Rick Hendrick says improving Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s team a top priority at Hendrick Motorsports
By Rea White - Associate Editor
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Hendrick Motorsports' Dale Earnhardt Jr. (left) and team owner Rick Hendrick share a laugh at Bristol Motor Speedway in March.
Jeff Robinson
NASCAR Scene
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After collecting the top-three spots in the final Sprint Cup standings, Hendrick Motorsports team owner Rick Hendrick had plenty to be happy about, but he already appears focused on improving the fortunes of the fourth driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr.
“I think my priority right now is the [No.] 88 team [of Earnhardt Jr.],” Hendrick told a national media conference this week. “We're working on them to try to make that team stronger. The goal going into next year now will be win races and get all four teams in the Chase [For The Sprint Cup].”
The decision to focus on improving the Earnhardt Jr. team appears logical after the magical season the rest of the organization enjoyed this year.
Jimmie Johnson won his fourth consecutive Cup title and handed Hendrick Motorsports its ninth owners title, tying Petty Enterprises for the most ever in the series. Mark Martin, in his debut season with the organization, finished second overall, and Jeff Gordon, a four-time champion himself, finished third in the standings.
Earnhardt Jr., however, enjoyed no such success, suffering a series of setbacks. A midyear crew chief change from Tony Eury Jr. to Lance McGrew failed to turn things around, and Earnhardt Jr. finished 25th in the standings, the lowest spot of his career. He earned only five top-10 finishes, two of them top-fives, this season.
With all of his drivers and crew chiefs sticking around for next year, Hendrick wants to see vast improvement for the Earnhardt Jr. group in 2010 and expects the rest of his teams will have to work hard as well to keep up with increased competition.
"I feel real good about the fact that we're rolling into the year with virtually no changes,” Hendrick said. “You know, seeing the competition get stronger, so much stronger, like the [Richard] Childress [Racing] cars and the [Joe] Gibbs [Racing] cars are there all year anyway, and the Penske [Racing] cars, it's going to be a dog fight. You know, we know we're going to have to be on our toes and work hard here now in the offseason."
Hendrick says that seeing a team go through a slump is nothing unusual. He watched Gordon endure a winless streak. and even Johnson has had stretches where he performed below his usual level of success.
That doesn't make the struggles any easier to take or the organization any less intense on improving them for the future.
"You just go through these," Hendrick said. "We know we can make the team better, and it's frustrating, and it's, you know, the driver begins to think that no matter what he does, that something's going to happen, because we just had – we've had failures. We've had wrecks. We've just had a – if it could happen, it happened to that team.
"It's been really frustrating because about the start of the Chase, the team was running better. It was probably the best car in Loudon, and it got swept up in a wreck. And we've had all the motors and all the transmissions and gears done in the same place. We had transmission failure, and we had a motor failure. The other guys didn't experience that [in] the Chase."
Hendrick says that the problem is that even when Earnhardt Jr. is running well, things seem to go poorly for him. And that is something the team is looking to remedy.
"So when he's running good, something happened," Hendrick said. "And we’ve just got to be better all the way around. I think when we do that, when Dale sees that we've stepped up in a lot of areas, it will give him the confidence he needs. So we're all over it, and we've been all over it.
"But it's really one of my focuses here, my priority – my primary focus here starting this week, starting Monday, really."
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98 responses to "Rick Hendrick says improving Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s team a top priority at Hendrick Motorsports". Post a Comment.
Hammer said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 3:26 PMI want to make it clear that I sincerly hope that Junior gets it straight next year. He has no excuses left.
If next year is like this past one, he needs to determine if he needs to take an early retirement from racing. In my opinion, he has no confidence or determination to be successful; the bottom line, is that I believe he is only racing because it is expected because of his last name. I hope he proves me wrong.
bonnielewis2 said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 3:52 PMWho are any of us to think we know when someone should retire????
All the best to Junior. We ALL go through those long dry spells in life at some time...if we are human.
Hope that Junior's time is over for now.
Carol-88-fan said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 3:54 PMI have all the confidence in the world in Dale Jr. If this was any other driver going through this no one would be saying anything. Ryan and Kurt both had a few lousy years, Kevin has this year, and Carl fell apart in the chase. Three of these guys have no wins this year. Should they retire? I certainly don't think so. The 88 was the best HMS car for most of 2008 and they will get it together.
Mtclimber said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 3:55 PMOk now what about a nice statement from the man in the crosshairs himself. It's JR himself that needs to step into the "Get My Act Together Spotlight" HE needs to be accountable for getting focused and not just relying on everyone else to make things better for HIM. He's got the best equipment. He must realize it's getting close to his last chance. HELLO JR!!! Show us how bad you want it. It's like your fans want you to succeed more than you want it yourself. Show us you can do what everyone believes you can do...... win.
BILLFAN50 said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 4:01 PMSales of ball caps and T shirts must be down....
