[vincesanity82]

So Dale Earnhardt Jr. really didn't leave his father's company. He left his stepmother's company. When DEI purchased Ginn Racing, they began moving the entire organization into the new shop so the race team his father started wouldn't even be racing out of the shop he built. It was a totally different company. Junior leaving was the best thing for him. The question is: how good is he? Ask a Junior fan and you'll find he is the best race car driver on the planet, which, statistically, is a real stretch of the imagination. He's good no question about that. But how good? In 291 Cup starts, Junior has 17 wins, 76 top fives and 121 top 10s. That's a pretty good record and there aren't many drivers who wouldn't want to lay claim to it. But 15 of those wins came between 2000 and 2004. His worst season in that stretch was 2000 when he managed two wins and his best was 2004 when he racked up six. But it seemed to fall apart in 2005 and 2006 when he logged one win each year. Then 2007 was a complete disaster, going 36 races without a win, although seven top fives and 12 top 10s is nothing to sneeze at. The question though, is what caused the slump? Was it the turmoil at DEI? Was it a lack of decent equipment? Or are these the numbers we can expect from the man? The turmoil had to have been playing a huge part it in. -- Truro Daily News (Nova Scotia)

The Truro Daily News, Nova Scotia : Sports | In the Backstretch

[LSC9901]

I think many fans feel that he is capable of producing better numbers. Question now is will he ? HMS is a proven commodity and Jr has brought some good numbers to the table, although not in the past year. A less than good production in '08 could be detrimental to him for '09.

[Nevadastars]

A better question is, will he get comparable equipment to the 48 and 24? One thing about Jr, is if he doesnt like the seat he's in, he'll say so ("the car ran like crap") and wont sugarcoat his displeasure like previous drivers of the 25.

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by Nevadastars

A better question is, will he get comparable equipment to the 48 and 24? One thing about Jr, is if he doesnt like the seat he's in, he'll say so ("the car ran like crap") and wont sugarcoat his displeasure like previous drivers of the 25.

I think the equipment is comparable at HMS, but setups aren't. Then there's the cliques: 24 & 48, then everybody else... Now, if Jr. and Casey turned into a team...

[wingkey1]

The same equipment (shop and track) will be available to him as the other HMS teams, a crew chief equivalent to the others - does not feel so, but remains to be seen.

Radio traffic for the 8 sounded juvenile and lost compared to many (most?) other teams. Not just the HMS teams. When the 8 car was bad, there was bickering, frustration, guessing - near anything but what sounded like a direction/plan. While they could make the car real fast, it was limited to a particular "line" around the track, and as the tires wore, even that didn't last long. Guess what isn't available throughout the whole race every lap - that perfect line. Adjustments seemed to simply provide a different "line".

The one HMS team that seemed to be best able to "follow the track" regularly throughout this season was the 48. 24 wasn't bad, but not up to the 48.

If Mears gets last years 5 team and chief, this group may surpass the 88 within the HMS stable.

Gonna be interesting.

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by wingkey1

The same equipment (shop and track) will be available to him as the other HMS teams, a crew chief equivalent to the others - does not feel so, but remains to be seen.

Radio traffic for the 8 sounded juvenile and lost compared to many (most?) other teams. Not just the HMS teams. When the 8 car was bad, there was bickering, frustration, guessing - near anything but what sounded like a direction/plan. While they could make the car real fast, it was limited to a particular "line" around the track, and as the tires wore, even that didn't last long. Guess what isn't available throughout the whole race every lap - that perfect line. Adjustments seemed to simply provide a different "line".

The one HMS team that seemed to be best able to "follow the track" regularly throughout this season was the 48. 24 wasn't bad, but not up to the 48.

If Mears gets last years 5 team and chief, this group may surpass the 88 within the HMS stable.

Gonna be interesting.

.. didn't know HMS had "88"...

You're right about DEI #8 team, tho I think a lot of it could have been quashed with a stronger owner, or one more dedicated to seeing that team excel. Also makes one wonder about Eury Jr.'s leadership qualities. Rick won't stand for that. Concession to bring Eury Jr. was to make Dale Jr. feel "comfortable", but if he doesn't produce with the HMS resources, he'll be watching the races from a different seat...

It will be interesting!

[wingkey1]

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

.. didn't know HMS had "88"...

You're right about DEI #8 team, tho I think a lot of it could have been quashed with a stronger owner, or one more dedicated to seeing that team excel. Also makes one wonder about Eury Jr.'s leadership qualities. Rick won't stand for that. Concession to bring Eury Jr. was to make Dale Jr. feel "comfortable", but if he doesn't produce with the HMS resources, he'll be watching the races from a different seat...

It will be interesting!

didn't know HMS had "88"... - keep tellin' ya yer spendin' way too much time in that cave!

[Racer Duck]

nah, it's just my "information retrieval system" is down to one channel and the poor neurons are completely overworked. sometimes they just stop and take a break....

