Hard truth: Junior out of his class

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has never won at Indianapolis and finished in the top 10 only twice in 10 tries.

[hardpiLL]

Finally, a journalist that speaks the truth. I would like to nominate the author, Ben White, for a Pulitzer Prize.
Jr Nation will probably put a bounty on his head.

[Jr_fan]

Funny everyone who is anyone knows who Jr is whether you love or hate him. Mr Ben Lee claims he's been a sports journalist since 1986, and he's still a nobody, truth hurts don't it... He's a backmarker in the sports jouranlism world, his only hope to get press is to ridicule Jr... He needs to learn a few things about class himself: Chris Economacky, Ed Hinton, Terry Blount, Marty Smith, Jeff Gluck, Lee Montgomery, etc are just some of the well known and respected sports journalists, Mr Ben Lee will never be one of them...

[X Jr Fan]

eveybody knows this. i kinda like the comical articles that come up on this forum. for instance, the article about how Jr always comes thru in the clutch. i think they need to write more articles like that so everybody can get a good laugh because that was hilarious

[hardpiLL]

My apologies, the authors name is Ben SMITH.

[overr88ted]

very good acticle

[Bob R]

If the future of NASCAR depends on Junior's success and Junior winning will fill the stands at the tracks, maybe someone can explain why the stands were so empty at Indianapolis just a few weeks after Junior won the famous (read that "bogus") Daytona race in the number 3 car.

Apparently NASCAR is just using Junior as a scape-goat. NASCAR can't accept the fact that there is a lack of interest in the sport, probably in large part due to the constant rule changing, bending and twisting. Rather than accept that their "chase" format has killed the sport NASCAR pins all their hopes on a mediocre driver and blames Junior's lack-luster performance for the slow death of the sport.

If all it's going to take is Junior winning to save NASCAR, than the stands on Sunday should have been full to capacity. After all, Junior just won in Daytona, in the number 3 car, on the 4th of July weekend....RIGHT? Except that everybody watching that race could see it was a giveaway win, and it hardly got any attention because NASCAR realized immediately that the fix was obvious and it didn't have the desired effect. Instead of getting NASCAR some positive PR and bringing back the crowds, it resulted in a lot of negative chatter about how NASCAR was stooping to fixing the outcome of races, as has been suspected for quite some time, by fans who have noticed for years the inconsistency in NASCAR's rule enforcement, penalties and judgment calls that so often seem to be twisted to benefit certain drivers and even had other, well respected, drivers talking in the garage over the years. The crowds will be thin and the ratings will be in the toilet until NASCAR stops playing with the rules and focusing on one driver like he is the only one on the track. Let them all race, apply the same rules equally to all, and let the fans enjoy a real race rather than an attempted fix to give an edge to one mediocre driver.

[menards]

Indy capacity is somewhere around 250k people. No matter what NA$CAR does they will NEVER fill indy to capacity. Even is 125k people showed up, the stands would only be half full. and a 125k draw is good for NA$CAR.

Bob R wrote:

maybe someone can explain why the stands were so empty at Indianapolis

[3TOES]

At least Indy wasn't a total bore with jr comments splattered through out the race. This was the first race all season that I was able to sit and watch without getting disgusted for one reason or another. Nationwide needs to get it together on their commercials, running jr adds over and over time and time again is really annoying...thank goodness for the DVR. A tip of the hat to Teresa and Chip, job well done!!!

[Bob R]

menards wrote:

Indy capacity is somewhere around 250k people. No matter what NA$CAR does they will NEVER fill indy to capacity. Even is 125k people showed up, the stands would only be half full. and a 125k draw is good for NA$CAR.
<quoted text>

Good try, but the stands are not being filled at any of the tracks and the TV ratings are down as well, so the excuse that people can't afford to go to the track doesn't fly. Nobody cares to watch a race that is, or even appears to be, fixed and tainted to favor one driver and unfortunately NASCAR has earned that reputation by their constant pushing of Junior and giving him so much unearned prestige in the sport. He is an Earnhardt, but he is not the Earnhardt that is the legend...so ultimately, he is nobody special until he honestly earns that recognition on his own accord with his own talent and success on the track. Constantly pushing Junior when he's nothing but a mediocre driver loaded up with empty hype, while practically ignoring the real talented drivers who honestly deserve the spotlight is what is killing NASCAR.

[menards]

A couple of things...

