Dale Jr Thread --Optimist or Pesimist for this yr

Its a new year.. and you can almost feel The Engine's ready to begin roaring as the Daytona 500 ( 13 Days away )  but as we all know Jr had went from top of the standings in 2011 to sinking to 7th ultimatly eliminating himself in the chase. He couldn't get a win dispite having four top fives and twelve top tens last yr.

So should i be optimistic that this year he'll start strong and end even stronger

or should i be pesimistic and beware that we got pretty lucky we didn't get into many accidents last year and that we need to work on our pit to improve on getting his car ready and adjusted durring races alot better ?


Can't wait until the start of the 500 and hearing those great words

"Gentlemen...... start ..... your ..... engines!"
 

Junior signed his extension, so you saw the best of him for  the next 5 years. 

how about optimistically pessimistic?

in all seriousness though, I expect Jr. to do at least as well as last year, if not better.  Seems Letarte has found some kind of connection...

I am an optimist, but I am kind of leaning with Mikey.  Hendrick gave Junior enough decent (yet unbalanced) cars last year to make him see gold and sign an extension.  However, Junior cannot see this because he blind.  I am a huge Junior fan, everyone will back me on that, but I was out of the box a little last year and I see that HMS is playing the music and Junior is the only drunkard dancing...But in all other issues, I hope we have a heck of a year!  And don't view this as me jumping ship, I would never do that, seriously I am Junior all the way and I hope he does great!!!!

Well like i said above is what worries me is that they had so many Cars  ( by HMS ) that were fine.. but never "Great" enough cars to put him over the top and win ... or at least compete toward the middle / end of the yr... and ultimatly it sealed his fate

I'll NEVER jump ship because i KNOW Jr is a great driver -- just needs the car and the team to put it together so he can win races.. if they do that & he gets a little more agressive toward the end of races ( when he's up in the top 5 ) then he should at least win a few races ad compete for the chase

He deserves to -- he takes too much crap being called "overrated" or being ripped because everyone wants to compare him to his father -- no one will EVER be as great as Sr'... but hes got it in him to be at least as great as Tony ( Stewart ) or teamate Jeff ( Gordon ) .. but again

His TEAM needs to put it all together and get off their a**es and do something... because if you cant figure it out in "crunch time" then you'll always be middle of the pack in competition and not up with the big boys like J.J

 

You hit the nail on the head.  The thing about us i hate the bear, is we are diehards.  We know Junior can be a really good driver, because you can see how hard he works when he has an ill-handling car.  But the reason we haven't seen Junior in victory lane in a while is because he has to win before we see more.  By that I mean you can take a decent car and win with it, but until Junior wins in an awesome car he is going to struggle with trying to defeat that.  If we could have one good awesome car and Junior wins, we will see multiple wins.  I hope that makes sense, but if it doesn't let me know and I'll try to further the explanation, I just seen your post and I wanted to respond.  I'll try to get back on after my night class.  

Bulls_Life -- i know what your trying to point out -- until Jr gets a quality car or his crew can properly adjust durring the race to get him into victory lane he'll still be considered middle of the pack as far as how "good he is" when in reality hes better than that .. just needs a great car --- hes proven it in a near win ( before his car ran out of gas which killed me  ) last yr ... but his crew has failed to excell durring the middle or end of the season when Drivers and their pit crew need to get better in order to compete for the NSCS

Basically its like a NFL team that goes  8-0 through the first 8 games but instead of getting better they become an average team the last eight games and finish with a .500 mark... Jr is better than what hes shown but until he wins the constant comparisons to his dad ( the GREAT Dale Earnhardt Sr. ) and others will happen - then sadly  he wont be up there with names like Jimmy Johnson, Jeff Gordon or Tony Stewart.


For a die hard Jr fan like me, it KILLS ME because i want to see Jr. show all the critics who bash him that hes alot better than what hes shown so far in his career .

