And so it begins. The two and a half month NASCAR off season. I shall attempt to chronicle my own journey--that of fan and blogger--through the 91-day long NASCAR Nextel Sprint Cup points race drought here in the Fanhouse. First day state of mind:
Denial and Relief
It's finally over. The end of the anti-climatic 2007 NASCAR season couldn't come soon enough for Dale Earnhardt Jr. fans. The problems with DEI have been lingering since before the season even began and finally we are done with it. Done with Teresa, done with consistent equipment failure and on with the business of getting razzed by the rest of NASCAR Nation until Junior proves it wasn't his driving skills by winning a race for Hendrick Motorsports.
Is it too much to hope for that win to come at Daytona?
How long will it be before it all gels for Junior at HMS? Can he realistically get his first win at Daytona? Will it be in his first five races? the first ten? his first season?















Reader Comments (Page 1 of 6)
11-19-2007 @ 1:22PM
Maveness said...
It doesn't matter if Junior wins the first ten races - he'll still get razzed because people will claim he had to go to a team with amazing cars to get the wins. (Just being realistic and preemptive. Maybe if I say it as someone who likes Junior, those that hate him will realize they're being too obvious.)
He'll win in the first year. Junior's best seasons have coincided with the team being at the top of their game (DEI as a whole) and when he and Tony Jr. are working at their best. Junior's worst was without Tony Jr. (both this year, which has been partly without Tony, and that 2005 season). Since he'll be with Tony, he'll be okay. Being the new kids in the group means he'll probably be toward mid to later in the season, though, before everything gels just right. It depends on who he ends up collaborating with on equipment. Since he and Jimmie drive alike (Jimmie's words), and their setups are prone to being similar, if they get to collaborate with Chad a lot, then maybe it'll be sooner.
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11-19-2007 @ 3:23PM
OCTANE said...
DE.JR.#88 WILL WIN IN 08 BEFOR THE #20-#11-#18
DAYTONA IS AS GOOD OF A CHANCE AS ANYWHERE
HE WILL BE W/ TU.JR AND IN A CHEVY AND W/
EQ. THAT CAN WIN... THE BOX OF TODAY ER'- "CAR"
SHOULD BE ABOUT WHAT HE HAD AT DEGA. AS FAR
AS SET UP, IT WILL JUST BE A MATTER OF WHO CAN
HE DRAFT W/ UNDER HIS NEW SITUATION...
WHICH WILL ALSO SHOW WHAT THE OTHER DRIVERS THINK
OF HIS SKILLS... D.E.I. WAS THOUGHT OF AS A
SENTIMENTAL CARD AND A SMALL TEAM (2-CAR) WELL
THINGS HAVE CHANGED ALL OVER THE SPORT AND IT'S
THOSE CHANGES THAT WILL HAVE MORE EFFECT ON THE
#88'S 08 SEASON, NOT SO MUCH THEIR TIME TO GELL.
TONY JR. ON THE BOX - DALE JR. AT THE WHEEL
OF A COT CHEVY AT A RESTRICTOR PLATE TRACK
A PIT CREW THAT CAN PULL SUB 14s PIT STOPS
WHO NEEDS GELL? LET'S GET THIS THING ON...
90D 9H 45S & COUNTING... YOU SHOULD PUT UP
A COUNT DOWN CLOCK SOME WHERE ON THIS BLOG...
AND BUY PS3 AND NASCAR O8 - START A CARER MODE
AND SEE IF YOU CAN MAKE IT INTO THE D500 AS A
ROOKIE BY THE TIME THE REAL SEASONS STARTS...
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11-19-2007 @ 7:19PM
Bobby Appleton said...
When Toyota start winning How many fans are there out there for Toyota?If there had been two Toyotas in the final like Gordon and Johnson. How many people would have watched?Where is the Toyota decals in peoples back window or T-shirts. Ford and GM are broke,who knows what Dodge is going to do.Toyota will sink Nascar when they start winning like the trucks.I hope Tony dont get hit with a beer can when he wins.I will not trade with Home Depo any more.