Bob R wrote:

<quoted text> so the excuse that people can't afford to go to the track doesn't fly

Actually this one flies pretty well. Ticket prices are a main factor why people stopped going to the races. In this economy, people would rather not spend the $100 per ticket to attend a race.

Bob R wrote:

<quoted text>he(dale jr) is nobody special until he honestly earns that recognition on his own accord with his own talent and success on the track.

dale jr is in the twilight of his cup career. His time to prove himself has come and gone. realistically he wont be driving much past the age of 40. Gives him another 4-5 years at best.

Bob R wrote:

<quoted text> Constantly pushing Junior when he's nothing but a mediocre driver loaded up with empty hype, while practically ignoring the real talented drivers who honestly deserve the spotlight is what is killing NASCAR.

You sound like a three year old who wants his bottle. Jr gets underserved attention. So? How many boss's sons and friends of friends are getting promotions, raises, and all the "undeserved attention" at nearly every company across the country? Its a fact of life. There was once a time when kyle petty was expected to win more titles than richard. As was Michael Andretti etc etc. It's just the nature of the sport. Soon sponsors will stop sponsoring cars that dont win, and dale jr will fade out of the soptlight.

[FACT]

Bob R wrote:

<quoted text>
Nobody cares to watch a race that is, or even appears to be, fixed and tainted to favor one driver and unfortunately NASCAR has earned that reputation by their constant pushing of Junior and giving him so much unearned prestige in the sport..

Could not agree more. They have in the past done lots to help one driver or another(mostly Jr) but I really think they are moving past that (outside of the 4th in the #3). They will only try to fix one more race for him and thats the next 500 in feb. You know the 10th ani of Sr death. Book that one in Vegas early. But the reason I think they are moving past Jr is because he is not always on TV when he is running 25th and not always interviewed after yet another crappy run. For years it was show Jr no matter what and that came right from NA$CAR. Now nobody cares how he drives even people here. What are 2 of the most posted in topics on this forum about? Who is Jr dating. Face it most of his fans are women who think he is so hawt and dont even watch the races. Wait until Jr gets married and crushes all the womens dreams here and watch this forum die. Then and only then can this forum and NASCAR get back to what counts. Racing.

[Trinity]

To think that Jr's fan base mostly consist of love struck female fans is not the truth, you're delusional. If you decide to research NASCAR's fans, you will find that most are woman who simply enjoy the sport as much as a men do.

[asdfghjkjhgf]

Your statements would be more valid if you would use proper grammar. Typical JR fans. Ignorant.
Also the future of NASCAR does NOT depend on Jr. They were there way before him and will be there way after. The NASCAR world does not revolve around Mr.Might and Mighty. He is over credited and does not even preform.-____-
Haters' gonna' hate.

[Trinity]

Proper grammar? i spelled one word wrong, women, meaning plural. I made my point perfectly clear.

[Trinity]

The NASCAR world, just like any business revolves around the Almighty Dollar, the rest i think you can figure out.

[redrum]

Trinity wrote:

To think that Jr's fan base mostly consist of love struck female fans is not the truth, you're delusional. If you decide to research NASCAR's fans, you will find that most are woman who simply enjoy the sport as much as a men do.

who simply enjoy the sport as much as (a man does.) OK,

[WWE CRASHCAR 2010]

Bob R wrote:
<quoted text> Constantly pushing Junior when he's nothing but a mediocre driver loaded up with empty hype, while practically ignoring the real talented drivers who honestly deserve the spotlight is what is killing NASCAR.

NASCAR has earned the WWE prefix!

[agent steve]

Tube steak for all. come and choke on it.

[FACT]

Trinity wrote:

To think that Jr's fan base mostly consist of love struck female fans is not the truth

Im big 'nuff to say when Im wrong Trinity and this is one of those times. Sorry about the the way I lumped all Jr fans in one group. Let me be more clear. 95% of Jr fans are love struck females hanging out at or wanting to hang out at Whisky River hoping to catch his hawtness eye. 4% are "males" hanging out at Whisky River wanting to catch his royal hairy face's eye. The last 1% are a mix of SR fans and true race fans who want to see him do something besides a 20something place finish. Lets just all hope that his sexy highness gets married soon so we true fans can talk about racing on this forum and not who he is dating.

[Tyrone Powers]

We must have diversity in this redneck sport!!! And now ladys and gentlemen we present The Coon 500!! In the all black car sponsored by Afro Cream....Jesse jackson!!!