OK, Jr's in 88, #acquired from RYR earlier this year. (not a big deal on my radar, so was put waaaaaay in the back.)

[3fanforever]

I've always believed Junior has what it takes to be a championship driver. But for whatever reasons, and there are many I think, he's been inconsistent in that goal. This is what's been so frustrating to me. But his move to the dark side next year will tell the tale. If he doesn't start winning, nobody can blame it on the equipment, because as sure as I'm sitting here, Rick Hendrick is gonna give him the best cars he can. And nobody can blame it on the car owner because Rick Hendrick, whether you like him or not, is a winning owner. So his record next year will reflect more on him as a driver than what he is driving or who he drives for. Maybe one could use those excuses in the past, but not anymore. In other words, the ball is gonna be in Junior's court. It will be up to him to score with it.

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by 3fanforever

I've always believed Junior has what it takes to be a championship driver. But for whatever reasons, and there are many I think, he's been inconsistent in that goal. This is what's been so frustrating to me. But his move to the dark side next year will tell the tale. If he doesn't start winning, nobody can blame it on the equipment, because as sure as I'm sitting here, Rick Hendrick is gonna give him the best cars he can. And nobody can blame it on the car owner because Rick Hendrick, whether you like him or not, is a winning owner. So his record next year will reflect more on him as a driver than what he is driving or who he drives for. Maybe one could use those excuses in the past, but not anymore. In other words, the ball is gonna be in Junior's court. It will be up to him to score with it.

I agree 100%. He will not have a legitimate excuse now. At this point in time HMS is on the top of the pile. I'm not sure bringing his cousin along was the very best idea but I suppose Hendricks is OK with it or he would have nixed it right from the beginning. 2008 will be an interesting year to say the least.

[Quality88]

Originally Posted by Racer Duck

(not a big deal on my radar, so was put waaaaaay in the back.)

Not a big deal?





http://www.smileycentral.com/sig.jsp...p=ZSYYYYYYYYGB

[NASCAR Gnome]

My opinion of this is it has more to do with Dale Jr. wanting to find out for himself if he really has what it takes!

Going back to when the Chase format first began, the drivers who won the titles all came from large, established garages and although DEI was not exactly a small shop, it obviously was not good enough to produce champions like Penske, HMS, Roush and JGR did. While Jr. was toiling away trying to live up to his father's accomplishments and memory, guys named Johnson, Stewart and Busch were hoisting the championship trophy when I'm sure, deep down, he knew he was just as good (if not better) than those guys!

Let's get this clear: Hendrick does NOT NEED someone like Dale Jr.! His stable is well-stocked with "gunslingers" enough to embarrass even the stoutest of teams out there but Mr. H knows a good thing when he sees it and for him to sign a mega star like Jr. means he surely sees something with this guy other than simple respect. He sees a winner and by bringing Jr. aboard is a ringing endorsement of his skills. Will we see Junior at his best? In my opinion, the BEST is yet to come!

[vincesanity82]

I think a lot of his failure this year was the equipment and dealing with leaving, I think he will do better at hms, He had one of the best teachers (his dad) so I know the potential to be great is there, he just has to channel it..

[LSC9901]

Originally Posted by NASCAR Gnome

While Jr. was toiling away trying to live up to his father's accomplishments and memory, guys named Johnson, Stewart and Busch were hoisting the championship trophy when I'm sure, deep down, he knew he was just as good (if not better) than those guys!

I guess that will always be a point of discussion. I won't completely disagree with the statement because I believe most all son's want to live up to Dad's expectations. The reality is that the records are not that much different. No question that Sr.'s is better but Jr is holding his own with a bad year and a half in there at this point.

I don't think HMS tried to woo him away. That is an event that happened all by itself. I'm sure HMS sees mega $$$$ with this deal. Sponsorship and merchandise sales will now increase at an alarming rate. Along with that ... a few victories wouldn't do any harm to the Jr image.

Come on '08 !!!

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by Quality88

Not a big deal?

car numbers aren't a big deal to me .. 'course I think tatooing the number on your body or shaving your head in the form of a car number is.... (what's a synonym for "not cool"?)

Originally Posted by NASCAR Gnome

... Mr. H knows a good thing when he sees it and for him to sign a mega star like Jr. means he surely sees something with this guy other than simple respect.

Mr. H sees millions and millions of these: $

Even with Kelly managing Dale's name, who do you think gets a cut of every die cast and every Mountain Dew, AMP and Nat'l Guard NASCAR souvenir. Sure he wants him to do well, every car owner wants his car to do well. But Mr. H will get paid every time someone buys a Jr. souvenir with one of HIS sponsors on it, whether it's a die cast or a ball cap. And it doesn't matter matter how Jr. finishes races 'cause it's the name that produces the $$$, not the race results.

Welcome to the World of NA$CAR!

Originally Posted by LSC9901

Come on '08 !!!

don't you mean "Come on 88 !!!" ???