Robby said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 4:08 PMThey need to test 24/7 this off season to what ever tracks are permitted by Nascar rules. If they don't they won't ever gel as a team, understand the car or be prepared to attack the compititon in 2010. When Jimmie was sucking in early 08 thats what they did, a string of non stop tests. If Jr and the whole team are committed to improving from the worst season in Jr's career then they better get started now!! It's a team sport no one person can make it work. Doing nothing and expecting things to get better on it's own never worwon't work. That goes for Jr, Lance and Mr Hendrick...
calmcbr said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 4:20 PMI believe Mr. Hendrick! I have an acquaintance who is an employee with NASCAR. The general gossip re:HMS around NASCAR employees say Rick Hendricks personal goal is to convincingly illustrate his equipment as being the difference whether a team is successfull or not. Junior has not polished that idea with his performance. HMS will intend to show all other teams, otherwise. Stewart-Hass Racing has made a case for the equipment factor. Rick's other team?
dslund said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 4:26 PMWell all I can say is its about time that they concentrate on Jr. and his team ..I know Jr. can and will win again and he will show all these naysayers what he can do ..next year they will all be eating there words ..So kudos to Rick for finally stepping up to the plate and get that team everything they need to get going again ..Can't wait for Daytona but hope they all enjoy the off season ..
rmdgolfr said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 4:27 PMThis is east, Mr Hendrick. Step 1. FIRE JR
Kadach said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 4:42 PMIt appears Rick Hendrick is getting impatient with the 88 team. Theresa Earnhardt may have said it best about JR when she said , “Right now the ball’s in his court to decide on whether he wants to be a NASCAR driver or whether he wants to be a public personality,”. Based on his apparent lack of driving talent maybe he should start his own team, I expect he has the financial wherewithall to do so.
nathan56 said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 5:10 PMDale Earnhardt, Jr. is a fine kid, has handled his fame and fortune very well. I am not one of his fans, but, the thing that would have cured most of his problems would have been Hendrick giving him Darian Grubb instead of to Tony Stewart. And they say that Stewart is not a Hendrick team. DUH! Grubb proved himself when Chad was suspended last year.
THEBIGKESELOWSKI said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 5:23 PMWith tv ratings down for the races, the sport could sure use a shot in the arm. If junebug could win his share of races for Hendrick next year or heaven forbid the Cup, then we would see ratings and the sport's popularity soar!
andee said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 5:25 PMI wonder if Rick is really sure he wants all of his teams in the chase.Ask Jack what the largest mistake he has ever made in racing was, and he will tell you,having all five cars in the top ten.May be a little more time on racing and not so much on selling insurance might help.
Robby said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 5:35 PMActually #11 he had Grubb on his team most of 2008, its only when Hendrick gave him to Stewart late in the season did we see Jr backslide and continue the descent in 2009. At the same time we see Tony have his best run in his career except not winning the championship. Grubb is a asset to who ever he works with. Shame Mr Hendrick took him away from Jr in the first place which makes me wonder if he really cares about Jr's success. I believe if Grubb was still there Jr may have been a cup contender this year and Eury Jr would still be his crew chief...
lindiloo said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 5:36 PMA lot has been said here, and Mother Theresa said all of that cause Jr. was taking the dollars with him. He is about the only thing that kept the dollars coming in. Look where she is now. Jr. will make it and then there will be a lot of crow to go around. Happy eating.....
dorarhodes said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 5:36 PMI will not believe anything Hendrick says until he proves it. He has no idea what is going on, he is telling me that he approved the call for Jr. not to race mm but to help him win etc. Hang in there Jr. only three years to go, those of us that care will be with you.
ronzeus said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 5:42 PMi think the trouble with dale jr. this was all rick hendricks fault.
he was putting all attention to jimmy and mark and jr. and jeff were put on the back burner with no help from the company.
arttidesco said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 6:00 PMAs Jr says in one of his many commercial appearances 'it's aboot who wants it the most !'
Mtclimber said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 6:02 PMAGAIN....When is the man HIMSELF going to speak. Thats the most important voice we need to hear from. Admit total 100% focus in the off season getting ready for 2010 and beyond. HE needs to be accountable. Come on nation call him out.......make him speak HIS MIND, we all know your feelings.
blk97lss said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 6:28 PMThis is so obvious. The problem with Jr. IS Jr. everything else has been changed out. The car, the owner, the equipment, the team, the crew-chief. If you had a car with one faulty component that won't start, would you change-out every other part in a futile effort to get it to run? Or would you just replace the faulty component? Everyone around Jr. can be focused, committed, and contributing 110%. If Jr's focus is not in the game, it doesn't matter what car or crew chief you give him. It's just not going to happen. The old man was a race car driver. Jr. is a pop culture icon destined for a career in product endorsement. Only Jr. himself can change that.
Mtclimber said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 6:43 PMwell said BLK, well said.
sweetthings88 said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 6:57 PMI agree #8. I think things will change. Dale Jr had a bad 2009 season. Hes got that monkey off his back now. So now watch out. Things are going to turn in Dale Jr. favor now.Its going to be a good 2010 for Dale Jr. and team #88.
faulltw said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 7:01 PMI am a fan of both Jr and Jeff, but you cant blame thier performance on lack of support from Hendrick. Lousy luck this year added to Jr's woes.
karnevil9 said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 7:13 PMI like Dale Jr. I think he's a good hearted person. I think he has carried the weight of the world on his shoulders being who his father was. However having said all this. I don't think he's focused on his racing. I don't think being the best is a top priority in his life. I think he has far to many outside interests to really be relevant in the sport ever again. I feel sorry for his fans. They really seem to love the guy.
caboose6 said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 7:16 PMI believe that Rick Hendrick's will do what he says and have Dale Jr. do better in 2010. He is the Most Popular Driver and that is a plus!