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11-19-2007 @ 7:22PM
24ladyjeffgordonfan said...
Jr will need more than luck!! He does not have what it takes to be a top driver. I read his nephew, son of his older brother is another Dale Sr. I figure Hendricks will regret giving up a talented driver like Kyle Busch.How many weeks did Tony Eury stay home this past season? I agree with Comment #3, I will shop at Lowes and not spend my money at Home Depot either. If everyone did that maybe there would be jobs in the USA. Shame on Home Depot.
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11-19-2007 @ 8:03PM
OCTANE said...
LOOK PEOPLE I'M NOT ANTI TOYOTA, AND IF YOU DO SOME
RESEARCH YOU FIND TOYOTA EMPLOYEES ALOT OF PEOPLE
IN THE U.S.
AND IF YOUR NOT SPENDING YOUR MONEY
AT HOME DEPOT JUST BECAUSE THEY WILL BE THE SPONSER
ON THE #20 TOYOTA CAMRY, THEN YOU NEED TO LOOK
CLOSE AT THE PRODUCTS THEY SELL, AND LOWES AND
WAL-MART AND JUST ABOUT EVERY OTHER STORE IN THE
U.S. BECAUSE ALOT OF STUFF COMES FROM OTHER COUNTRIES
IN CASE YOU HAD'NT NOTICED WE'RE LIVING IN A GLOBAL
ECONOMY AND THERE IS NO WAY AROUND IT...
IF YOUR NOT A FAN OF A DRIVER JUST BECAUSE OF THE MANUF. THEIR WITH, THEN WERE YOU EVER A FAN OF THE DRIVER? OR WERE THEY JUST THE DRIVER OF YOUR FAV.
MANUF. WHO WAS WINNING A BUNCH AT THE TIME?
I THINK FANS OF DRIVERS "TRUE FANS" WOULD STICK
BEHIND THEIR DRIVER THRU THICK AND THIN, WIN OR LOSS.
FAIR WEATHER FANS WILL COME AND GO FROM THE SPORT,
AND DONT REALLY MAKE A HUGE IMPACT OVER THE LONG HAUL.
ladygordonfan, YOU SHOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN SPENDING
YOU MONEY AT HOME DEPOT, LOWES "LET'S BUILD SOMETHING
TOGETHER" LIKE THE "24-48" SHOP THIS IS ONE TEAM WITH
TWO CARS AND TWO GREAT DRIVERS WITH A OWNER WHO WILL
SPEND WHAT EVER IT TAKES TO WIN...
NOW DALE JR. WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AS DALE SR. WAS
BUT HE'S NO KYLE PETTY AND D.E.I. WAS ON THE WAY UP
AND DALE JR.'S STATS WERE ON THE WAY UP LOOK AT THE
01-02-03-04 SEASONS IF DALE SR. HAD NOT DIED IN 01
THINGS WOULD BE REALLY DIFFRENT IF YOU HAVE FOLLOWED
NASCAR VERY LONG YOU WOULD KNOW IT TAKES YEARS TO
GET SYSTEMS IN PLACE FOR TEAMS TO RUN WELL, AND
THE WORK DALE SR. PUT IN LASTED FOR 3 YRS AFTER HE
DIED, BUT THE MAN'S GONE AND D.E.I. IS ON IT'S WAY
OUT... DALE JR. IS SMART TO LEAVE AND GO DRIVE FOR
A MAN WHO KNOWS WHAT IT TAKES...
IF J.JOHNSON HAD NOT LANDED IN J.GORDONS LAP AND
THE 24-48 SHOP CREATED J.J. WOULD BE AN UNKNOWN
JOHNSON OWE'S WHERE HE IS TODAY TO J.GORDON...
POINT BEING JR GOES TO HENDRICK JR DOES BETTER...
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11-19-2007 @ 10:19PM
FitConnect.com - Fitness Social Networking said...
Haha... tony getting hit with a beer can. I love it.
