In The Curious Case Of Dale Earnhardt Jr., Enough Is Enough.
by PB on Oct.17, 2009, under TSS Articles
It’s no secret that Dale Earnhardt Jr. is struggling. It’s no secret that Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the 88 team are the worst of the Hendrick bunch. It’s no secret that he has not lived up to the hype that awaited him when he signed with Rick Hendrick at the end of the 2007 season. It’s no secret that he and his entire team have become the poster child for bad luck and unmet expectations. What is a secret is how did it get to this point? And where did it all go wrong?
In a sport where you’re only as good as your last start, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is a ‘has-been’. Some would even tell you Earnhardt is a ‘never-was.’ It still doesn’t answer the tough questions. It still doesn’t explain his current situation. So it begs the question-where did it all go wrong? How did driver 88 go backwards when his teammates have methodically and emphatically moved forward? How can a guy go from running up front and contending for wins in 2008 to contending for lucky dogs and Top 20’s in 2009?
Sadly, no one seems to have an answer; not even Earnhardt himself.
The bottom line-Earnhardt has hit rock bottom. He looks lost, beaten down, and worn out. But most of all he looks like a man who has lost all hope in his team, his owner and even himself. The time has come for Earnhardt to step up and take back control of his career. For too long Earnhardt has allowed someone else to take the reigns of his day-to-day actions and ultimately his career. Sadly, it’s finally caught up with him. Now, as yet another championship is being decided, Earnhardt once again finds himself on the outside looking in. A position he has gotten to know all too well.
If Earnhardt is going to make something of his career the time is now. Either Dale Earnhardt Jr. has it what it takes or he doesn’t. It’s as simple as that. If you can’t win in this sport quit wasting every one’s time and walk away. But if you can, step up and show everyone what you are made of. Friday’s comments may have done just that. Because even though the comments lacked passion and emotion they did show that he’s had enough. He put his thoughts out there on the line and he challenged the powers-that-be at Hendrick Motorsports to get on board and get this team pointed in the right direction. It’s something we haven’t seen from him in a long time. More importantly, it was a bold and calculated step in the right direction.
From this point forward he has to ask himself one of two things: Does he want to be the biggest disappointment the sport has ever known? Or does he want to right this ship and resurrect a career that has seemingly gone in the tank. For a driver who has only won three times in the last 174 races let’s hope it’s the latter. And while he owes it to himself (some would argue the sport), he owes it more to his fans. Junior Nation, albeit proud and passionate, have fallen on tough times. Since the end of the 2004 season their faith and loyalty have been tested. They’ve been cheated and stripped for far too long now and quite honestly they deserve better. The time has come for their leader to stand up and fight. For his sake and theirs, let’s hope it’s not too late.
**Special thanks to Doug Demmons and his al.com blog, The Blog Of Tomorrow, for the video.
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October 17th, 2009 on 1:16 PM
When everything but the driver was changed and no improvement was noticed, the process of elimination leads you to the driver. Many want to blame “bad luck” but in this sport, you control some of that “luck” through preparation, focus and communication. Junior has never been one to excel in any of those areas and the results show it. Tony Eurey Sr. did the best job of compensating for it but none of the others can make a silk purse from a cows ear. I believe Junior wants to win races, he just does not want to do the work to get there. He makes the big bucks, has the fans adoration and they still can run pictures of him in victory lane years ago to stroke his ego. If he is really serious about wanting to win, I suggest he proves it by divesting himself of the bar, the endless promotions and donate his earnings to charity until he runs in the top five at the end of races on a consistent basis and racks up at least one win per season for the next few years.
October 17th, 2009 on 1:52 PM
Your article was pretty good until the last paragraph. I do not need, nor expect Dale Junior to stand up and win for me. I am his fan 1st or 43rd and all in between.That is what a fan does stand by your driver through the bad as well as the good. If he never wins another race I am his fan. Look at the fans of other drivers who have never won a race. They love their driver for whatever reason. Dale Junior needs to win for himself to get his confidence back. He has been a winner in the past, and he quits beating himself up he will return to form and at that time he will find “Junior Nation” still standing strong behind him. The media is the one with the “has been” spins, not his fans.
October 17th, 2009 on 6:13 PM
They just said on Race Day that Kevin Harvick wants out of his ride, NOW. Maybe he and Jr. could just switch…? Marybeth
October 18th, 2009 on 12:30 AM
Truth is Dale Jr is pretty smart. All anyone is talking about is Jimmie Johnson and the championship. If were lucky the media tosses us a morsel of commentary of the other Chase drivers. Beyond that nothing on the non-Chasers.
Except….like I said, Dale Jr is pretty smart. Just look how much the press has devoted to his comments from a five minute interview. Sure knows how to ‘drive’ the media.