7 reasons to watch the Carfax 400 at Michigan International Speedway: No. 2 - Dale Earnhardt Jr.

By Rea White - Associate Editor
Tuesday, August 11, 2009

One reason to watch the Carfax 400 at Michigan International Speedway could well be Dale Earnhardt Jr.

It has been more than a year since the Hendrick Motorsports driver earned his last Cup win, but that victory came in a fuel-mileage race and snapped a 76-race winless stretch. Now it has been 43 races since his last win - and 13 since his last top-five.

Earnhardt Jr. and his Lance McGrew-led team are hungry. They've been besieged by misfortune in recent weeks, and you have to imagine that eventually his luck will change.

For Earnhardt Jr., a driver who took an admirably positive approach to the setbacks following a crash Monday at Watkins Glen, the season must be beyond trying.

Now, though, he's heading to the track where he has only one finish outside the top 15 in his last seven starts. Can he turn things around and challenge for the win again this weekend? Can he earn a morale-building top-10? Can he dodge fate and finish the race?

Tune in to find out.
 

Comments

17 responses to "7 reasons to watch the Carfax 400 at Michigan International Speedway: No. 2 - Dale Earnhardt Jr.". Post a Comment.
  1. 1
    sweetthings88 said:
    Aug 11, 2009 at 8:42 AM

    I'll be there watching [My Man] Dale Jr. and team 88. Good luck Dale Jr. and team 88 in The Irish Hills.

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  2. 2
    Carol-88-fan said:
    Aug 11, 2009 at 11:10 AM

    SWEETTHING, cheer as loud as you can. I'll be in front of the tv doing the same. The bad luck has to end soon and he has to know that we are all behind him and the team.

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  3. 3
    Carol-88-fan said:
    Aug 11, 2009 at 11:18 AM

    #1 sorry I screwed up your user name by leaving half of it out. Grandmas been babysitting a teething baby the past couple nights and not getting much sleep.

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  4. 4
    SS396Chevelle said:
    Aug 11, 2009 at 11:29 AM

    Be great to see the 88 in Victory Lane in Michigan. Dale Jr was so emotional last year winning on Fathers Day, so great of him to wish all the Fathers a Happy Fathers Day. I immediately thought of my Dad who has passed on. I can't see how anyone wouldn't like him as a racer and person who has feelings. Good Luck Dale.

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  5. 5
    thereesons said:
    Aug 11, 2009 at 3:31 PM

    Sure hope Jr can get his miserable luck turned around soon. A Victory at Michigan sure would be sweet! I'll be cheering for him this week, next week,and the week after that and...........

    Good luck Jr.

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  6. 6
    osbornk said:
    Aug 11, 2009 at 3:31 PM

    Jr. is a nice guy with unreasonable expectations on his shoulders. He is not the reason to watch the race. He is a mid-pack journeyman driver that makes a very good living because of his family name. Regardless of his success, he will be considered a failure if he doesn't win multiple championships. I don't envy his lifestyle. He has tons of money and fame but he has no private life to call his own.

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  7. 7
    horsekrazytoo said:
    Aug 11, 2009 at 3:54 PM

    I will also setting in the front of the TV cheering for JR to win. I think he is the best driver in the series. After watching the road race yesterday, I was really afraid that he might have been seriously hurt. Thankful he wasn't. He was even going to check out the other driver, how many drivers run to another driver after a wreck-NONE. That is why he is a favorite driver--HE CARES.
    GOOD LUCK JR on Sunday

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  8. 8
    amcclain1 said:
    Aug 11, 2009 at 4:25 PM

    Junior is a c ool dude. Who else would try to go see about another driver that had wrecked. He has class.

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  9. 9
    pj88 said:
    Aug 11, 2009 at 4:27 PM

    Dale Jr. can drive as good as anyone else on the track and has more wins than a lot of them.We love him win or lose and we don't expect or want him to be like his Dad.He is a caring person and an honest person,this makes him great in my eyes and if you don't like him that's okay,but why do you feel the need to put him down.we will remain Jr Nation forever, just go to a track and hear us roar.

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  10. 10
    SheilaLovesNASCAR said:
    Aug 11, 2009 at 5:30 PM

    I'm not Jr. Nation. Since Dale Jarrett retired, I have several favorites. I like most of the drivers and cheer on most everyone who is leading. I just like watching racing. I started liking Jr. in Busch, when he was racing Matt Kenseth. I just liked Matt better. Jr. is a talented driver. He's not his father, but I never did like his father. I've always thought that racing was better than shoving and crashing. And just so MSP knows, in 1998 I bet my #88 against #3 and Ken Schrader. Whose ever driver did the best in each race, got $5 from the other two. I won over $300 that year. And the two guys stopped the betting. Jr. can race. And he isn't an idiot.

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  11. 11
    fleaflicker said:
    Aug 11, 2009 at 5:46 PM

    Number two reason to watch the race; Dale Earnhardt, Jr. ? Give me a break ! What has he done this year with the best equipment that money can buy ???? Nothing ! I was a Jr. fan until he went over to Hendrick Motor Sports which was the worst decision he evey made. You can bet that his dad turned over in his grave because it was well known that Dale, Sr. had no use for Hendrick because of his crooked background.

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  12. 12
    fleaflicker said:
    Aug 11, 2009 at 5:55 PM

    OSBORNK, you are so right. If Jr.`s name had been John Q. Citizen he would not even have much of a fan base. We have Jr. nation, Gordon nation, Johnson nation and Stewart nation and guess what ? They laugh at you all the way to the bank ! lol

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  13. 13
    dale said:
    Aug 11, 2009 at 6:45 PM

    horsekrazytoo, many other drivers also check on anyone else that has been involved in an accident. Jr. is by far not the only one that does it. That you even think so shows how little you pay attention to the races.

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  14. 14
    dale-jr-is-the-greatest-driver-alive said:
    Aug 11, 2009 at 9:51 PM

    hahah someone called junior a middle of hte pack driver that is soo wrong man are you underestamating juniors talents plus what has junior really had too work with even his crew cheif said their cars for junior are way past old his only new car came at indy and he was top 10 all day running lap times as good and even better then the leaders just wait til his new cars come out!!! hell be so much better!

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  15. 15
    Hateda88 said:
    Aug 12, 2009 at 12:10 AM

    Same article different week. And before you get me yes, I'm a trolll etc. You all only don't like me cause I don't agree with everything little thing you say about Jr whether it's true or not. Lol, it's funny in a sad way really. Not trying to start anything just this article has been written before this year. Maybe the press is the jinx?? Hmmm...

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  16. 16
    rockon88 said:
    Aug 12, 2009 at 7:30 AM

    Jr will do just fine, they seem to have worked on the cars and have great running ones now, look how both times he was in the back at the Glenn he brought that car forward, and he doesn't do well on road courses! But he was driving it for all it was worth!! If he hadn't had the misfortune to lose his breaks I have no reason to believe he would not have made that a top 10 or maybe even a top 5! Jr, go to Michigan and take no prisoners, I will be listening on the radio as I will be on my way to Bristol, hope to see you in the pits while I'm there!! Oh time to go cast my daily ballot for you to be Most Popular!!!
    Rock on 88 Rock on!!!

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  17. 17
    Hateda88 said:
    Aug 19, 2009 at 12:40 AM

    SS396 Chevelle, I love the way you go searching around for stuff I say and then report it back to Gwen. LOL!!!

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