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11-20-2007 @ 12:00AM
Don Emerson said...
I can't wait until Jr retires so we can read about the other drivers. Sure he will win a few races with his new ride, but he will never approach the list of great drivers. Toyota is here to stay, so deal with it. Getting hit with beer would piss Tony off, for he hates to see a cold brew wasted.
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11-20-2007 @ 9:14AM
robert said...
dale jr. is a joke!!!!i guess it was DEIs fault that he got spun by burton. or maybe it was DEIs fault that he got spun on pit road.no, i think its just the fact that JR. SUCKS!!!!
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11-20-2007 @ 5:09PM
TPA WOLF said...
I think Dale Jr made the right move. He needs to have an owner who gets involved with the racing and WANTS and LOVES being at the track on race days. Rick Hendrick is a great owner and will take great care of Dale.
If youlisten to anyone who really knows Dale, they all say the same thing- Dale is a great racer, respectful of everyone, and drives to win!
I can see him winning race right out of the gate next year!
I am a loyal Dale Jr fan and very happy for him.
Go show 'em what you can do-Dale!
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11-20-2007 @ 6:35PM
Kim said...
Dale Jr. has made the right decision indeed and in my opinion the best and only decision he had to chose from if he wants to go down in the history books and possibly win championships. OCTANE is right. Jimmie Johnson is where he is today because he had an excellent mentor/teacher in Jeff Gordon, not to mention a winning crew chief that worked his way up in the ranks by hard work and hours at Hendrick Motor Sports (he started out as a guy just sweeping up the garage), an outstanding and caring owner, not to mention the best equipment money can buy along with Chevrolet cars! Is Dale Jr. going to win a championship or even races right out the gate in 2008? Probably not. Look for him to get better and look for a great season from him in 2009.
This is of course just my opinion.
Kim
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11-20-2007 @ 9:53PM
robert said...
WHAT DO TONY STEWART,KURT BUSCH, MATT KENNSETH AND JIMMY JOHNSON HAVE IN COMMON? THEY HAVE WON A CHAMPIONSHIP (in some cases two) IN THE SAME TIME THAT JR. HAS BEEN DRIVING! HE IS VERY POPULAR BUT BY FAR NOT EVEN CLOSE TO BEING THE GREAT DRIVER THAT MOST OF HIS FANS THINK HE IS. JUAN MONTOYA WON MORE RACES THAN JR. THIS YEAR
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11-21-2007 @ 10:07AM
Kim said...
Robert,
I agree with you. Dale Jr. has not won a championship in the same amount of time on the circuit as Kenseth, Johnson, Busch, and others have. However, he really hasn't been given the opportunity to. With a crappy owner, crappy cars and parts, and negative attitudes wide spread throughout the organization he was working for, how could he? I am not a Dale Jr. fan by any means, I am a Johnson fan, but I have to stand up for the guy on this issue. I used to be one of his critics, saying the guy wasn't as good as he was "hyped" up to be and sure as heck wasn't his "daddy" and never would be. That being said, I have changed my opinion of him. He shouldn't have to be his "daddy!" He should grow into his own. People need to quit expecting this poor kid to be something he is not. The pressure on this kid to "perform" is tremendous! I can't imagine the stress he must feel on a daily basis living in a shadow of a man that many thought was the "greatest!" Could you handle that kind of pressure without breaking? I know I couldn't. I give Jr. props for being such a well put together young man who never gives up. He clearly has the "drive" to be successful and really wants to be known for his own successes, not his father's. Give the guy a break already!
He will be more successful at Hendrick because all the negatives at DEI will be gone. He will be more relaxed, have better team-mates, a better owner, and better equipment, not to mention amazing mentors in Gordon & Johnson. Let's give him a chance before we alredy decide he is going to be a "failure." Geez, the guy has enough expectations on his plate. Let's just give him some encouragement and support instead of negativity. Hasn't he had enough?
Kim
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11-21-2007 @ 11:07AM
OCTANE said...
