Need for Speed
A NASCAR BLOG BY Jared Turner
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Junior still chasing elusive points victory
Apr
2
Dale Earnhardt Jr. must feel like the kid on the schoolyard playground who never lacks ample dodgeball or duck-duck-goose prowess but can never quite get over the hump.
After six races this season, NASCAR’s most popular driver has five top-10 finishes with his new Hendrick Motorsports team. That’s more than any other driver in the series. Three of those finishes have been in the top five. He’s a solid fourth in the series points standings.
Yet Junior, suddenly the series’ new model of consistency, still hasn’t gone to the winner’s circle – a place he hasn’t been in 68 points races. Sure, he won the Budweiser Shootout and a Gatorade Duel exhibition race at Daytona in February. But the dearth of a points victory is a glaring absence on what is quickly becoming an impressive 2008 resume for the driver of the No. 88.
It seems that Junior is doing all the right things to put himself in position to win. He’s leading laps – last Sunday at Martinsville Speedway he led the most – and avoiding wrecks and exhibiting patience on the track. And his Hendrick Motorsports team is providing the best equipment he’s ever had.
But whether it be because of bad pit strategy, poor track position or just not being fast enough at the end of races, Earnhardt Jr. has yet to do what his bulging fan base yearns to see their driver do the most: Win.
After six races this season, NASCAR’s most popular driver has five top-10 finishes with his new Hendrick Motorsports team. That’s more than any other driver in the series. Three of those finishes have been in the top five. He’s a solid fourth in the series points standings.
Yet Junior, suddenly the series’ new model of consistency, still hasn’t gone to the winner’s circle – a place he hasn’t been in 68 points races. Sure, he won the Budweiser Shootout and a Gatorade Duel exhibition race at Daytona in February. But the dearth of a points victory is a glaring absence on what is quickly becoming an impressive 2008 resume for the driver of the No. 88.
It seems that Junior is doing all the right things to put himself in position to win. He’s leading laps – last Sunday at Martinsville Speedway he led the most – and avoiding wrecks and exhibiting patience on the track. And his Hendrick Motorsports team is providing the best equipment he’s ever had.
But whether it be because of bad pit strategy, poor track position or just not being fast enough at the end of races, Earnhardt Jr. has yet to do what his bulging fan base yearns to see their driver do the most: Win.
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Comments
2 responses to "Junior still chasing elusive points victory"
Judy Turner said:
Apr 4, 2008 at 7:53 AMGreat analysis and just good reading! Always fresh! Thanks
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» Confirm Abuse ReportAnonymous said:
Apr 15, 2008 at 6:45 PMGood reading??? Writing about Jr. is like writing about Kyle Petty .. It just isn't going to happen!
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This feature is intended to allow you to report comments that are abusive in terms of foul/vulgar language, harassment, racial/religious prejudice and any words/phrases of a related nature. This feature should not be used to report users who simply make a comment about your favorite driver, with which you do not agree. Commenting is a forum in which we can all express our opinions. Reporting abuse of others should be done with this in mind.
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