate parity between the manufacturers.

Supposedly the new car, or what was previously known as the Car Of Tomorrow, was supposed to accomplish that goal.

I have read various claims that Toyota engines make anywhere from 15 to 40 more horsepower than any of the other engines. I don't know that to be true, but I suspect that the Toyota engines are definitely making more horsepower than they were last year.

That's totally understandable with the entry of Joe Gibbs Racing and Mark Cronquist into the equation. But I must ask the question: Does Toyota indeed have an advantage? And given the long, colorful history of NASCAR, is that what NASCAR wants? If they do, then why?

Is having one particular manufacturer being dominant what NASCAR wants in 2008 and beyond?

Kyle Busch won four races with arguably the most successful race team in the last decade and a half, Hendrick Motorsports. Kyle was fired last year to make room for Dale Earnhardt, Jr., the most popular driver in the sport for the last several years.

Busch found a new home with Gibbs and Toyota, and so far has made the most of it. He leads in points and wins, and isn't very humble about it, nor should he be required to be. The "in your face" tactics toward both Hendrick and Earnhardt probably are very satisfying to Kyle, and I'm glad he's found success.

Humility has a way of finding cocky drivers though. Kyle Busch, enjoy it while you can.

Should Dale Earnhardt's Crew Chief Be Replaced After Mistake?

Jim Crooks — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 06:09:37 -0400

Probably the biggest question that's been asked after the Watkins Glen race last week is what's up with Tony Eury Jr., crew chief for Dale Earnhardt's 88 Amp Energy Drink / National Guard team. I've seen a lot of answers, from Tony Jr. is a bonehead, to Dale Jr. just can't drive a race car. I have to laugh at all of these responses.

I too disagreed with Tony Jr.'s strategy of trying to keep Dale Jr. out for not one, but two green flag runs just a little too long. Boneheaded, you say? I doubt it.

Tony Eury Jr. has had the top job for a few years now, and I'm certainly not saying he's the greatest crew chief out there, but besides who his cousins are, there has to be reason for him to be running that team. Though it might not sound like it, especially during the races, should you happen to listen in on the radio conversations between the two Jr.'s, there is obviously a lot of trust there.

Trust, like all things worthwhile in life, takes time to develop and to totally gel.

Though Tony Jr. and Dale Jr. have known each other all their lives, they have only been working in their current capacities for a few years. Both are new guys at Hendrick Motorsports this year, and for much of the season have been the Hendrick marquis team. They've been highest in points, up until Watkins Glen, and have a points win, which is one more than teammate Jeff Gordon has this year.

I believe, if you sit down and analyze the facts, the 88 team has done very well for itself this year. Certainly both driver and crew chief have made mistakes, and maybe more than they need to be making to assure themselves of a championship. But drivers and crew chiefs are human.

So far this year, Dale Jr. and Tony Jr. have made some mistakes. Apparently Kyle Busch and Steve Addington have made fewer mistakes. Apparently Toyota found something in the offseason that Chevrolet didn't find. There are so many factors going on here that they are nearly impossible to count and credit or discredit.

Kyle Busch is having a career year. He's won eight races in the Cup series, and any driver would love to have that record. It doesn't mean that he will win the championship, by any means. There are still far too many races to be run.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Eury Jr. have some things they need to sort out. I know they do, and so do they. I do think, however, that the consistency that Dale Jr. has shown so far this year, with a brand new team and a brand new owner, brand new engines and cars, shows us that even if the championship doesn't happen this year, it's surely going to happen very soon.

The Sunoco Red Cross Pennsylvania 500 from Pocono: It's Anybody's Race.

Jim Crooks — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 19:19:05 -0400

With NASCAR's longest stretch and NASCAR's tightest corners, at least from an oval-track point of view, Pocono gives it all for your enjoyment!

This is the second time our NASCAR friends visit Pocono this season. It's one of the tracks closest to the world's biggest market, New York City. It's also a very unique track. There are only three corners instead of the traditional four. Yes, it's a triangle. It's somewhat superspeedway and somewhat road course.

Of the current drivers, Bill Elliot has won here more than anyone, with a total of five wins. Jeff Gordon has won here four times, and Dale Jarrett and Bobby Labonte have both won at Pocono three times.

Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson, Jeremy Mayfield, Terry Labonte, Kurt Busch, and Kasey Kahne have each won twice.

Pocono is one of those tracks that makes purists ask one question, "Why do we run here twice?"

The answer is simple.

Besides Watkins Glen, Pocono is the closest track to New York City, the country's largest market. Pocono has two race dates until someone gets stupid and lets NASCAR build a track on Staten Island.

Not that a New York City connection would be bad. I say build a short track, out in the hinterlands of New Jersey, and make it as close to Bristol as they can make it. High banked turns, maybe one-half or three-fourths miles in length.

Put a roof over it, just to make sure all the racing that is advertised will happen. It can be done. Put in about 250,000 seats, and make it the world's largest rain free arena. It could be done.

I like Pocono and I hate it at the same time. I like it because it's a challenge to the best stock-car drivers in the world, but I hate it because I've seen some good drivers in bad accidents on this track.

I just pray that we don't see any bad accidents this week.

Will NASCAR See a New Champion This Year?

Jim Crooks — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 18:23:53 -0400

It's possible.

Currently, Kyle Busch is leading by 253 points over Dale Earnhardt Jr. Neither has ever won a cup championship before. In third place, only 18 points behind Dale Jr., is another driver that has never won the cup, Jeff Burton.

When the Chase for the Cup starts after the second Richmond race, the points will be reset, but Kyle Busch will have an obvious advantage—currently he has 70 bonus points, 10 each for each race won so far.