BEFOR WE HAVE A DIAREIGHA OF THE KEYBOARD
PROBLEM, LETS TAKE A LOOK AT THE FACTS...
ALLTIME ALL TIME
Rank Driver Wins Champ. YRS.IN
5 Gordon,J 81 4 16
16 Johnson,J 33 2 7
17 Stewart,T 32 2 9
25 Burton,J 19 15
27 Busch,Kt 17 1 8
27 Earnhardt,Jr 17 9
28 Kenseth,M 16 1 10
32 Newman,R 12 8
32 Biffle,G 12 6
33 Harvick,K 11 7
37 Edwards,C 7 4
37 Kahne,K 7 4
38 Mayfield,J 5 15
39 Busch,Ky 4 4
41 McMurray,J 2 6
42 Bowyer,C 1 2
42 Mears,C 1 5
42 Montoya,J 1 1
42 TruexJr.M 1 2
ACCORDING TO ROBERS MATH MOST OF THE DRIVERS
ON THIS LIST MUST "SUCK" TOO, AND I GUESS
WE WILL HAVE TO ADD MARK MARTIN TO IT,
BECAUSE HE NEVER WON A CHAMPIONSHIP.
I BELEIVE ROBERT MUST HAVE COME TO THE SPORT
AS OF LATE, AND ONLY LIKES THE GUY WHO'S WINNING!
HE PROBABLY WATCHES OTHER SPORTS AND CAN TELL
YOU WHY EVERONE THERE "SUCKS" TOO..
WHAT ELSE DO - T.S. - K.B. - M.K. - & J.J. -
HAVE IN COMMON W/ THEIR CHAMPIONSHIPS,
THEY WERE ALL FOR TEAMS THAT HAD WON PREVIOUS
CHAMPIONSHIPS WITH OTHER DRIVES -- LESS M.K.
BUT MARK MARITN FINISHING 2nd IN CHAMP. PTS. 4 TIMES
LEAD TO - M.K.- 1st CHAMP. FOR -RFR-
DONT GET ME WRONG THESE ARE GREAT DRIVES, BUT THEIR
OWNERS/TEAMS HAD A TON TO DO WITH IT...
--
SO TIME WILL "TELL THE TALE OF DALE",
WILL HE BE AS GREAT AS HIS FATHER, NOT LIKELY ,
DOES HE BELONG ON THE "SUCK"-LIST NOT LIKELY.
WILL ROBERT COUNT DOWN THE DAYS TILL THE SUPER BOWL
SO HE CAN TELL EVERONE HOW THE LOSING TEAM SUCKS.
WILL TOYOTA KILL NASCAR? - WILL LOWES KILL HOMEDEPOT
WILL TOM EVER CATCH JERRY? - TUNE IN NEXT TIME FOLKS
TO HEAR ROBERT SAY "JUNIOR JOHNSON SUCKS CAUSE HE
NEVER WON A CHAMPIONSHIP!"
YES ROBERT JUNIOR JOHNSON IS A REAL DRIVER
I DID'NT TAKE JIMMY JOHNSON AND DALE JUNIOR AND
MIX THEM TOGETHER.....
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11-21-2007 @ 10:38AM
OCTANE said...
FORMATING FROM OPEN OFFICE TO THIS BLOG
DOESNT WORK SO WELL.... THIS MIGHT BE BETTER
----------------------------------------
ALLTIME ALL TIME
Rank -- Driver --Wins --Champ.--YRS.IN
5 -- Gordon,J --81 -- 4 --16
16 -- Johnson,J --33 -- 2 --7
17 -- Stewart,T --32 -- 2 --9
25 -- Burton,J --19 -- -- --15
27 -- Busch,Kt --17 -- 1 --8
27 -- DALE, Jr -- 17 --9
28 -- Kenseth,M --16 -- 1 --10
32 -- Newman,R --12 ---- --8
32 -- Biffle,G --12 ---- --6
33 -- Harvick,K -11 -- -- --7
37 -- Edwards,C -7 ---- --4
37 -- Kahne,K --7 ---- --4
38 -- Mayfield,J -5 ---- --15
39 -- Busch,Ky --4 -- -- --4
41 -- McMurray,J--2 ---- --6
42 -- Bowyer,C --1 ---- --2
42 -- Mears,C --1 ---- --5
42 -- Montoya,J --1 ---- --1
42 -- TruexJr.M --1 ---- --2
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11-21-2007 @ 7:07PM
Brad said...