He has had really bad luck with his cars this year. He runs in the top ten and is wrecked by other drivers and has car problems. So he WILL DO Better next year. That is why the ratings are down this year because Dale Jr. didn't have a good season. Go #88 Jr. Nation is behind you 100%....
caboose6 said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 7:17 PMThe date should be Nov. 25th not October! Duh!!
dale-jr-is-the-greatest-driver-alive said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 7:23 PMlol if i stand correct the last time jr spoke his mind he was accused of whining lol so know you want him too speak his mind and you act as if he hasnt said so hello there was a article posted just a few days ago were he said he was focused on getting better
dale-jr-is-the-greatest-driver-alive said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 7:23 PMlol if i stand correct the last time jr spoke his mind he was accused of whining lol so know you want him too speak his mind and you act as if he hasnt said so hello there was a article posted just a few days ago were he said he was focused on getting better
dorarhodes said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 7:24 PM#24, all Jr's outside interests are handled by people he trusts. He has always been focused on his driving, that is what he enjoys doing most. You don't need to feel sorry for us, we know him better than you do.
dale-jr-is-the-greatest-driver-alive said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 7:33 PMsry for the double post guys but yea i believe we dont have no insight into how focused or unfocused junior is so im not gonna speak about that cause all we have too go off of is his races and those those dont look good(his finishes). but theres a catch we have seen improvement but things have happened too derail them like at miami they came from 38 and were running 8th by lap 50 then junior brushed the wall and nocked the tow out then he ran over debris which put him 2 laps down he luckily got back and finished 28th. you see how a good day turns bad for them its things like that, which has plagued the team all season
Werner said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 7:55 PMit wasn't a priority this year?....
dorarhodes said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 7:57 PM#30, he finished 28th several laps down and dropped another position in the points, which did not make him a happy camper. Where have you seen improvement?
nathan56 said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 8:04 PMLet's suppose Jr. with Darian Grubb as a crew chief-suppose his car doesn't have to run high to go fast-suppose the camber is right and doesn't cause the tires to wear out-suppose the springs and swaybar are correct-suppose the car is just barely legal-suppose he takes four tires instead of two-suppose he sandbags a little, instead of wearing out the car-This is silly, but who knows, could happen.
SS396Chevelle said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 8:09 PMWhat matters is the 88 is a priority next year. It started midway during the season with the CC change and it will only get better next year. Rick wants all 4 of cars in the chase next year and I know he will do his best to make sure it happens. Dale Jr is fine and a boost from his owner will only help him.
dorarhodes said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 9:01 PMJr. was 19th in points, the cc change was caused by supposed Jr. fans jumping on the bandwagon of a Jr hater. The previouse cc is the one that got him into the chase the year before. He still had time to get into the chase when the cc change happened.
buckshot88 said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 9:04 PMI dont think there is any question that junior can can drive a race car, i think the question is his mental state,when junior lost his dad he lost his rock and i dont think he has ever fully recovered from that loss. everything he's involved in fills the void left in his life maybe? is his heart truly in racing anymore? as a fan i will always support him but i dont expect as much from him as i once did,i think part of jr is gone forever, that part went away on a sunny day in Daytona 2001.
pjgreene105 said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 9:12 PMI'm a race fan and jr is great for the sport.
with jr winning its makes the sport more popular. I hate the chase,hell I miss the winston cup.I wish all a great turkey day.
gwen_susie388 said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 9:14 PMMr. Hendrick...stop worrying about getting all four drivers in the chase. The first thing Dale, Jr needs are some wins. I know Dale's confidence has went down some but not to the point of no return! With Rick, his team, CC, and fans behind him Dale will come back full force with confidence, determination, and his focus will be strong in 2010 to be able to be consistent and competitive. Sometimes it takes other people to help build your confidence! Dale knows he was in a slump this year and he will leave that slump right where it belongs and that is in the 2009 season. Don't look back, look forward! I heard Mark Martin say on his radio at Homestead that he needed some positive feedback because he wasn't happy with the way things were going. As well as Mark has done this year, he also has to have someone to help keep his confidence level up! Dale Jr is no different. I disagree with those who say that racing is not his top priority. Don't let frustration confuse you with thinking he didn't care if he won or not. He drove his heart out this year. He kept trying to get better every week. Like Mr. Hendrick said....what could happen did happen. We all heard KB say in the Nationwide race at Homestead when he was running third, that he hated that place. So you see, a lot of drivers do get frustrated and disappointed. Just knowing that Ricks top priority is to make sure Dale and his team improve in 2010 will give him the faith and confidence he needs in himself to be the driver we all know he has been and will be again!! Here's to a Great 2010 season!
gwen_susie388 said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 9:18 PM#3 Nathan....You just described the way Jimmie Johnson drives during the chase. lol Was that your point?
gwen_susie388 said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 9:23 PMThat should have been #33 Nathan...:-)
Carol-88-fan said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 9:40 PMAs usual Gwen you said it all. Dale Jr has not given up and he is not going to. Everyone gets frustrated once in a while. With Rick and Lance and the fans behind him he'll get it done. Before I sign off, I want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving.
