Kyle Busch Press Conference
Kyle Busch Comments on Dale Earnhardt Jr Crew Chief Change
Dale Earnhardt Jr Press Conference
Dale Earnhardt Jr Answers Questions About Crew Chief Change
Kyle Busch — Never Junior
Kyle Busch:”It’s Never Junior”
In the NASCAR world you can’t escape the topic of Dale  Earnhardt Jr and his new crew chief. Kyle Busch was no exception. Busch is taking shots at Dale Jr.
Here’s what Kyle Busch had to say about Junior and his new crew chief:
“You got to make the most popular driver in the sport competitive,” said Busch. “So you got to do what you got to do, I guess. He’s the one who brought that crew chief on. He’s the one who pulled so hard to bring Eury, Jr. in. Â It looked like it was working there in the beginning and it hasn’t worked since the summer of last year, really. Whatever makes them better, I guess.”
“If Junior doesn’t run well, the crew chief is going to be the problem. You know, it’s never Junior, it’s always the crew chief.”
“He’s got his hands full, I guess, having to deal with what’s going on,” said Kyle Busch, talking about Dale Jr’s new crew chief Lance McGrew. “And if Junior doesn’t run well, then he is going to be the problem again.”
“It’s never Junior, it’s always the crew chief.”
Do you think Kyle Busch has a problem with Dale Earnhardt Jr?
Heat on Dale Earnhardt Jr
No More Excuses
The heat was just turned up a few degrees on Dale Earnhardt Jr today.
Tony Eury Jr has been replaced as Dale Earnhardt Jr’s crew chief.
That leaves no more excuses for poor performance. Dale Earnhardt Jr has just been handed all the resources Hendrick Motorsports has to offer. There will be no one left to blame if the 88 car does not see improvements on the race track.
A Trio of Crew Chiefs
It sounds like Rick Hendrick has hired a committee of crew chiefs to run the No. 88.
Hendrick Motorsports announced that Lance McGrew would become Interim Crew Chief for the No.88 car starting with the June 7 Pocono race.
Brian Whitesell will fill in as crew chief for one race this weekend at Dover.
The plan is for Whitesell and Rex Stump – two of the best engineers in all on NASCAR – to provide support to new crew chief Lance McGrew to get the No. 88 car back on track.
Brian Whitesell was Ray Evernham’s right-hand man when the No. 24 team of Jeff Gordon was winning all those races and championships.
Rex Stump is the man behind the famous T-Rex car that Jeff Gordon won the All Star race with in 1997. That car was banned by NASCAR – not because it was illegal, but because it was so advanced. NASCAR had no rules against the car, but they had never seen anything like it, and told the No. 24 team not to bring the car back.
Stump is the lead chassis engineer at Hendrick Motorsports.
Eury’s Cars Removed From Hauler
Tony Eury Jr had Dale Jr’s Dover cars loaded on the hauler and ready to go before he got the news from Rick Hendrick that he was out as Junior’s crew chief.
McGrew, Whitesell and Stump didn’t waste any time making changes. They unloaded Junior’s cars, removed Eury’s setup, and tuned the chassis similar to what the other 3 Hendrick cars have.
After Dale Jr’s 40th place finish at Lowe’s Motor Speedway this week something was bound to happen.
Hendrick Not Happy
“Our performance hasn’t been where it should be,” said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. “It’s impossible to pin that on any one factor, but a change is the right decision at this point. We have a plan in place, and we’re going to move forward with it.”
McGrew has won championships before. He was crew chief for Brian Vickers when the two won the 2003 NASCAR Nationwide Series championship.
He has won as recently as February at Daytona when he was crew chief for Tony Stewart in the Nationwide race.
McGrew Lacks Experience
But McGrew has little experience with today’s Sprint Cup cars.
But you have to admit that Rick Hendrick has a pretty good track record when it comes to picking crew chiefs. He hired Ray Evernham and Chad Knaus. The two of them have 6 championships.
Tony Eury Jr will move to a position in the Hendrick research and development shop. “I have mixed feelings,” Eury said. “I’ll do whatever I can to help all of our teams. I think a new challenge will be good.”
I’m not so sure that a crew chief that has just been bumped up from the Nationwide Series is the answer – but I guess we’ll find out shortly. Maybe that’s why his title carries the word “interim.”