Octane......Man your runnin on all 8 cyl. on that rant, cut like a knife right to the point and just friggin AWESOME......Between you and KIM Thank you Thank you Thank you......now I don't have to answer a certain someones crap.
ALOHA, BRAD
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11-22-2007 @ 12:13AM
nascar88 said...
cudos kim and octane well said some people need to think before they let there butt do the talking for them and cudos
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11-22-2007 @ 12:07PM
KRYPTONITE said...
Now that the 07 season is over Dale JR will go from being the 2nd best driver for his owner to being the third best driver for his team,then all you who pull for him because of his name will be saying that he does'nt get the good cars like Gordon and Johnson.Rick will then realize that Kyle Bush was a lot better driver than Jr. Jr is another Kyle Petty that got a lot of fans because of his name. The only difference is Kyle has more wins.
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11-22-2007 @ 12:08PM
deerslayer said...
I guess DEI never won a Championship. That must explain why Dale Jr never has won either.
If you really want to make him sound like he is something he is not,(great) you could show the average number of races won per year. He would then be #5 on current active drivers.
Jeff Gordon
Jimmie Johnson
Tony Stewart
Greg Biffle
Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Next year will be the tell all. Either a bunch of fans will be looking for all new excusses (if he had a decent car he could win) or a bunch of fans will have to give the man his due. As I see it, there is no need for any of this "adjustment period" crap. If it is the equipment, that problem has been solved. He is going to have to win more than ONE race to prove it to me. And, not a restricor plate race at that.
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11-22-2007 @ 8:04AM
OCTANE said...
KRYPTONITE,, I HATE TO CALL PEOPLE NAMES
BUT YOU LEAVE NO CHOICE... YOU ARE A MORON
Moron (psychology), a psychology-related term for a person with a genetically determined mental age between 8 and 12
RANK---DRIVER---WINS
27---Earnhardt,Jr---17
36---Petty,Kyle---8
39---Busch,Kyle---4
I THINK KYLE BUSH IS A GREAT DRIVER I'VE SEEN HIM
HANG THE TRUCKS OUT OVER THE EDGE...
HE'S BEEN IN CUP FOR 3yrs AND HAS 4 WINS
AFTER D.E.jr'S 3rd YEAR IN CUP HE HAD 7 WINS
EVERONE IS ENTITLED TO THEIR OWN OPINION, BUT
WHEN YOU START MAKING UP STATS YOUR A GOOF...
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11-22-2007 @ 10:22PM
robert said...
OCTANE,I WAS RIDING MY BIKE IN MY YARD WHILE MY DAD WAS LISTENING TO THE RACE ON THE RADIO WHEN CALE YARBOROUGH AND DONNIE ALLISON(if you heard of them)FOUGHT ON THE TRACK!!I WAS THERE WHEN BILL ELLIOTT BECAME MILLION DOLLAR BILL!!I WAS AT JEFF GORDONS FIRST WIN!! I WATCHED LAKE SPEED (ANOTHER NAME YOU DONT KNOW) AND HARRY GANT(ANOTHER NAME YOU DONT KNOW) WIN AT DARLINGTON. I HAVE FORGOTTEN MORE ABOUT NASCAR THAN YOU WILL EVER LEARN!! DO NOT CALL ME OUT WHEN YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT! I NEVER SAID JUNIOR JOHNSON SUCKED(BY THE WAY ELLIOTT DROVE FOR HIM INCASE YOU DIDNT KNOW)!! I CAN TELL YOU ARE A JR.FAN. !!!!typical!!!!
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