SS396Chevelle said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 10:12 PMGwen, I don't see anything wrong with Rick wanting all 4 cars in the chase. He is the owner and he picked Jr and Mark because he knows with them he can get all 4 cars in the chase. Happy Thanksgiving to everyone.
sweetthings88 said:
Nov 25, 2009 at 10:58 PMI WANT TO WISH DALE JR. AND HIS FAMILY HAPPY THANKSGIVING AND MANY MORE TO COME.
dale-jr-is-the-greatest-driver-alive said:
Nov 26, 2009 at 12:04 AMnope junior was on the lead lap and finished 28th he restarted on the last restart 32 ran all the way upp too 20th then the car went away again and finished 28th on the lead lap i know this cause i was following his car on nascar pitcommand and radio get the facts straight
dale-jr-is-the-greatest-driver-alive said:
Nov 26, 2009 at 12:10 AMok lets see he ran good at michigan then at atlanta then at bristol then at hew hampshire and kansas and even miami and at texas and others but something always happens and it did he was running up in the top 10 all day but like all this season something happened well #32 you saw his finishes but i saw his runs weve seen improvment now we just need too get the finishes
JrNation_Idiots said:
Nov 26, 2009 at 2:27 AMYou know why bad luck always happens to Jr at the end of races? It's not bad luck, it's Jr. The car comes off the truck fast, and is fast during practice. Jr just doesn't know how to communicate what's wrong with the car. The car gets worse as the race goes on. The more adjustments they make, the worse is gets. Hence the reason for the fall off near the end of races
dale-jr-is-the-greatest-driver-alive said:
Nov 26, 2009 at 2:30 AMr hators always blame jr so lol i dont get how your unbiased with your assessment #46
galvan18244 said:
Nov 26, 2009 at 3:33 AMThe best way to fix the 88 team is to fire the driver!! hes worse than most drivers without rides, its not fair!! hendrick will finally come to his smarts and fire JR and hire a new driver, all of which who will do better than jr!
FACE IT HES NOT A GOOD DRIVER!! JR NATION IS..... A WASTE OF LIFE!
xbrownsx said:
Nov 26, 2009 at 4:08 AMThe FACT of this matter is Dale Jr. is an average driver at best. Nothing wrong with that, it's simply who he is. It's like trying to say Michael Waltrip is his brother's Darryl's equal. Not even close. So Dale JR. will never be anywhere near Dale SR. in wins / Championships.
Now, it Dale Jr. in the best race equipment in Cup, his driving talent is a glaring, neon weakness.
If he was any other driver, Mr. Hendrick would already have fired him by now.
Jr. is a nice guy, but a top tier NASCAR driver he is not.
porkexpress2127 said:
Nov 26, 2009 at 8:16 AMto galvan18244, people as yourself really do not hold much as to what you may or may not say
the best drivers in racing has had bad years,
jr. stands out so more people bash him than oth
ers, if you just do not like him,no one cares,
words are cheap anyone can say them,it is who
says them that makes those words strong or weak,your words are of the ignorant person,so
not much to go on.lol have a great day.
trtruckin said:
Nov 26, 2009 at 10:03 AMLets see if I can say this without it sounding like I'm bashing JR. I agree that all drivers can go through a slump, and I do believe a change in "Team" attitude will help but Jr. needs to make the most changes. He's the driver, the main key of the team. He's the one setting in the seat and he needs to be able to relate to the CC what the car needs. I think one thing that would help Jr. is to get that car out of the top grove. Learn and get comfortable running lower on the track. Yes he runs fast up top BUT he takes himself out of a lot of races running up there. He's rubbed or hit the wall more times this year than anyone else. He's more responsible for doing costly damage to the car than the mechanical failures. Jimmy, Mark, and Jeff all try to run the bottom and going high for them is mid track. This COT car is so loose that Jr. leaves himself no room for errors when running inches off the wall. He has good equiptment, so people need to quit blaming the car. Jr's problems are either himself or the CC. They might have to search for a better combination again before he gives his nation what they seek.
dale-jr-is-the-greatest-driver-alive said:
Nov 26, 2009 at 10:30 AMif the car is good equipment and the driver is a proven racer even tho some say hes average at best(he is top 10 in all statistics of active drivers except championships)then what can it be is the crew cheif not setting it up right is the crew not diciplined in how much or less adjustment too use is the driver not focusing harder on the race it self too run it perfectly i think it was all those this year and regardless of junior hators this is a team sport all are responsible including dale jr and he has said that aswell
dale-jr-is-the-greatest-driver-alive said:
Nov 26, 2009 at 10:37 AMi also believe it is naive and ignorent too ignore the stats of atleast a really good driver (junior) who has proven himself in a race car and for those who say junior cant run the cot uhh did you check out last year when the cot was hardest too drive cause it was new didnt you see him run and get top 5s till 3/4 of the season was over. face the facts the man can drive and drive a cot he proved that at most the tracks this year he was just bit with bad luck. too say junior is worse then "those who dont even have rides" and is "a waste of life" is like saying that greg biffle,mat kenseth,jef burton,carl edwards,denny hamlin, and them are just as bad.