Because ultimatly .. when he does get his first win this year ( and you heard it here HE WILL WIN A RACE THIS YEAR ) ---- Fans ( whether there
Jr. Fans or just NASCAR fans ) will go NUTS ---  

I find it comical saing until  he gets good cars, yet Jeff Gordon won what 3 or 4 races last season with who's cars?  Why I do believe it was the same cars that Junior had in 2010.  Yet I keep seeing Junior isn't the problem, it's always someone one elses problem. 

Well, Junior fans, take a look at your driver,  HMS history is all the teams are winners.  Hell,  until  Rick got upset  with MM even Mark was winning multiple races in the cars made in the same shop that Junior was  in.  so maybe it wasn't the car, it probably wasn't the crew or the crew chief.  maybe it's what those of us who don't have blinder on have been saying all along.  Until Junior can communicate the problems with the car to his crew chief Junior will struggle to win races. 

Have to agree -mikeyfan- Dale jr has the talent to drive,but his communication skills in the car are holding him back IMO ! Somehow I think that could get alot better this season. Him and Latarte seem to be getting on the same page last season and that should improve this time around. He showed more aggression last year and needs to push it even harder this season. The only way to shut up doubters is to go out and take a few wins and he has the ability. I have questioned his fire in the past,but have seen signs maybe it is re-kindled. Let's hope for a great season for JR Nation, we need it and so does he !!!!!!!!
                                                                                                                              #3 RULES !!!!!!!                

There are going to be people that see both ways about what is keeping Jr. out of victory lane.  I think it's a communication problem, but Letarte seems to be able to connect with Jr. in ways no crew cheif could since Pops Eury.  However, I also think HMS's car quality had a bit of a low year.  Granted JJ and Jeff won some races and were competitive, but you're talking about 2 of the best to drive in NASCAR there.  Seems to me they had a lot more problems either mechanical or just not being able to dial the car in for each of the 4 drivers compared to years past.  I look for a rebound by HMS in terms of quality of cars, and also a continuation of the momentum Jr. gained last year.

Maybe just maybe the rest of the competition has caught up with HMS. 

Junior is a good driver, but he isn't what his fan base wants him to be.  He isn't a great driver and in my opinoin he isn't a champion.  And no matter how hard NASCAR tries to give him another win, it won't be happening anytime soon.  And if he wins a race like they tried to do in Charlotte the doubters like me will laugh at those that call it a win.  In order for it to be legit, he has to win a race.  No GWC.  No winning under caution no doubts about the victory. 

Can't be equipment, Jeff won with Dales equipment, enough said. 

well, dont where you were in the tough years,09,10? strange you show up while hes riding a top 10 team again. Lets get some facts straight; JR finished 24th at Daytona, caught up in the wreck during extra laps; so was never wasat the top of the standings. I think we were as high  mid season at about 5th.  And, as a SR fan also from 1980 on, i have never heard anby one state JR was nor is or ever will be the driver that SR was. Now, it would have been possible for more wins if his dad had lived and ran DEI. But that wasnt to be. In his last year with stepmom, he had crew members even sabatoging his cars(9 dnf s 07, 9 total 4 years with RH). At Vegas, Nascar discovered some possible tampering out here in 07. 

Also, lets dont forget JG s complaints of Letarte not making proper changes his last year with Steve. thus thge reason for all the CC changes last year. Since Pops, JR has been saddled with poor CC s, Eury jr(who now knows he belongs in Nations), McGrew, an engineer only, destroying JR then Martin last year. We come to Steve, who id say(after riding with JR 90 pct of laps in 11, only had the 88 running well maybe 5 of 36 races at race ends. That wont cut it this year. Has nothing to do with communications. his 1st 5 yrs he had 15 wins(about 20pct win pct). At 37, his window on prime ability has about 2-3 years left; most of the 40 yearolds now are falling flat with younger drivers coming to Cup. Even JJ(my other fav) struggled with two wins; one delivered to him thanks to JR only. And Tony, as JR, failed to win till he made changes as an owner; dumping a heavy GF, and a deadweight CC. After the CC was told he was fired before the chase, he decided to buckle down and assist TS to another title.  I was one of the few here who had faith in Tony s own wrods. Won with him on all 5 races, as even Vegas didnt believe in him!
This year, ANY driver, expecting to make the top 10-12, must win twice. Everyone starts even, as always.

