Warning: Objects in this post may be the only way to successfully live through the NASCAR off-season. For best results, read rearview mirror early and often.
Driver: Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Team: No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet
'08 Final Standing: 12th (-557)
Best Race: Michigan (1st-place)
Worst Race: Homestead (41st-place)
Season in a box: Put the combination of NASCAR's most popular driver with one its winningest teams in the past decade and the expectations are bound to be high, and for Dale Earnhardt Jr., those expectations likely exceeded any type of success outside of winning every race and the championship in 2008.
Of course, a win at the season's first competitive event -- the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona -- didn't lower expectations. Earnhardt Jr. showed plenty of performance in the first half of the season by being a constant figure within the Top-10 of points and finally picking up his lone season win at Michigan in June.
The team -- and more narrowly, crew chief Tony Eury Jr. -- earned its share of criticism for a few calls that hampered Earnhardt Jr.'s track position in race's he could have potentially won (Daytona, Watkins Glen) and also couldn't get around a troubling mid-season trend that saw the No. 88 run up front early in many races before losing the handle on the car and settling for a lower finish.
A lot of fans and media chided the team for its last-place finish in the Chase, but had the brake problems in the race's final portion not sidelined Earnhardt Jr. at the season-finale Ford 400, he easily could have finished in within the Chase Top-10. All in all, not a bad season for a guy who was expected to do nothing less than lead every lap of every race.
Through the crystal windshield: Looking ahead for Earnhardt Jr., his success at Hendrick Motorsports is bound to improve. Simply, it isn't always easy to get into a completely new race car at a completely new team and find success -- especially after he talked at length in 2007 at the huge differentiations between the way his cars at Dale Earnhardt Inc. handled.
With a year under his belt at Hendrick, Earnhardt Jr. will be accustomed to the way the HMS ship runs. With that knowledge and a greater understanding of the resources available at the four-car team, its certainly an easy expectation that Earnhardt will take home a few more race wins in 2009, and potentially battle for the championship.
Next up: Matt Kenseth
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
12-27-2008 @ 1:41PM
Danielle said...
Just wanted to remind everyone that tony jr. (juniors crew chief)is new to the team too so that can make it harder to get the''chemistry'' needed.
Go #88 team!!!!
Ease up on Tony Eury Jr.
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12-28-2008 @ 6:49PM
jem said...
junior come in there in 09 he be like white on rice
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12-28-2008 @ 10:42PM
art said...
we are all for jr here but he doesnt seem to have the communication that the top contenders do. i will always pick jr on plate tracks. until jrs communication with tony gets better they will struggle
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12-29-2008 @ 6:44AM
DEBRA said...
I'VE ALWAYS BEEN JR'S # 1 FAN, BUT SOME OF THE OFF SEASON RUMORS CICULATING SURE MAKE IT HARD TO SUPPORT HIM. PEOPLES PERSONAL LIFE IS THEIR OWN BUSINESS OF COURSE , BUT I JUST THOUGHT HE HAD ALOT MORE MORALS THAN WHAT I'M HEARING.IF YOU ARE GOING TO PLAY WITH SOMEONE ELSES WIFE, AT LEAST FIND ONE WHO'S GONNA HAVE THE DECENCY NOT TO LEAVE HER KIDS BEHIND.IS THIS THE MOMMY YOU WANT FOR YOUR KIDS JR? GOOD LUCK IN 09 THOUGH, CAUSE YOU'RE GONNA NEED IT WITH ALL THIS ON YOUR PLATE.
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12-29-2008 @ 1:39PM
nina said...
i did not hear anything about Jr playing with a married woman. i need to be filled in about this.
12-29-2008 @ 7:55AM
JRS A JOKE said...
Average Driver - 3rd best on a 4 car team last year and he will be 4th best out of 4 this year when martin comes over!
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12-30-2008 @ 1:04PM
allangearnhardt said...
Unfortunatly I agree with writter # 6......Jr is an average driver with a sub average crew chief....I have always been a Jr fan and always will...but he's not his dad.....I think it's going to be very difficult to get one championship let alone 7 like Big E.
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1-01-2009 @ 2:44AM
Gia said...
I love him! I think he is perfect in every way!
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1-01-2009 @ 2:23PM
Al said...
i thnk jr just needs to communicate better with tony jr and let him know what the car is doing. I really think that if he tells tony jr what the car is doing he will have a better relationship with tony and he will see he will have better success as a driver i know he is not his dad and it is alot to handle about everyone saying that he should try and live up to him but jr is his own person andeveryone should let him be himself and not bring his father into the picture sr was sr and jr is jr it is time everyone realizes this and just leaves him alone
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1-01-2009 @ 11:38PM
CJ said...
