If It Was Any Driver But Dale Jr...

The fall of NASCAR's most popular driver is not a fluke, it's real. As Jr's experience continues, his success continues to fall. Which is starting to make his fans realize it was not DEI and it was Dale Jr. DEI is running better right now without Jr.

It's not that Jr is just having a bad year, but his teammates are running so well. Which makes me wonder, if it were anyone but Dale Jr, what would happen? 

If it were any driver but Dale Jr, there would be controversy that there should be a new driver in the No. 88 named Brad Keselowski. Keselowski has been running really well this season and if it were any driver but Dale Jr, he'd be out of a ride.

If it were any driver but Dale Jr, 2 multi-billion dollar sponsorships in the National Guard and AMP Energy would be looking at new options. I mean after all, Ryan Newman needs more sponsorship in his car which is in eighth in points. If it were any driver but Dale Jr, we'd be hearing about that more.

If it were any driver but Dale Jr, there would be talk about how bad the driver of the 88 car has been this year. Fans wouldn't call up Sirius radio and say "I just wanna say how great of a season Dale Jr has had..." Are you kidding me? This is Hendrick Motorsports!

I understand that these things won't change and Jr is still gonna be at Hendrick. That's fine, but the 88 car will continue to struggle because Jr is a fading star. It's been a terrible year that will continue for Dale Jr, but no one cares because it's Dale Jr.

No excuse of Hendrick Motorsports or it's just a bad car. WRONG. Yes the 25 car (now the 88) has been consistently bad, and the reason for that has been the driver. I like Casey Mears, Joe Nemechek and Jerry Nadeau, but lets face it. They are not very good. Jr is in the same boat.

Comparing those drivers to the like of Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Mark Martin is unfair. However, people do. I don't want to hear it anymore. Jeff Gordon has NEVER been 18th in points 11 races into a season, same with Jimmie Johnson. If it was anybody but Jr, we would hear that stat more.

For the sixth week out of 11 of the season Jr. made a mistake on pit road. No one else missed their pits yesterday. This is becoming a consistent thing. Is it in his head? I don't know. It's a lack of focus. It's detrimental to your race team.

When you are moving up on the race track and then you over shoot your pits and lose all that track position, it's very depleting. Your team starts wondering about the race car driver, which is never good. If it was any driver but Jr, this would not consistently happen.

The media and everyone is starting to figure out that Jr is a fading star, if that. Was he ever a star. He never won a championship. He had one season that was good and every other season has been an excuse for this guy. Even Darrell Waltrip one of Jr's biggest supporters, said yesterday in the pre-race that Jr was not making chase.

The fans must have been in arms, but you know what, Darrell (for once) was right. He's not making the chase. When the question was asked he nearly laughed. If it was any driver but Jr, he wouldn't have been asked that question.

There is no doubt the 88 car should be higher in points than it is. I don't want to hear about Tony Eury Jr. Eventually the responsibility falls on the driver. When we look at a car struggling, we automatically associate that to the driver. We don't sit there and say "Oh his crew chief stinks!" If it was any other driver but Jr, this would happen in the No. 88 car.

People say he doesn't bring this attention on. Well then stop worrying about how good your car looks and doing every damn commercial on TV and start practicing stopping in your pits and start testing to make the 88 car better. I mean you have to question this guys heart. If it was any driver but Jr, we would.

Every excuse in the book has been given for his struggles. What excuses does Jr Nation have now? I can't wait to hear.