Team Hendrick: 2008 Starting Lineup

A local radio station actually said the other day that Junior had no talent because "he only has 17 wins". Now, this person didn't know NASCAR and was only looking at information on Junior. I'm still trying to figure out how he thought that was an intelligent comment. No one is ever going to touch Richard Petty's 200 wins. Jeff Gordon will probably end up on the win list alone in the top 3 (as a Junior fan, I'll freely admit that). But looking at the drivers in our sport today, at their wins and consistent, over their careers stats, he's at LEAST Top 7-8. (I personally think going by just wins isn't fair to Kenseth, one of the most brilliantly consistent drivers in the sport today. Hence the fact that I'd put Junior 7-8 versus just top 5. But still. Out of this packed field? That's high.)

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i would like to comment on Dale jr joining HMS and being called the most talented driver of all the drivers . I fail to see that . Dale jr does not come close to the wins of Jeff gordon and his ability . and even falls behind Jimmie Johnson to me these two drivers are far more ahead of DJnot in just wins but even in the finishes of the races that Jimmie or Jeff dont win . Dale Jr comes from a very famous racing champion his dad but he is no where close to being his dad . as what alot of peoplr would have themselves believe . im sure Dale jr will win some races during whats left of his raceing carear but so will Tony Stewart , the Bushes , Casey Mears , and alot of other drivers that match it seems Earnhardts talent but to be the most popular and most talented you dont finish in the top 20s or tens you finish first more than everyone else on the average that will put you there and so will the championships come .

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Here's the thing though. Sports now-a-days aren't concerned about marketing the most successful star in there respective sport. It's the person who will raise the most awareness about that particular sport and in return, give the sport the best chance at the most amount of revenue they can get. Most people like the person with the most personality or one that rubs off the right way. Like Dale Jr., he comes from the South and was a son of a loveable driver. Jeff Gordon, doesn't come from the south, doesn't have an accent and dominated the sport without growing up in a fundamentally race crazy state. So I agree, Dale Jr. is as popular as Tiger in golf, but has the skills of a Scott Verplank (who has won some tournaments on the PGA tour, but nothing big)much like Dale Jr. has won some races but nothing to the extent that people are in awe by his skills. Hopefully switching to HMS will do that.

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Would you like to constantly be compared to your dad? I think that is the main reason Jr went HMS instead of Childress. Could he have won at Chilress? Sure, we know he could have. But people would always be saying the same thing you are...he's not his dad. And he's not...why should he be? I wouldn't want to be constantly reminded that I'm not like my parents. I would like to think that I'm my own person, with my own talents, with just a touch of my parents instilled in me. The same goes for Jr. No offense to Sr at all, he earned his wins, but even past drivers say the competition now is a lot tougher than it was years ago. Equipment is almost on an even scale. I couldn't honestly say if Sr would have as many wins as he did if he were racing with this generation. That being said, because of the competition, had DEI kept up with the rest of the teams as far as equipment, I think Jr would have a few more wins. He has tremendous talent that has been locked up with equipment that is always one step behind the other teams. No matter how good the driver is, the equipment has to be able to keep up to win races. I think 17 wins doesn't mean he's a horrible racer. There are more drivers on the field that have fewer wins that people say have more talent than Jr. I think people will always criticize him regardless of how many wins, how many championships, how popular he is. It will always be "he isn't his daddy." No, he's not, and I'm sure he's ok with that. I'll still support him even if he doesn't ever win a championship. But I think with HMS he has a better chance than he did staying at DEI and at least now, in his own mind, he will be out from under the shadow of his dad's image and maybe that can free him up to show how talented he really is.

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Who is Jr going to blame next year when he wins maybe one race and still does not make the chase? Face it folks, he is an average driver witha huge following. Were it not for his daddy he would just be another non winner. Maybe he could just ram the drivers in front of him, worked for his daddy.

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Lets face it. Jr is a fair driver and that is about it. He rode into NASCAR on his daddy's coat tails and has to blame some one (stepmom) for the fact he cannot win races. Next year when he still only wins maybe one race and is not in the chase who does he blame? He may end up winning one championship but in the next ten years he has left to actually be competative, Jeff will win at least 3 more and another 40+ races. Why Hendrick did not work to re-sign a better driver with a brighter future instead of signing a whinny baby that has probably already seen his best days is beyond me.

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Jr. has a lot poplarity for a driver with average skills and everbody knows why (his last name). Sure he has 17 wins but 6 of those were restrictor plate races and you have to have someone willing to follow you in order to win those. Drivers like Matt Kensett and Kurt Busch have won a championship with lesser wins and driving Fords. He has no excuse for not having a cup championship other than not having enough skills to get it done. It's all about the last name, had Jeff Gordon name been Jeff Earnhardt he'd be running the country.

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Nice to see ALL the whiners in one spot, now I can ignore just one team :)

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