CrazyClyde said:
Nov 26, 2009 at 11:49 AMAfter losing his dad and hitting the wall hard enough to knock himself out(but won't admit it) i think he has a fear of the wall and thats why he stays near it. His driving line is probably any CC's nightmare to setup and adjust.
Robby said:
Nov 26, 2009 at 12:09 PMYeah I forgot about that #54 he did it twice actually, Fontana in what was it 02 and then again at Dover in 05-06?
sibbi173 said:
Nov 26, 2009 at 3:42 PMWell said, GwenSusie, well said!! NOW I'm looking forward to next season.....especially if Mr.Hendrick means what he said.....go Jr.
daviclar38 said:
Nov 26, 2009 at 3:58 PMAny one can have a slump. There's approximately 25-30 drivers who didn't win a race this year, or last, or the year before. It takes resources, talent, and most important....Chemistry!
CARLSBUD said:
Nov 27, 2009 at 10:55 AMSWAP CREW CHEIFS WITH J.J. THAT WOULD ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS.
Robby said:
Nov 27, 2009 at 11:14 AMIt sure would, I'm all for it, if Chad couldn't turn Jr around in the COT then no one can. Thing is Hendrick would ruin the 48 teams success and Jimmie fans would be whining about it because they know Jimmie would be nothing without Chad's midas touch.
Carol-88-fan said:
Nov 27, 2009 at 12:29 PMI would love to see Chad with Jr, however, that would not be fair to Jimmie and I wouldn't blame his fans for being upset. You can't screw up one team to help another. I honestly believe that Dale Jr and Lance will work out the problems and be successful.I will always be a Dale Jr fan.
jwm1955 said:
Nov 27, 2009 at 4:13 PMJr. will decide when he needs to retire
I am so tired of people putting Jr. down.
Look at when his dad went thru a dry season,1998 when Sr. won Daytona he had wins up till he died.
Mr.H will help him get to the top again.
gthom56978 said:
Nov 27, 2009 at 5:05 PMAs a JRNATION FAN (LOYAL) With the race season behind us. DaleJr. will look forward for next year. Lets go #88.
SS396Chevelle said:
Nov 27, 2009 at 8:46 PMWe all forgetting Addington is out there.
LUV88AND99 said:
Nov 27, 2009 at 11:12 PMTRTRUCKIN-I appreciate your constructive criticizm and have respect for your point of view. Jr had glimses of greatness since the addition of Lance and bad luck seemed to prevail. I truely believe that if he ever has one, just one good week, he will be on a roll!
sstarbraintree said:
Nov 28, 2009 at 12:13 PMi sure hope that junior has a great 2010. if he doe not we will have to hear all of the pathetic Jr. nation retoric for another season. my award for the best junior excuse was " they gave all of his cars to Mark Martin". and before all of you bible thumpers accuse me of being "a hater" it is just my opinion
Robby said:
Nov 28, 2009 at 1:07 PMNot all Jr Nation is like that, stop stereotying us. I feel there was a number of reasons he did so poorly. 1: was losing Darian Grubb late in 2008. 2: No testing for 2009. 3: Jr not spending enough time in the shop during the offseason. 4: Pressure to perform with HMS top notch equiptment. 5: Having the last name Earnhardt. 6: Tony Eury Jr business and relation rarely work well together and the crew chief change. 7: Jr making stupid rookie mistakes. 8: His team making stupid mistakes. 9: His crew chief(s) making bad calls. 10: Mechanical failures. 11: Lack of new cars and imcompitent use of money and resources (mainly targeted at Eury Jr).
dorarhodes said:
Nov 28, 2009 at 3:21 PM#66-I Disagree with your #6 reason. Family can work together, my family has only been in business for 97 years, I am sorry if your family doesn't get along, mine does and so does Jr's. As for reason #7 all the drivers make rookie mistakes, not just Jr. Tony Jr. and Jr. working together got him in the chase in 2008. And how do you know how much time he spends in the shop?