If this deal is going to work it will require co-operation n from all parties involved – including Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Junior needs to precisely describe how the car is performing, and then let the crew chief fix the car. No more crew-chiefing from the driver’s seat.
We’ll see if this is the right move. Do you think Rick Hendrick has made the right call?
Own Dale Jr’s Car
You Can Own Dale Earnhardt Jr’s Car
For under $25,000 you can own a Dale Jr No. 88 NASCAR Chevy Impala SS COT.
Dale Jr Crew Chief Change
Rick Hendrick may be close to a change on Dale Jr’s pit box
After Dale Earnhardt Jr’s 40th place finish in the Coca Cola 600 you can’t blame Rick Hendrick for considering a change in crew chiefs for the 88 car.
NASCAR.com has reported the change could come as early as this week at Dover.
Rick Hendrick would neither confirm nor deny that a change was coming – and that usually means a change is coming.
Dale Jr ran at the back of the field for most of the day and finished the race ahead of just 3 other cars.
Junior wasn’t in a wreck – and nothing broke on the car. He simply had a car that would not handle.
I don’t believe Rick Hendrick will stand for this much longer. Neither will Dale Earnhardt Jr. Neither will National Guard or Amp.
Something is going to change – and it will likely be sooner rather than later.
NASCAR Listening to Fans
It looks like NASCAR is finally listening to you.
NASCAR went the extra mile in trying to get the Coca-Cola 600 in during on and off rain showers Monday.
They waited and waited before finally declaring the race official and David Reutimann the winner.
This was a complete turnaround from February when Matt Kenseth was declared the winner in about fifteen minutes after just one red flag.
Not Like Daytona
This race was completely different from the Daytona 500.
After the Daytona race was called NASCAR was faced with unhappy fans that had this to say:
“The Daytona 500 is touted as THE race and this one turned out to be a farce. I like Matt Kenseth but he DID NOT win that race! I have never seen them call a race so quickly because of rain. NASCAR had plenty of time to wait it out and get the track dried. The fans were cheated. Other potential winners were cheated. Matt Kenseth might have gone on to win anyway but at least he would have really won, not just have it handed to him. What kind of win is that?” ~ Marie
“I don’t think that NASCAR did enough for the fans on (during the Daytona 500) Sunday. We all pay to see a race and they play god. It doesn’t matter if you are at the track or watching it on T.V. we all deserve to see the best car win.” ~ #1 Earnhardt Fan
“As one of the people who waited in the rain at the race to watch the last 48 laps, yes NASCAR called the race way too soon. Less than an hour after the race was called, it stopped raining and those last 48 laps could have been completed. I waited almost 10 years to go to the big race and although it was a great experience, the finish was a great let down!” ~ Karen Hillegas
NASCAR is listening to you. They went through multiple red flags and kept putting the jet driers on the track to try and get the Coca Cola 600 in. NASCAR did not call this race until it became clear that there was no other choice – unlike the decision they made in ending the Daytona 500 3 months ago.
You need to keep speaking up – NASCAR does listen, sometimes.
Dale Jr, Kyle Busch Ready to Rumble
Busch, Earnhardt and Stewart Prepare For NASCAR’s Longest Battle
Kyle Busch thinks he can win NASCAR’s longest race Sunday night at Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina.
Dale Earnhardt Jr is confident he can return the No. 88 to Victory Lane.
Jimmie Johnson is betting they’re both wrong. Johnson is the only driver with an average finish of better than 10 at the track – his is 8.9. Johnson has 3 wins in Charlotte’s 600 mile race.
All three of them had better keep an eye on Tony Stewart, Smoke is fresh of an All Star win – his first as an owner / driver.
Busch Says You Can Win Them All
When Kyle Busch was asked which race he most wants to win he simply replied “All of them. Next week is where you want to win next.” But Busch seemed to have Memorial Day weekend circled on his calendar. “Winning at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, since it is my favorite track would be really special,” said Busch.
He’s finished in the top four in the last three races at Lowes Motor Speedway.
Dale Earnhardt Jr made his Cup debut at this race track on May 30, 1999. He’s led 312 laps there in his career – just never the last one. But he does have one pole position at LMS, along with five top-5 finishes, and nine top-10s.
