Need for Speed
A NASCAR BLOG BY Jared Turner
Crew chief selection for Danica Patrick remains puzzling
Am I the only one who finds the selection of Tony Eury Jr. to be crew chief for Danica Patrick a little bit curious?
Patrick, a 27-year-old female already rocking the racing world without having turned one official lap in a stock car, is set to make her first foray into NASCAR next season with a part-time Nationwide Series schedule for JR Motorsports.
Even though there are many observers already predicting that Patrick, an IndyCar Series driver with one career win, won’t flourish in NASCAR, her success would only bode well for the sport.
Therefore, she at least deserves a top-notch crew chief who can give her a fair shot at running competitively.
This brings us to the Eury quandary.
The JR Motorsports team co-owned by Sprint Cup driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced this past week that none other than Eury - the guy team owner Rick Hendrick ousted from his post as crew chief for Earnhardt Jr.’s Cup effort at Hendrick Motorsports earlier this year - will call the shots for Patrick in her first NASCAR season.
This is surprising considering Eury’s less-than-spectacular resume working with Earnhardt Jr.
Only two of Earnhardt Jr.’s 18 Cup victories – one at Hendrick in 2008, the other at Dale Earnhardt Inc. in 2006 – have come with Eury atop the bit box.
The other wins all came at DEI, where Earnhardt Jr. found victory lane 15 times with Tony Eury Sr., Tony Jr.’s father, and once with interim crew chief Steve Hmiel.
Eury Jr., who worked in a car chief’s role under his father for most of his time at DEI, was reunited with Earnhardt Jr. at Hendrick when Earnhardt Jr. switched teams after the 2007 season.
But Eury’s lack of success with his cousin can’t be forgotten. And his detractors are many.
So is Eury, who recently moved to JR Motorsports from a research-and-development position at Hendrick, really the best guy for Patrick?
You make the call.
Jared Turner
Jared Turner has written about NASCAR for the past five seasons. He joined SceneDaily as a staff writer in February 2008.
Poll PositionView All
How should NASCAR penalize Carl Edwards?
Promotions
-
Tweet your thoughts about each race and join the conversation with other fans.
-
Drive an authentic NASCAR Sprint Cup car at the NASCAR Racing Experience.
Comments
10 responses to "Crew chief selection for Danica Patrick remains puzzling ". Post a Comment.
mrclause said:
Dec 13, 2009 at 9:31 AMJust who are Tony Jr's detractors in the garage area? It's pushed more by the bloggers and the fans looking for any excuse to blame anyone other than Jr.
Give the guy a break. Jr hasn't risen to the top with new crew chiefs and engineers since Tony was moved, not fired, moved. Now he's back where Jr wants him, so there sure must be some redeeming value to him in Jr's eyes!
Let's wait and see just what Danica can earn with the great equipment she's going to have, her talent, her guaranteed starting spots, before we give her any more.
Evidently the folks that matter still believe in Tony Jr's ability. Stop the bashing!
DRLDeBoer said:
Dec 13, 2009 at 11:19 AM?? C'mon. Yes. IMO Tony is the only one for this position at this time, for his competency as a teaching CC and his experience handling a high profile driver.
Pattichris said:
Dec 13, 2009 at 12:14 PMI agree with #2. Tony Jr., has a lot of experience in dealing with high profile and "I don't know what I want - but you fix it" drivers.
LUV88AND99 said:
Dec 13, 2009 at 4:29 PMTony Jr will make a fantastic crew chief for Danica. The last person I blame for Jr's problems are Tony Jr. I don't blame anyone except bad luck and that will change.
mwallick said:
Dec 13, 2009 at 8:56 PMJared, You know I heartily disagreed with you last week on your article about Jr., but in this case, I think you may be right. I did not understand why Tony Jr. did not go to Penske with Brad when Brad asked him to. Seems to me a Cup cc could bring more back to help the effort than being a part-time NW cc.
jessydoyle49 said:
Dec 14, 2009 at 12:03 PMThere is no one else but Tony Jr. that you can put with Danicant and not run the risk that the CC will ring her scrawny neck !.!.!
gwen_susie388 said:
Dec 14, 2009 at 9:40 PMWhy not Tony Jr? If Jr. has faith in him then that should be enough said. Wow JessyDoyle49, you must not think much of all the other CC if you think they might wring her neck! Come to think of it, I don't ever remember a CC wringing anyone's neck. She hasn't even started racing yet and you are already calling her names. Tisk Tisk!
CCCANNON said:
Dec 15, 2009 at 5:37 PMTony owns a share of the business, doesnt he?
Considering the ages of the players it seems
to me a good choice to put a wise experienced
CC with a rookie. When it comes to a stock car
the little girl needs to be told what to do
and wheel it as best she can. This will work
great. Good luck to both.
jessydoyle49 said:
Dec 15, 2009 at 6:56 PMGWEN_SUSIE388:,,,I thnk the cc's are a bunch of really nice guys.,,,I would even sell tickets for the event.,,,You must be really NEW to racing if you have never seen a crew chief whip up on the driver !.!.!.!.!.,,I was NOT calling her names!!!,,that is a just and appropiate title for her. Describes her to a T.,,Can's drive, Can't get along, Can't quit whiiiiinnnning, did I mention Can't drive.
CCCANNON said:
Dec 15, 2009 at 11:30 PMDanica tested a JRM car at Walt Disney Speedway
late last week. Anyone heard how that test
went ?