Daytona 500 2012: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Overdue for Much-Needed Win

The Daytona 500 is only days away, and one racer cannot run the risk of losing yet again. That driver is Dale Earnhardt Jr., who has failed to claim a spot atop the pole since 2008.

Going into this race, Jr. has really been struggling over the last three years, having just nine top-five finishes in his last 108 starts. While some would connect to his departure from Dale Earnhardt, Inc and his coinciding move to Hendrick Motorsports, it is time for him to finally make things happen in his fifth season with HMS.

It won't be easy, as it clearly hasn't been over the last few years, but there is no bigger place for him to make some noise on the Spring Cup Series than to take the cake at Daytona.

Earnhardt is definitely one of the bigger names in the race, but he will certainly be overshadowed by favorites like Carl Edwards, Tony Stewart, Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson.

Taking a win over these drivers would certainly propel him into the right direction, and could help him resurrect his career at the start of this season.

Earnhardt did see his most career Top-10s this past year with 12—his most since 2008—so it will be imperative for him to get this next year started on the right foot.

He did place fifth on the starting pole, but he will have to keep things going when the race actually happens on Sunday.

This is his chance to take HMS to the next level, and prove to all his naysayers that he did not make the wrong move when he switched teams back in 2008.

Jeff Chase is a Featured Columnist for the Chicago Cubs and Arizona State football.
Follow @Real_Jeff_Chase