Robby said:
Nov 28, 2009 at 4:36 PMI should rephrase #6 Family and bussiness can be rough, Jr and Eury Jr faught so much over the radio, they say it never affected them but if you can read between the lines it is obvious, it was the same thing with Pop's. Why do you think he doesnt want to be a cup crew cheif again. Ask Kyle Petty why he left to drive for other teams in the 80's and most of the 90's, he couldnt get along with Richard, and he still doesn't have the best relationship today. My family's business does quite well, we get along fine but I know from experience it can be hell. I know he doesn't spend a lot of time in the shop for 2 reasons one he hinted at it in his book he wrote and at the end of last season he said 2009 he would be fine without testing and I quote " I'm confident Hendrick has the resources and equipment for me to come out of the gate strong at Daytona, that the no testing would be an advantage for him and his team mates. And well you know the rest is history.
dorarhodes said:
Nov 28, 2009 at 5:59 PM#68, they are like brothers, they have disagreements, but at the same time they got the job done. It was some very unpleasant new fans that ran Tony off. Pops has said that he doesn't want to come back to cup, it is dog eat dog. Why should he after the way the fans treated his son. Jr. would like to have Tony Jr. at JRMS, he has said so. It is not his job to be at the shop overseeing the cc and crew. I am glad that Jr. is being positive, but that cc knows nothing about track conditions and unless someone shares their notes with him(which I doubt) it will be awhile before there are results. Hendrick himself needs to be more hands on, but he is not known for it.
dorarhodes said:
Nov 28, 2009 at 6:14 PMOh, I forgot to mention that those unpleasant fans cheered when Tony was replaced. Nice folks!
gwen_susie388 said:
Nov 28, 2009 at 6:14 PMRobby...Spending time at the shop and testing are two different things. No one had any control over NASCAR'S ruling of NO TESTING. You failed to say where his quote ended. I'm sure he was confident that Hendrick would have the resources and equipment that was needed, especially since that is what Hendrick is known for. How about this....Rick Hendrick said Dale, Jr. showed up when he was suppose to, worked hard and didn't leave and come back throughout the day or week. He also said Dale,Jr. was fully committed as a race car driver and that he worked hard at improving himself. How about in this article at the bottom where Rick said that Dale, Jr. is his priority and his primary focus starting as soon as this Monday. Dale, Jr. will be there because he is Rick's TOP PRIORITY! There were no hinting or reading between the lines as it sounded like you were guessing at everything. And Pops has said many times he didn't want to come back to Cup because of the COT!
Robby said:
Nov 28, 2009 at 6:22 PMI totally agree they are still good buddies and glad he is making room for him over at JRM. I agree even more that Lance is not the best choice for Jr, Lance has alot of R&D knowledge but not much Cup crew chief experience, anyone listing to their in car scanner can tell you that and he may never gel with Jr, they had some good runs but just couldnt get the car right when Jr needed it the most. Addington would be the next choice but Hendrick made Lance Jrs full time crew shortly after Addington came on the market. Hendrick has also said at least 4 times that he is dedicating all his efforts to turn the 88 team around but little progress is been made, I think as long as the money rolls in he could care less, Johnson is #1 over there in his eyes.
roxanne said:
Nov 28, 2009 at 6:39 PMDALE JR IS ONE OF THE MOST TALANTED DRIVERS I KNOW HE JUST HAD A BAD YEAR THIS YEAR I BELEAVE HE WILL DO MUCH BETTER IN 2010 I BELEAVE HE WILL WIN ALOT OF RACES I FOLLOWED DALE SR AND I KNOW HES JUST LIKE HIS DAD WAS IF NOT BETTER HES JUST HAVEING A STRING OF BAD LUCK HE HAS NOT DONE GOOOD SENCE HE LEFT D.E.I WITH RICK HENDRICK I KNOW HE WILL BE THE #1 DRIVER FOR 2010 HE JUST NEEDS TIME
dorarhodes said:
Nov 28, 2009 at 7:14 PMI agree Robby, Hendrick has alot to prove. Let's see if he overrides his board of directors. If nothing else it is going to be interesting. I just want things to be better for Jr. I hate having him get in his car wondering whats going to go wrong today.
gwen_susie388 said:
Nov 28, 2009 at 7:16 PMI also want to add, that for this to work... It has to be Dale, Jr's Top Priority and Lance's as well! It's time for Jr. to pull himself up, regain full confidence, and believe in his self again! As far as Lance and Jr. gelling, what I have been hearing is that they are getting better at understanding each other and if that's not true, then they better work hard at gelling before 2010 starts. DORA... I never pretended to know what was best for Jr as far as a CC change and I never cheered when a decision was made. If I remember right, it was some Jr. fans and more of non-Jr fans that were saying he needed a new crew chief if he was ever going to win another race. You know Non-Jr. fans always know exactly what he needs and what is best for him. I will continue to support Dale, Jr. and I expect him to do his part as well! As the saying goes..."You can't keep a good man down."
dorarhodes said:
Nov 28, 2009 at 7:49 PMI never said it was long time fans, it was new fans, they started critizing both Jr. and Tony when they came on board. They joined the Jr. haters. Jr. knows his job and has always given his all. He'll drive the car. We just want it to be driveable for an entire race. We just want it to handle after the first pit stop. That is when the problems started when the new cc came on board.
dorarhodes said:
Nov 28, 2009 at 8:28 PMGwen, Jr. has not lost confidence in himself, I don't think. He needs to have confidence in his car. He can't have that if after the first pit stop something goes wrong. That is when things went wrong this season. It got to the point that when he was called into the pits I threw the f-bomb before he did. On one occasion his cc was apologizing and Jr. told him that he had come to expect it. Now that is sad. Jr. has always given his driving his all. He just wants to race, that is what he enjoys doing most. I just want him to have the opportunity to enjoy his work again. The unpleasant fan remark was not intended for you, those fans have already left Jr. saying that he can't drive. They went to one of his teammates and as far as I am concerned he can have them. It was not jj either.