Jeff Gordon is also an elite driver in NASCAR history....to compare him with Jr. is ridiculous

Hey, the only way , after 5 years, is up!

         Can he do worse??


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             If he ever goes to Petty and climbs in the 43, I'll commit Suicide!!!


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Also, lets dont forget JG s complaints of Letarte not making proper changes his last year with Steve. thus thge reason for all the CC changes last year. Since Pops, JR has been saddled with poor CC s, Eury jr(who now knows he belongs in Nations), McGrew, an engineer only, destroying JR then Martin last year. We come to Steve, who id say(after riding with JR 90 pct of laps in 11, only had the 88 running well maybe 5 of 36 races at race ends. That wont cut it this year. Has nothing to do with communications. his 1st 5 yrs he had 15 wins(about 20pct win pct). At 37, his window on prime ability has about 2-3 years left; most of the 40 yearolds now are falling flat with younger drivers coming to Cup. Even JJ(my other fav) struggled with two wins; one delivered to him thanks to JR only. And Tony, as JR, failed to win till he made changes as an owner; dumping a heavy GF, and a deadweight CC. After the CC was told he was fired before the chase, he decided to buckle down and assist TS to another title.  I was one of the few here who had faith in Tony s own wrods. Won with him on all 5 races, as even Vegas didnt believe in him!

No matter how hard we change that around so the others can read it USC, they will never read it correctly.  We rewrite it 100s of different of ways, but yet the matter is missed completely.  We know what he can do.  We know he can communicate, when I hear that first thing that pops in my mind is bullcrap.  But it is okay, we'll still defend and we'll still get laughed at.  Whocares at this point...not me.  If I would have cared what the others thought I would have left this board a long time ago.  

Hey, the only way , after 5 years, is up!

         Can he do worse??


28  9  43


             If he ever goes to Petty and climbs in the 43, I'll commit Suicide!!!


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Super...I wouldn't worry about JR ever being caught driving a FORD...so, we can sleep well knowing he will NEVER step into the only domestic car company that didn't take Federal Bailout monies! Besides...Ford and winners go hand in hand...JR just doesn't fit the Ford model!

For all you JR supporters...I must say I admire you annual optimism...how bad it must feel being dissappointed year after year by this overhyped driver that has a better past than future! And really...the past hasn't been that impressive!

Jr...running out of excuses! Car? Crew Chief? Pit Crew? Owner??? Maybe, he should look in the mirror...remember Jr...when you point a finger at something...four fingers are pointing back at you!

I'm not a Jr. fan, but I will say I have never once heard him openly blame anyone else for his recent struggles since joining HMS.  Sure, he has had new crew cheifs, new pit crew members, moved shops....but not once has anyone heard him say he demanded the changes...he's not Kurt Busch.

I will say I do hope he does well...because he is a good person on and off the track, which can be rare in professional sports.

Just doing my job

       Yanking chains.....



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Bulls;  Well stated, it does get old,lol. But, he has worn the Earnhardt name well, SR would have been proud of his on and off track endeavors.

FORD==  went and cried to Congress jusr as GM and Chrysler did . They even stood together! I wanted Ch 11, rid unions, cut benies. They all got credits, had to vs the Foreign backed Toys. Just another example of how far we have fallen recently. GM stock has to reach 33 for us to break even, wont hap with his real Toy, the Volt being shoved down are butts!
With a pick n choose govt, on who fails/taxed/;oaned, they attack Oil and will tax them where we cant pay the gas(3.50 vs 1.65,09); yet allow Apple,Walmart,Gates,Buffet,Soros to rip us.
T-SUX, lets hope they continue to blow up(as last year), the engines and the Buschs that is.

Sup,  and you do your job at a high level!  lol   Jestering, naybe the 2nd oldest profession of mankind.