We may be a good 70 days from the green flag for Daytona, but it’s never too early to ponder what next season may hold in store. Other than sneaking off for a week or two, you know your favorite driver is plotting, planning and dissecting his team in preparation for a championship.
I’m not much of one for watching awards shows. The political rants that accompany the Oscars make me want to chuck my TV a la Robby Gordon. The greatest drama we get for the Grammys is betting on which besotted minstrel will be the first to drop an “F” bomb before an international audience. As for NASCAR’s awards banquet, it’s pretty ho-hum to me. The drivers are better suited for a firesuit than an Armani suit, the entertainment is average and the guest speakers are quick to reveal their ignorance of the sport. Dale Sr.? “The Terminator?” Oh Costner, I’m a fan, but you lost major cool points by screwing that one up.
Out of all that New York hokum came something that I believe bodes well for Dale Jr. fans. His remarks as he accepted the “Most Popular Driver” award reveal that Lil “E” may want to be a little more than NASCAR’s resident rock star in the upcoming season. Dale Earnhardt Jr. spoke of a maturation process taking place in his first year in the Hendrick garage and accountability to his boss, Rick Hendrick. He also talked about the ups and downs of the 2008 season, and a concerted effort to drive a more complete race. In a recent race, Earnhardt lamented he’d be all for 250 lap races because that’s all his cars were good for.
It appears Junebug is ready to address the missing ingredient from his championship recipe. You know he has the driving talent- you don’t amass 18 career victories without it. It’s not a lack of driving smarts- Earnhardt grew up in the garage, and interviews reveal he’s a student of the track. Equipment? The 34-year-old has the best in the business toiling for Hendrick Motorsports.
So…..what has Junior been missing?
Junior’s dad saw it a long time ago. “The Intimidator” was asked once about his son’s dreams and Dale Sr. said, “He ought to have dreams. He sleeps enough.” I’m going to risk getting my head shot off by the more zealous residents of Junior Nation- but it bears noting that step-mom Teresa saw it too, You’ll recall she said that Junior needed to make the choice between being a NASCAR champion and being a rock star. Heck, even Dale Jr. himself will admit to being a bit of a man-child. His propensity for goofing off got him a one-way ticket to military school and Earnhardt also admits to having to change his work habits upon his arrival at Hendrick.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not hacking on the guy. We’ve all got our flaws, and Junior at times seems to have a little “NASCAR A.D.D.” It’s understandable- the trappings of success- the money and the attention- are to be enjoyed.
But Dale wants more. And that’s a good thing for him…AND his legions of fans.
The great news for Earnhardt is there’s a nice blue print sitting nearby in the garage of Jimmie Johnson. The work ethic of crew chief Chad Knaus is the stuff of legend. Knaus may come off as a “NASCAR Nerd” but look what that single-mindedness has brought him! You might be saying “Well, shouldn’t you be ragging on Tony Eury Jr.? He’s the crew chief.” Yes, but as the driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the QB of his race team and HE sets the tone. Knaus wouldn’t get very far and wouldn’t pair with Jimmie for very long if they weren’t simpatico.
What separates the “good” from the “great” in sports is called many things. “The Heart Of A Champion,” The Eye Of The Tiger,” it’s that single-minded determination, that focus, that acting out in the moment what you’ve already rehearsed in your mind a thousand times that makes all the difference if the talent is already there.
I think Junior has it in him. Lord knows he’s got the support if a Cup title is really what he wants. I’ll go as far as to say that if Tony Jr. can’t get the job done for his cousin, Mr. Hendrick will find him someone who can.
NASCAR could use a great year from it’s favorite son in 2009. It’d be a heckuva story at a time when America needs as many “feel good stories” as the world of sports can deliver.
If you weren’t already…watch this guy in 2009.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I was a fan of Dale Sr. and I have held out hope for Jr.to be a threat to win a championship but something is missing in his fabric.The missing element could be “the eye of the tiger” or it could be something else.I am now of the belief that Jr. will not win a championship in 2009 and he will not win a championship in 2010 or 2011.It is not for lack of resources which are available at Hendrick Motor Sports.Jr. is the “prince-of-popularity and the king-of-T-Shirt sales”and he is content to wear this mantel.It is just too darn hard to work to win a championship in the current enviroment.As Jr.states,all races should be reduced to two hours.After that period of time Jr. has difficulty staying focused.
I’m surprised Costner didn’t call the King “Richard Pretty”. A huge fan of NASCAR for years!!??? Right Kevin! What an IDIOT! I threw something at the TV when he came out with that stupid Terminator!
Have to agree with Mr. Lyons. The nation makes every excuse for Jr. but I have come to the conclusion that the blame falls on Dad. He’s not here to kick Jrs. butt and put the fear in him if he screws up. Jr. got into the sport to get his dads attention and approval. That’s the fire that helped him win two Busch championships. That fire is gone and it’s not Jrs. fault, Teresa’s fault, Tony Jrs fault or the nations fault. It’s just a fact of life and death. I think Teresa tried to be the task master with Jr. but he wasn’t going to take it from anyone but his dad. I agreed that Teresa and he needed a time out from each other, but he lost me when he went to Hendricks. He may have thought that he needed the warm fuzzy, give me a hug, big guy, kind of owner, but that’s not working either. Jr. is a nice guy with a huge following and one of the top 12 drivers in the sport but there’s not going to be another Cup championship with an Earnhardt name on it.