HAMPTON, Ga. - Poor ol’ Dale Earnhardt Jr. Bless his heart, he’s just not getting enough attention.
“When we blow a motor and fall out of the race, the story is who won and how exciting the race was,” Earnhardt Jr. said this weekend at Atlanta Motor Speedway. “We're lost in the back of the newspaper somewhere and we get no credit for how good we've been.”
Gosh, that’s awful. How could the dazzling success of a team that’s done what Earnhardt Jr. has done all year be overlooked?
I mean, for goodness sakes. The No. 8 car has finished in the top 10 twice in the past seven weeks. It has led 59 whole laps in the past two months. And the team got all the way up to 11th in the points for one whole week early this year, and clings tenaciously to 13th in the current standings.
“As far as handling and running up front, I've never ran up front as often as I have this year,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “I never have. This year I've been going to the race track and been in the top five 95 percent of the races and I've never been that way before and it's a shame we won't be able to get the credit or the ‘attaboy’ for it."
You know, looking back on how we’ve covered the sport this year, suddenly it becomes apparent that all of us in this business just have not given Earnhardt Jr. enough publicity this year. After all, you hardly ever read anything about him in the paper.
Just to be clear, I do understand his point. Too many times this year, Earnhardt Jr.’s day has started off with great promise only to come to a bad end. Last week at Martinsville, for instance, he ran among the leaders all day until his troubled engine finally gave way on the final restart.
He finished 23rd, and that’s really been the story all year. Despite the fact he’s run well at times, Earnhardt Jr. and his team have not closed the deal. The No. 8 Chevrolet hasn’t won a race since May 6, 2006, at Richmond, and he’s had as many did-not-finishes (seven) as he’s had top-five finishes this year.
“We feel we missed a great opportunity this year with a great chance of winning the championship and challenging for it,” Earnhardt Jr. said of what will be his final season at Dale Earnhardt Inc. “We’re really ticked off about that. ...We feel like we're a top-five team. We've run in the top five every week. I don't think anybody even realizes.”
Earnhardt Jr. seems to have a fast car for Sunday’s Pep Boys Auto 500 at Atlanta Motor Speedway. He’s won here before, and he’s won at Texas and Phoenix, too, so it’s absolutely possible that he’ll win again before moving to Hendrick Motorsports next year.
“I feel ridiculous going winless this year because we should have won,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “I feel pretty gypped.”
As for any lack of attention, though, that’s laughable.
There’s a test Monday and Tuesday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, with teams working on their car of tomorrow setups for this type of track for next season. Earnhardt Jr. will be testing with his new team, and a lot of reporters who’d normally be heading home after Sunday’s race will be hanging around at least for Monday’s test primarily because of that single fact.
Saturday, October 27, 2007
Where is the love? Dale Earnhardt Jr. asks
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24 comments:
Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda! Boo Hoo, His LAST shot a championship title was '04, Now he Rick Hendricks headache
What a brat. With that attitude, he'll sink fast, and the media will love documenting his downfall 10 times more than any success he's had or will have.
Its kinda hard to watch a race without the #8 car plastered to screen. It doesn't matter if it is in the top 5 or the back of the field, the camera still focuses on him. I think the other drivers should be asking where is the love?
Monday test...test car #88 paint scheme...more cash in Jr.'s pocket...priceless!
DALE JR., IS PROBABLY MENTALLY DOWN
BECAUSE OF HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH
DEI. ALSO YOU CAN PUT HIM DOWN,
BUT WOULD YOU GET OUT ON THAT RACE
TRACK AND GO THE SPEEDS THAT HE GOES? HE IS RISKING HIS LIFE EVERYDAY SO THAT YOU CAN SEEK A COUPLE OF HOURS OF PLEASURE.
ALSO THE NASCAR TODAY IS NOT LIKE
WHAT RACING USED TO BE. NASCAR
TODAY IS ALL ABOUT MONEY AND NOT
THE FUN OF SEEING DRIVERS RACE AND ENJOY IT. MAYBE DALE JR. AND SOME
OF THE OTHERS SHOULD LEAVE NASCAR AND RACE AT DARLINGTON AND ROCKINGHAM.
SO GET OFF OF HIM! UNTIL YOU WALK A MILE IN HIS SHOES!
ANONYMOUS
Geez, David. Thanks for giving the bashers another opportunity to spew. Like they don't have enough opportunities to be idiots. You know it's been a long season for you guys when you state that you understand exactly what he meant, and still write a blog like this bashing him for what he didn't mean. Hmmmm....
Oh well....go home Monday. Don't go to the test. We'll understand. You're sick of Junior and I'm sure someone will cover the test for you. The world will not end if you ignore the whole thing.
first of all jr.is not a cry baby,nor a brat.he has worked for everything he has,from the old school that dale sr. made jr. work his way up,nothing was giving to him.his attitude is of the best.anyone in racing who wants to win and things happen will in fact get upset.never have you herd him cry about it.as to the jerk off who wrote where is love.is a jerk.
This is just the beginning of the media's attempt at shoving Jr. down our throats with senseless articles like this.