Hate to burst the bubble, and im a huge Dale Jr fan, but Jr will NEVER win a race with Tony Jr calling the shots on top of the pit box. He doesnt have what his daddy Tony Sr has to get the job done. Jr came so close in 03 and 04 because of Tony Sr and Tony Jr has been a screw up ever since ive been watching! I watched when he was a tire changer, and i can remember a number of times where he would leave lugnuts off and take so damn long, and when i heard he'd be Jr's crew chief, both on the 8 and 88, i just dread it! And what i really hate is Jr was asked if he would ever get rid of Tony Jr, and he said he'd rather never win a championship than to get rid of Tony Jr, which sux! I know that some would say when Jr and Tony Jr was split he stunk, but look who his crew chief was, a guy named Pete Rondeau who's no longer in the sport anymore, and his only accomplishment was winning a Busch race at Bristol with Jr in 2004! Jr has the talent, ive never doubted that, granted he's not his daddy, as no one will ever be that good, but Tony Jr is the problem and i can tell that no matter what Dale Jr says, if you listen to Jr on the radio, he second guess what Tony Jr calls, and i would too because majority of the time, it's the wrong call!
I have to say im glad to see Mark Martin in the same garage as Jr and i hope that both are competiting for the championship this year, but i will say i hate Brad Keselowski and he looks like a damn fish and he really is not that talented of a guy, and i dont even think he'll ever be in a Hendrick Cup ride full time!
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1-04-2009 @ 10:36AM
sc said...
I AM A JR. FAN BUT HE WILL NEVER WIN TONY JR. EVEN WITH HENDRIX TONY HAS GOT TO GO MARK MIGHT WIN ONE BEFORE JR.
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1-04-2009 @ 12:42PM
gordon4ever said...
you jr fans crack me up.yea,hes a top 10 in points driver. top 10 as in 8th to 10th in points.hes not that good.stop liking him cause of his dad.he might be a top 6 in points driver if he would shut up and race and stop crying like a bitch.and stop blaming everything on the crew,car and so on.ever listen to him talk?sounds like a retard.he is on the best team and still cant do it.stop living the dream of jr winning a championship.if jeff,jimmie,carl,matt,greg,tony,denny,kyle,kurt and about 10 other drivers were to sit out this year then jr might have a chance at a championship.untill then keep dreaming.
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1-06-2009 @ 10:42AM
jay said...
HIS TALENT CAN ONLY CARRY HIM SO FAR WHAT HE IS JUST A NAME CARRIER
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1-08-2009 @ 10:59AM
k said...
you guys saying he is just an average driver...know your facts!
Jr. is a back to back Nationwide series champion. And has accomplished much more on the track that would take to long to write. He finished 12th in points this year in the Sprint cup(should have been 10th) and if you put any of the top 15 drivers in the best car week after week that is the guy who will finish first. Nascar is not about being the best driveranymore! The driver that is on top has the best team! that means ...driver,car,crewchief and some luck to not get taken out by another driver= wins!!!!
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1-08-2009 @ 10:59AM
k said...
Rock and roll Jr!!!
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1-10-2009 @ 9:53AM
Margaret said...
About Dale Jr, He sure would be stupied to let this out to his fans,that he is dating a married women with kids Can't believe it ,,,,,,,,,, I think if Jr would stay away from the wall he might win some races. Wall man!!!!!
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1-14-2009 @ 11:48AM
your an idiot said...
just because someone post he's dating a marrried women doesn't mean it's truth...Geez! Maybe you hit the wall one time to many!...No common sense! And there is no "e" in stupid..........stupid! LMAO!!!!
1-10-2009 @ 4:02PM
mk331 said...
you guys...people hold jr to way much just cuz of his name...dont take me wrong,he is my favorite driver but i dont think he could win a championship next year regardless of his crew cheif or anythin else.and in no way is he ever gonna be as good as his dad..but i think all the guys at hendrick motorsports are awesome drivers...so hopefully he does better next year.
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1-15-2009 @ 3:12PM
Bob said...
Hey, Mr."your an idiot"--there's no "e" in woman, either. And it's "you're" an idiot, idiot. Learn some grammar and spelling before you call someone else out on theirs. As you said...stupid!
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1-17-2009 @ 12:14PM
kimi87114 said...
Hey Bob....go post with the others who like to just gossip and say nothing about what the acatual stories are about!
GO JR!!!!
Jr. is a Nascar racer!!!
Nascar is Not about who's sleeping with who and not a spelling or grammer contest!The soaps and Oprah are on for the likes of you!