gwen_susie388 said:
Nov 28, 2009 at 9:41 PMI had another comment and it may or may not show up. Yes, I know that remark wasn't for me. Jr. was going backwards every race and when they made the new CC change he started moving forward. The stats don't show that because of all the things out of his control that happened. He ran up front in the top five and ten just to have something happen which caused his poor results. You say the CC was apologizing and Jr. said he had come to expect it and you still don't think his confidence is down even a wee bit? I remember him saying that too. He has been trying to figure out what is wrong and he can't figure it out, so it leaves him frustrated. He is disappointed at the 2009 season and so are we the fans. That doesn't mean I don't believe in him because I do. He is strong and he will come back strong next year. His confidence will be back in full force as well. Winning his first race will be the best medicine! I know Jr. hasn't forgotten how to drive. He has shown us that by coming from the back to the front and staying there until something out of his control happens most of the time. As for the fans that left..Good bye, idios, see you later... Dale already said he didn't need fair weather fans. And he still has a huge fan base so they can stay gone for good! I hope you don't misunderstand what I am saying here. If I was going to leave as a fan, I would have already been gone and I'm not going anywhere!! Dale, Jr. is my #1 Driver and I have all the confidence and faith in him as a person could possible have! I also just want the best for Dale, Jr. too and for him to enjoy what he loves doing and that is RACING! Here's hoping that Dale, Jr. won't have any more problems with his cars in 2010 than JJ did with his cars in 2009! :-)
dorarhodes said:
Nov 28, 2009 at 10:22 PMjj has never had trouble with his cars. Jr. was 19th in the standings with plenty of time to get into the chase. Now he is 25th and has never been that low. Running well in the beginning of a race does not count. It is where you finish. If his confidence is down, it is in the car not in himself. That's what I meant. I posted twice also because I thought they were not going to let the first one go through. What is really frustrating to me is the fact that he is trying to figure out what is wrong. There is supposed to be an engineer there to figure out the problems, where was that person? We could go on forever, course we can't solve the problems, but it does feel good to vent.
psdf250 said:
Nov 29, 2009 at 11:02 AMHendrick is the best owner out there but I think he talks a good line when it comes to priorities. Look at this last year, JJ is going for his 4th title in a row, Rick brought in Mark and said he wanted to get him a championship, Jeff is getting close to retirement and still trying to get his 5th. Now look at 2010. JJ is going for his 5th in a row. Mark is still going for his first and Jeff still close to retirement, going for his 5th. Kind of redundant if you ask me. Where does that leave Jr? I'm hoping he comes out kicking butt whether Hendick keeps that priority promise or not. If Rick is sincere I hope his ego doesn't get in the way with his so called "priorities" going to the other three again. Other than that, GO JR!!!
dchessani said:
Nov 29, 2009 at 11:14 AMI, being a total Jimmie Johnson fan would love to see Junior do well. I don't know why he seems to have such bad luck!? It amazes me week after week to see him do so poorly.. If he is having a good day, something, always goes wrong! I feel bad for Junior having to listen day after day about how good all the Hendrick cars are doing, how they are all Chase contenders only to be totally ignored when talking bout the Hendrick cars.. I really thought that would s*ck having to hear all the time. I hope this year Mr. Hendrick will find Junior all he needs to be a contender. Junior has to do his part too, no more excuses, no more blaming others, it comes from the driver too, s*ck it up Junior and GET IT DONE! Something, or SOMEONE needs to Motivate him to focus on the prize, talk to Jimmie, he is the most focused driver there is. I think he needs to be more of a team player and ask for advice. He has three of the GREATEST DRIVERS AT at his fingertips...so ask for some help, I want to him to be a winner... I have always heard how great he is, now I would like to see it.. I MISS RACING ALREADY...
gwen_susie388 said:
Nov 29, 2009 at 11:15 AMLook at it from another prospective... Jr. getting his first from Hendrick would put a big feather in Rick's hat!
Carol-88-fan said:
Nov 29, 2009 at 12:36 PMI also think Dale Jr winning the championship would be a big feather in Ricks hat. Not only would he be helping the most popular driver get a championship, but he would be doing for Dale Srs son what DEI couldn't or wouldn't do.
mwallick said:
Nov 30, 2009 at 6:03 AM...last spring Nascar Now started reporting that Tony Jr. was Jr.'s cars from the 2007 DEI specs. RH said after the crew chiefs were switched that he was going to "fix" Jr.'s car.
Nascar Now reported that since the cars Jr. had at Dover the following weekend were still the old T.Jr. chassis and that HMS had sent a truck with 2 of the newer HMS chassis. The cars never made it to Dover. Instead they made a big deal out of the HMS 'brains' working on Jr.'s car...the OLD chassis car. Jr. has taken a beating by the media & on blogs, why hasn't RH manned up and said "no" Jr. is not in the same equipment as the other 3 cars, instead of leaving Jr. hanging off the edge of the cliff alone...? Brian Vickers did not run as well as he had hoped at HMS, and left. Smart man! I hope Jr. is soon out of HMS. Maybe Teresa is ready to sell 75% of DEI by now...? Somebody named Jeff from there said recently that they would welcome Jr. back with open arms. If not DEI...RCR...Gibbs, etc.
