If there’s a driver needing to unload this year it’s Dale Earnhardt Jr. He’s got to be mad at himself for his continued inexplicable mistakes on pit road. Adding to his misery is how ol’ Rocket 88 has far more often than not been a sputtering sparkler incapable of winning. And for a final touch, the oft thinly disguised (when disguised at all) insinuations that his struggles the past two plus years have in no small part led to NASCAR’s diminishing television ratings and swindling attendance. This past Friday he vented:
“Ya’ll saw what happened… why do I got to comment on it? It doesn’t help nothing to talk about it, not for me. My team’s had enough [junk] from everybody else. I don’t need to weigh in on it. Ya’ll saw what happened. Ya’ll say what ya’ll want to say, and we’re working on it, we’re trying to fix it. I’m pretty sure the guys will concentrate harder and try not to make that mistake next time, but we had three [jack screws] in the car, one in the track bar adjustment and one in each [jack screw] in the right rear… I don’t think anybody would have been able to make all them adjustments correctly under the heat of fire. I ain’t got no hard feelings at all. If the car’s not so far off, we don’t have to make that many adjustments under one stop.”
And of the Junior Nation?
Asked about the loyalty of his legions of fans through what has been a disappointing start to the season, Earnhardt Jr. seemed to find some solace in that.
“That’s what fans are for, man,” he said. “That’s what they do. I wouldn’t call a guy a fan if he jumped ship in the middle of the season if a guy’s doing poorly or a team’s doing poorly in any sport.
“I don’t need any fair-weather fans. I appreciate the ones that are loyal.”
As has been mentioned before in this none-too humble space, love him or not there’s no denying Dale Jr. is the straw that stirs the NASCAR drink. When he does well — yes, Virginia, there was such a time — things are good. When he doesn’t, you get… well, now. And most everyone blaming him for it. What fun that must be for him. (Yes, I’m being facetious.)
It’s unknown when, how or if Dale Jr. will shake his funk. That said, the sooner he does the better. For everyone, not just himself.
