Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Is His Colorful Commentary an Issue?

It's no secret Dale Earnhardt Jr. can throw some expletives around with radio communications during a race.

Though the change that makes Steve Letarte Junior's new crew chief has many positives, there may be one problematic negative.

Letarte has a wife and two young children who listen to the team radio on race day through a home stereo system. It may be time to drag out the earplugs for the youngsters when the new season of racing gets under way.

Letarte is a chatty guy who exudes enthusiasm. Earnhardt has acknowledged his new crew chief's optimism and energy will be good for him.

Earnhardt Jr. stated, "I hope for me that being around him and his group and their professionalism will rub off on me, make me a better driver and make me a better person, more productive."

It was quite the tirade that erupted last March at Bristol when a speeding penalty unleashed profanities galore. Lance McGrew, his former crew chief, colorfully told his driver not to "lay down on him."

Earnhardt Jr. fired back, saying, "I can't lay down here. I don't ever [expletive] lay down. Don't ever say that again on the radio. Don't need the whole world hearing that."

McGrew didn't mean to insult his driver or imply he had laid down in the past. He was just trying to get Junior refocused. Both parties said there were no hard feelings over the comment.

Letarte is used to some descriptive words from Jeff Gordon, but he told Earnhardt Jr. he was going to have to "ease up on the F-bombs just a little bit."

Perhaps the most pressure the driver of the Amp Energy/National Guard No. 88 Chevy will feel in the coming season regards the modification of his vocabulary.

Letarte needs to realize he has to let his driver be himself, and Junior can be quite colorful with his language.

NASCAR wants to see more personality with the drivers. Allowing them to vent their frustration over the radio is part of that.

Trying to put a lid on the can of explosive expletives Dale Jr. carries with him may not be the ideal thing to do.

Earnhardt knows Letarte wants kinder, gentler communications and said, "I'm definitely going to have to change my vocabulary."

We shall see how much Junior's new crew chief can rein him in as the season unfolds. Maybe a fast, consistent race car is the best way to enhance his driver's vocabulary.