Some buffoon has it in the back of their mind that they will win a pulitzer prize next year by writing countless articles about the sporst biggest money machine.
Do what I do if your sick of the Jr. articles, don't read 'em.
Your an asshole Dave. Your fat ass can't even fit in a race car! Stick to what you know best EATING!
He's probably just saying those things because he feels like he's let the team down this year.....Junior is the last driver that nostalgic fans have to root for...when he goes, the sport will go....if Jimmie Johnson and Jeff Gordon don't kill it first....
junior fans are ridiculous.
Dave,JG & JJ are the TOP 2 & your bashing Jr.You should be talking about HMS contenders but put down Donut cause you know people if given a chance will read about any Earnhardt,any Time.You'll be at the Consession stand and the booth Monday won't you.Damn right because an Earnhardt will be there.You wouldn't have a job if it wasn't for an Earnhardt.Now go back to the Weiner Stand and get another one to put in mouth
Can't get much attention but on those blown motors these Days. DEI has gone to hell in a handbasket. Top talent at DEI is jumping off that sinking ship. Steve Hmeil, along with Tony Jr and Sr. Motor program has gone to shit. Set-ups are great. Jr is a top 5 driver. Can't wait to hear all the Gordon, Johnson fans crying next year when Jr wins the Daytona 500 along with a handful of races. Rick Hendrick's number one goal next year is to supply Jr with the equipment to give him a championship in order to pad Hendrick's Pocket. Nascar in general sux these day's and alot of it has to do with the chase format. Defend the chase format David Poole like you have in the past while Nascar goes down the tubes. I predict Jr will win Atlanta today if the motor will stay together.
WHO CARES??????????
Poor Jr. NOT!!! I am personally tired of hearing about JR. Dale Jr this, Dale Jr that. Good grief get over yourself Jr.
what's laughable is your fat ass.
in 2007 with all the info out there about health you must weigh about 395 pounds.
that's a dumb way to live dave.
anyhow, Jr basically said he likes being in the victory lane and has missed being there.
you turn it into something to make fun of him for... wanting to be a winner before he leaves DEI.
i guess a big fatass doesn't have much to be happy about, so you have decided to be a hater.
I emailed Dave on his comments....explaining that Dale jr. wasnt asking for more press coverage....he just wanted people to mention that when he blew up 6 times he was running in the top 10, when he lost a wheel he was running 3rd....Dave is doing nothing more than stirring up shit for people to talk about..the media has to have something you know.....
JR. DESERVES NOTHING BUT GOOD, KEEP UP THE NEWS! I LOVE TO READ EVERYTHING I CAN READ AND SEE ON TV!
GO JR. GO!!!! YOU ARE A WINNER!!!!
I would be curious to see and hear how JJ, JG, TS or any other driver would handle all the blown engines. What a great record for DEI to have set.
I can well imagine Jr's frustration - he would be in the chase if he had had decent equipment.
I am surprised, David, that you have put this spin on it.
Come on folks, show some class... I know what Jr said, and I know wheat he meant by it... do I agree with David totally on his blog? No, but thats the fun of blogging. As far as all of you that have to make the attacks personal? Come on! Knock it off, none of us are interested in that... when you type that stuff, it just validates what people think of you as Junior fans... a classless, uneducated bunch of rednecks. By the way, I am a Junior fan, and I cant stand being associated with those of you that continue to make the majority of us look bad - personal attacks, insults, beer can throwing. Just knock it off for goodness sake! Have an educated discussion instead...
Whats amazing is the fact that despite having run the "wheels of teh damn thing" literally in many races - all you hear during the race is Jr. this and Jr that. Even when the announcers are watching someone else like the Bush wackers cars circling the track their talking Jr..
There is no doubt he has had a year from hell this year. Garbage engines after his announcement to leave DEI after runing in the top, crashes in which he's been taken out by shit drivers like Green... and Juan Problem Montoya (type it in and you'll get his pics), however he's still the fans favorite driver.
If Gordon would stop crying every time he did something wrong he'd be afavorite as well.
What JR. said is true. It also pertains to other driver's who aren't getting attention that they deserve. He has a owner that doesn't care one way or the other.He has had more bad luck since he announced that he is leaving DEI.Hopefully that will change. He is not a cry baby, he tells it like it is.
When Junior made those comments, his tongue was firmly planted in his cheek. He wasn't whining, nor was he being a brat. I swear, Junior could donate a lung to someone and save their life, and some idiots would still trash him for it. I feel bad that your lives are so miserable, that it makes you feel better to trash good people. If you'd take the time to actually see what Junior is all about, which the bashers never do, you would see a man with a heart of gold. But, it's your loss.... sucks to be you.
It shouldn't matter where he finishes as long as he gives it his best. I commend him for going out there week after week and risking his life for a sport that not too many people appreciate. I think it is just ignorance for you to say that junior is a cry baby. Simply all you are is a hater because you do not his talent. He has the opportunity to be the best Nascar driver ever. Watch him blow up next season. Race fans are very lucky to have Junior on the tracks every week. His talent will go a long way. And will be noticed for yaears to come.
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