Wheel2Wheel: Earnhardt Jr. vs. Stewart

Welcome to the newest regular feature that FanHouse is proud to present: Wheel2Wheel. Throughout the season, motorsports writers Holly Cain and Geoffrey Miller will take a topic and toss in their thoughts on the issue.

This week, they'll debate two of NASCAR's biggest names -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Tony Stewart -- and discuss who they think carries the top standing in in four areas. Agree? Disagree? Join in below!

Q: Who will win first in 2009, Tony Stewart or Dale Earnhardt Jr.?

Geoffrey Miller: I'd say, barring a crapshoot win for Stewart in a restrictor plate race, this question is easily answered: Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Let's face it, Earnhardt Jr. is in a much better situation when it comes to the people around him. His teammates have won four of the past eight Sprint Cup titles and the experience of one full year with the group of guys around him makes him ready to win right out the box in 2009. Bottom Line: Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Holly Cain: While all logic would say Earnhardt should win first considering he drives for the most dominant team in NASCAR and Stewart is wheeling his own cars. .... that's precisely why Stewart will beat him to the punch. He essentially has all the same technology as Earnhardt – Hendrick supplies Stewart-Haas Racing with its engines and chassis – and Stewart has more on the line. His motivation to prove himself, plus his top-shelf talent and his complete devotion to the cause make this a no-brainer. Bottom Line: Tony Stewart

Q: Who will make the Chase? Finish higher?

HC: Because I believe Tony Stewart will win more races and has that extra motivation, he's my pick here. Stewart is being cautiously optimistic about even making the Chase for the Championship, but if he does, he'll be a contender. He'll have great equipment and he's proven himself every bit the down-the-stretch threat as Jimmie Johnson when it comes to late season heroics. Bottom Line: Tony Stewart

GM: I know we all second-guessed the Joe Gibbs Racing operation after they switched to Toyota in 2008, but to think that Stewart can jump in to a mediocre race team and think he can bring it from 30th-place finishes to Top-5 finishes would be pretty outlandish. Sure, he's hired a good group of personel that, over time, can bring his Hendrick Motorsports satellite team to a front runner and by the end of the season, he should have reached that level. However, I suspect unforseen problems will rear their ugly head -- as they always do with new teams. Bottom Line: Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Q: Which driver has a better image for NASCAR?

GM: This could be the easiest question we have to answer thanks to the excesses in personality we've all seen from Stewart. Simply, you never know what you're going to get with Stewart, and that can be risky propostion for the whole sport. I'll give Stewart a nod for his ability to speak his mind to tell the fans how he really feels, but I feel like Earnhardt Jr. has the same exact quality -- except refined enough to know when he's crossing the line. Bottom Line: Dale Earnhardt Jr.

HC: This is a tough pick because both Earnhardt and Stewart bring such a refreshing change to the same-ol', same-ol' brand of monotonous 'that's just racin' we heard prior to their arrival. Earnhardt is hip, actually has a life outside of the sport and is maintaining a proud legacy for his third-generation name. There's a reason he's so popular. Having said that, Stewart's candor, passion and humor are exactly what make him such a vital part of NASCAR too. He may be politically-incorrect at times, but he is honest and genuine and there needs to be someone to stand-up and speak-out. It's called personality and that's why both these guys are so good for NASCAR. Bottom Line: It's a toss up.

Q: Finally, which driver is just that -- the better driver?

GM: Despite those "excesses in personality" that I cited as knocks against Stewart's image, there's just no argument against Stewart's two Sprint Cup titles, an IndyCar championship and his ownership of a USAC Triple Crown. Earnhardt Jr. is a talented driver who gets a bad rap for the relatively underwhelming performance during his Sprint Cup career, but as a pure driver of all crafts, Stewart takes the nod. Stewart is one of less than a handful of drivers that any could prosper in any racing series -- from NASCAR to hydroplane racing. Bottom Line: Tony Stewart

HC: Junior Nation here's my disclaimer: I think Earnhardt has never gotten the proper due he deserves in this department. He's a much better driver than even he gives himself credit for, but. ... I would take Tony Stewart against over any other NASCAR driver on anything with wheels – stock cars, sprint cars, open-wheels, golf carts, tricycles. His diversity, true grit and the success he's had over so many disciplines puts him in a different class. One-on-one, equal equipment Stewart wins. As the great A.J. Foyt said just this week, Stewart was just born with it. It's more than just talent, it's that incredible will. Bottom Line: Tony Stewart

This wraps up the first edition of Wheel2Wheel. Soon, we'll be offering you, the fans, a chance to decide what topic, debate or controversy Geoffrey and Holly will go "Wheel2Wheel" with. Thanks for reading!