Marybeth
psdf250 said:
Nov 30, 2009 at 9:10 AMI was talking to one of our "neighbors" at the Pepsi 500 and mentioned that it would be cool if Theresa sold her interest to Jr and he would go back to DEI. The guy I was talking too said that she Had just sold a majority of her interest to Ganassi. Is that fact or did they just merge?
psdf250 said:
Nov 30, 2009 at 9:12 AM#65 I just read a ton of good comments. Who;s a bunch of "Bible Thumpers?"
juniegirl said:
Nov 30, 2009 at 11:58 AMGee, you think it's time to turn your attention to the 88 team? Ya think? Jr. might be getting tired of driving the HMS used parts car. All I can figure is that RH is still making a ton of money on Jr. whether he wins or not, so why sweat it? People can say whatever they want, Jr. is NOT that bad a driver. I don't think he can tolerate being humiliated much longer.
sstarbraintree said:
Nov 30, 2009 at 12:09 PMi was referring to people who reference anyone who has a different opinion of Junior other than him being the best driver in the world, that they are haters and god is watching and taking notes and blah blah blah. God is to busy to be concerned about my opinions of nascar drivers. most people that do not think junior is a better than average driver do not hate him they just have a different opinion than junior nation
sstarbraintree said:
Nov 30, 2009 at 12:11 PMhere is another thing that i cannot find an answer for. maybe a true blue junior fan can explain it to me. What does Rick Hendrick gain by giving junior used parts cars or any inferior equipment
juniegirl said:
Nov 30, 2009 at 2:04 PMWell I don't know sstarbraintree...why do his parts fail when drivers like Johnson never even have a hiccup with parts? I not being extremist, it is a logical question. Even if you are not a part of Jr. Nation, you have to admit that Jr. is not THAT bad.
gwen_susie388 said:
Nov 30, 2009 at 8:42 PMSSTARBRAINTREE... He gains a four time in a row Champion! Under his umbrella, something that has never been done was done. He still has Jr., as a lot of people like to put it, as being his Cash Cow. Rick will gain more when Jr. starts winning races, getting in the chase and if he wins the chase....looks who gets the credit for it. Yep, Rick Hendrick. The talk is NASCAR needs for Jr. to do good to help start selling more tickets and it would help TV ratings to go up as well due to his large fan base. Imagine Rick Hendrick being able to pull that off... to be able to get credit for getting Dale, Jr. back on track again. With all due respect, NASCAR is also saying they need Kyle Busch in the chase as well to help the sport to be interesting again and to get the fans a reason to go to races and tune in! Give Jr. cars like he gave Jimmie, and let's just see what he does with it. That's about all we can do is just wait and see if Mr. Hendrick sticks by his word.
juniegirl said:
Dec 1, 2009 at 8:24 AMThank you Gwen_Susie388.
Carol-88-fan said:
Dec 1, 2009 at 10:42 AMYou are right,Gwen. All we can do is wait and see. Hopefully Rick will keep his word. Dale Jr obviously believes in him and I will support Dale Jr in whatever he does.I can't see any reason for Rick not to want Dale Jr to win.As for going to another team,maybe RCR someday. Does DEI even exist anymore? I don't see him and Kyle being teammates at Gibbs.
JGR_P1 said:
Dec 1, 2009 at 12:11 PMThe quickest way to get the #88 team into chase contention is fire JR. Mark, Jimmie and Jeff all show you it is not the equipment. it is the driver. The only problem is HMS has no development drivers in the top division and the only Chase capable free agent went to MWR.
gwen_susie388 said:
Dec 1, 2009 at 4:49 PMJGR_P1...Thank you for your opinion. However it is one we have all heard over and over. Spoken like a true Gibbs fan! From a true Earnhardt, Jr. fan....We will just have to wait and see if Jr. gets fast dependable cars like Jimmie has had, what he will do with them! I can wait. Can you? :-)
psdf250 said:
Dec 1, 2009 at 5:46 PMDon't worry about those fools Gwen.They are more than entitled to their opinions but I think they have nothing better to do in life just to read articles about Jr.then give their "expert" and I use the term loosley opinions. Maybe the naysayers will also have better driving tips for Tiger Woods.
sandra-clark said:
Dec 2, 2009 at 12:18 PMPSDF250 and Gwen Sue - Good comments. As to all the negative posters on every Jr. article, your comments get old. Those of us that are Jr. fans are going to stay Jr. fans whether you folks like it or not.
Go Jr. in 2010.
LUV88AND99 said:
Dec 5, 2009 at 5:16 PMBy the way, still don't understand why Dale Jr. fans are "bible thumpers" and what that means. It sounds like an insult on its face, but I am a proud to be fanatic for God first and foremost and second to be a fanatic for Dale Junior!! And, I don't apologize for either!