Junior Says Race Mentally Tough
Junior has his eye on another pole. “Qualifying is pretty important. Having a pit stall that you like can be an advantage the whole race. It’s a long race, with a lot of stops, and leading the race and being in clean air is real important. It really doesn’t matter if you had a bad qualifying effort because you have plenty of time to get to the front, but pit selection is probably the most important part about it.”
So is it really that much harder for a driver to run 500 miles instead of 500? “You think you wouldn’t notice another 100 miles added,” said Dale Earnhardt Jr, “but mentally you do. That last 100 miles is really tough mentally. Trying to stay focused and trying to stay devoted to what you’re doing because it’s so easy just to kind of go, ‘I’m tired.’ Physically it’s not a problem, but mentally your brain is just worked after it’s over with. I like it. I love this racetrack. I love this area. I’m glad to be home these two weeks. I think it’s awesome we run a 600-mile race at Charlotte.”
Grueling in the Pits
It’s a tough race to call for a crew chief, too. “It’s a long race. It’s really difficult because when you start the track is really hot, really greasy,” said Tony Eury Jr, crew chief on the 88. As night comes it really cools down and the car tightens up quite a bit. You’ve really got to have a car that is crutched to get through that first leg of the 600. The first 150 laps you want to make sure you don’t tear up the car and aren’t too loose and you can adjust from there. The key is to get through those first 150 laps without any problems and then you can have a good night.”
“You are going to have 12 or more pit stops. There are going to be gas-and-go’s, two-tire stops and a lot of strategy on pit road.”
So who really has the edge for this 600 mile race?
Fast Race Facts
The Race: Coca-Cola 600
The Date: Sunday, May 24
The Track: Lowe’s Motor Speedway (1.5-mile quad-oval)
The Time: 5:45 p.m. ET
The Distance: 400 laps/600 miles
TV: FOX. 5:00 p.m. ET
Radio: PRN and Sirius Satellite
(WSOC-FM 103.7 local)
2008 Polesitter: Kyle Busch
2008 Winner: Kasey Kahne
Schedule: Thursday, Practice, 3-
4:30. Qualifying, 7:10. Saturday, 2:45-3:30 and 6-6:50 p.m.
Tony Stewart Wins All Star Race
Tony Stewart Proved That an Owner-Driver Can Win
In winning Saturday Nights’ Sprint All Star Race Tony Stewart proved that an owner-driver can still get the job done in NASCAR.
Tony Stewart combined sheer will and determination to win with a fast, well-handling car to pull off a late race pass for the win.
Stewart scored the first win ever for his Stewart-Haas Racing and won $1 million in prize money by passing Matt Kenseth with just 2 laps to go – Stewart would lead to the checkered flag.
Tony Stewart and his crew chief Darian Grubb have learned a secret to making Stewart’s No. 14 Chevy fast off the corners, and Stewart isn’t interested in sharing that secret.
When his crew chief was asked what they had done to make the car so fast at the end of the race Stewart cut in and said: “You tell them that, I’ll kill you.”
With NASCAR headed back to Charlotte for the Coca-Cola 600 next Sunday Tony Stewart likes his chances to repeat. Stewart said he had a better car back at the shop than the one he won with Saturday night.
Hendrick Connection
Stewart’s win left some Dale Earnhardt Jr fans puzzled. Stewart gets his cars and engines from Hendrick Motorsports, and one Junior fan wanted to know if Stewart’s cars were being built by the same people who were building Dale Jr’s cars.
It was pretty unusual that Rick Hendrick would call Tony Stewart on a cell phone in Victory Lane. Is Stewart-Haas really just buying equipment from Rick Hendrick, or does Hendrick have a stake in the team?
What’s a NASCAR Race on TV Worth To You?
How Much Would You Pay to Watch a NASCAR race on TV?
Suppose that NASCAR decides to put all the races on a premium paid TV network like NASCAR Network. The races would no longer be free, but you would get commercial-free race coverage.
You would never come back from a commercial to find that a caution was out — and your favorite driver was wrecked.
You’d also get a few extra premium services like in-car audio and driver to crew chatter.
When the races weren’t on you could get NASCAR news 24/7.
How much would you pay to watch NASCAR?
$5 per month?
$20 per month?
Or would you just forget the whole thing and watch bowling instead?