As we saw yesterday at Indianapolis, Kyle Busch is not invincible. Kyle Busch can be beaten, and there are a lot of drivers that are perfectly capable of beating Kyle at any given racetrack.

I don't do lists here, or top 10 picks, but in my humble opinion, Kyle Busch, Dale Earnhardt Jr., David Ragan, and Brian Vickers are the most improved drivers in 2008, compared to their 2007 seasons.

Kyle, obviously, has found much success with Joe Gibbs Racing and Toyota. Dale Jr. has found a way to improve; in the way of more consistent finishes at Hendrick Motorsports.

Brian Vickers and David Ragan are finishing much more consistently than they have in recent years. Jimmie Johnson is moving closer to the top of the standings because he currently has two wins for HMS. There are a lot of drivers in play for the championship this year.

I have a personal favorite for the Cup Champion of 2008. It's personal, and it's biased, but I do believe that Dale Earnhardt Jr. is making major progress in getting a handle on the new car and all the troublesome things that have come with it.

While Chad Knaus and Steve Letarte were competing for a championship last year, Tony Eury Jr. and Darien Grubb were concentrating on figuring out the new car. It's possible that, by concentrating on winning the championship in 2007, the 24 and 48 teams got behind on their strategy of winning in 2008.

Chad Knaus and Jimmie Johnson seem to have caught up, at least somewhat. The disaster that passed for a race yesterday at Indianapolis is hardly a true test of what exactly the Lowe's Chevrolet team has actually accomplished, though.

It's pie in the sky time. I believe that Kyle Busch's domination of the top series in NASCAR will dwindle as crunch time gets closer. Kyle appears to be a pretty emotional guy, and those emotions will eventually get him in trouble. One of these days, in the heat of the moment, Kyle will do something that even NASCAR can't ignore.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., in contrast, seems to have a lot of ice water in his veins this year. He doesn't ruffle easily. He gets frustrated, but he takes it out by cursing on the radio, and not by wrecking other cars on the track. In my opinion, Dale Jr. has truly achieved cool. Let Kyle Busch sew his own curtain of defeat.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has a definite shot at the Cup Championship this year. I will be cheering him on, because the guy currently in first place makes me want to vomit.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Championship Might Just Fix NASCAR

Jim Crooks — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:43:08 -0400

You don't think so? Think again. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is a driving force behind NASCAR. As a matter of fact, he is one of the major forces driving NASCAR right now.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is a race winner for this year. Most of the fans in the grandstands wear Dale Jr. colors. Do you disagree? Go to a race and see for yourself.

The facts are obvious. Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is the greatest thing that has happened to NASCAR in about seven years. Without Dale Earnhardt, Jr., the sport would have suffered irreparable damage, and that's a fact.

Jeff Gordon won the Cup in 2001, the year that Dale Earnhardt died. Dale Earnhardt won the Most Popular Driver award that year, posthumously.

Pretty much ever since then, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. has won that award. Dale Earnhardt was a legend not only to his fans, but the people that worked with him in the garage every week.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is second in points going into the second Pocono race of the season. He's running well, he's finishing consistently, and he's on track to gain points on the first place driver, Kyle Busch. This year, it's Dale's championship to win or lose. It's that simple.

Kyle Busch is setting a pace that's going to be hard to beat. Still, Dale Jr. is doing just what he wanted to do but couldn't last year, which is being consistent.

Let the chase begin, and may the best driver win.

Dale Earnhardt Jr.: One Year Later

Jim Crooks — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 08:07:56 -0400

He's relaxed. He smiles. He wins. He's Dale Earnhardt Jr. again! Fans rejoice, and all is right in the Earnhardt world, isn't it?

It's hard to tell. Dale Jr. wants a championship and that's going to be hard to accomplish with the winning streak that Kyle Busch is currently on, but the facts speak for themselves. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is in second place in points.

Kyle Busch has won seven races, that's true, but Kyle tends to do stupid things too. I don't know if it's his young age or the fact that he just drives like an idiot.

Dale Jr. has not blown an engine during a race this season. He's not finished badly except when his teammate or the 18 car took him out. The part about the 18 car could be said about a lot of guys though, in three different series.

One year after Dale Jr. drove for DEI, he's won two non points races and one points race. His Nationwide driver, Brad Keselowski has also won a race. Things are good at JRM and for Dale Jr. right now.

Overrated you say? Has your driver won 18 Cup races and 2 Busch series championships? If not, shut up until your driver can claim the same trophies. I don't care who you are in NASCAR, but Dale Jr. has an enviable record.

One of the great charms about Dale Jr. is that he's down to earth. He is what you see and he'll tell you the truth. He's just like he was back when he made less than $400 a week changing oil at Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet in Newton, NC.

From all accounts, Dale Jr. learned his job well and did it to the best of his ability. When he graduated to racing, his first job at DEI paid exactly $400 a week. That allowed the young guy to live in a double-wide trailer, right across from the company his father built, DEI. He eventually built a house there, but he did literally live across the road from the shop.

When his dad died in 2001, Dale Jr. was a lost soul for a while, but not for too long. He managed to win a lot of races without his dad. He managed to get JR Motorsports off the ground without his dad's help. He managed to hook up with a winning team—Hendrick Motorsports—and he has won there.

To those haters out there, listen to me. Dale Jr. did exactly what his father would have done—race. He didn't wait for the racing to catch up with him. A careful scholar of Dale's career will tell you the same. Dale and Dale Jr. always went where the racing was.

Dale Jr. is a true racer. He's won a lot in both what's now called Nationwide and in the Cup series. He's a two time champ in what's now called the Nationwide Series. He's won 18 times in the Cup Series. He's the real deal. Overrated? Get over it. Get a life.

Dale Jr. is the real deal.