Earnhardt Talladega Win Impossible
Earnhardt Talladega Win Impossible
If you are running 17th at Talladega with 5 laps to go you are not going to win. It’s impossible. You might as well park the race car. You ain’t gonna win. Nobody is that good.
Unless your name is Earnhardt.
This was Dale Earnhardt’s last win.
As I stood there watching the final few laps unfold I remember thinking that Dale’s not gonna win this one, even though he had always been so strong at Talladega.
Then with 4 laps to go the No. 3 was a little closer to the front.
With 3 laps to go Dale was closer still.
When the white flag flew Dale was in the lead.
How is that possible?
Is Jimmie Johnson Cheating?
Do You Think Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus are Cheating?
I’m taking a quick poll. Do you think Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus are violating any NASCAR rules — or are they just really that good?
After all, NASCAR has had the No. 48 car back at the NASCAR R&D Facility after almost every race, and they still haven’t found anything.
What is really going on with Chad and Jimmie — cheating or just really good?
Montoya Racing Gordon too Hard?
Was Jeff Gordon Being Raced Too Hard?
I’m always puzzled when a race car driver complains that another driver is racing him too hard.
Juan Pablo Montoya was faster than Jeff Gordon at one point in Sunday’s race – but Gordon didn’t want to give up the position. Gordon certainly didn’t owe it to Montoya to move out of the way. But Montoya didn’t do anything wrong when he knocked on Gordon’s bumper either.
After a few bumps Montoya got to the inside of Gordon and the two traded some more paint side by side. By that time Montoya had nowhere to go but into the side of Gordon. The 42 of Montoya was all the way down against the yellow curb. Montoya was literally squeezed as far as he could go and Gordon refused to give him racing room even though Montoya already had the position alongside Gordon.
Montoya didn’t do anything wrong. He didn’t wreck him. He didn’t spin him. He simply moved a slower car that refused to move on its own.
Gordon flatly told his crew chief he was extremely angry with Montoya. But he had nothing to be upset about. What happened was just racing. Typical hard short track racing.
It’s a move that Gordon himself has used many times before. But when it happens to him then he is quick to claim someone is racing him too hard – or not racing him the right way.
Jeff Gordon has no room to complain on this one.
Share Your Opinion on Martinsville
Martinsville: Have Your Say
Over the final 53 laps Denny Hamlin held off Jimmie Johnson on 3 double-file restarts to win the Tums Fast Relief 500 at Martinsville.
Jimmie Johnson had won 5 of the last 6 Martinsville races and he looked to be a contender in this one. But Hamlin would deny him in the end.
Still Johnson increased his lead in the Championship standings by 118 points over Mark Martin.
Gordon Leads Early
Jeff Gordon showed strength early in the race as he bumped Martin Truex Jr out of the way on the way to the front of the pack. Gordon would later complain when Juan Pablo Montoya used the same move on him.
Still Gordon was in the lead by lap 22. But by lap 59 Jimmie Johnson would edge past Gordon for the lead after starting 15th.
Earnhardt’s Troubles Begin
Dale Earnhardt saw trouble early on in the race when he blew a right front tire. The cause for the flat tire turns out to be a melted bead on the tire caused by excessive heat build-up from the brakes.
None of Earnhardt’s teammates experienced a similar problem so it’s not clear why he was having brake and tire problems. This would not be the last time he would have problems today.
On lap 128 Earnhardt hit the wall. Again the problem was a melted bead due to excessive brake heat. Earnhardt would go 2 laps down
By lap 163 Juan Pablo Montoya was in the lead, but by lap 1836 Denny Hamlin would be out front.
Hamlin Dominant
Denny Hamlin had the dominant car most of the day leading the most laps at 205.
By lap 251 Dale Earnhardt Jr was back on the lead lap. He would not stay there, though. The No 88 Chevrolet continued to suffer tire and brake problems.
By lap 321 Jimmie Johnson was out front and most of the remaining laps would be a battle between Hamlin and Johnson. On lap 362 Johnson and Hamlin battled side by side with Hamlin coming out on top.
Hamlin held off Jimmie Johnson on a green white checkered restart to take the win.
Why No Caution?
On the final lap John Andretti spun his car at the start-finish line. Even though Andretti’s car was sitting on the racetrack NASCAR did not throw the caution flag until the last second leaving Chad Knaus, crew chief for Jimmie Johnson, asking why?
So here’s your chance to share your opinion. What did you think about the race?
NASCAR Wrong to Wait on Caution
NASCAR Wrong to Wait on Caution
NASCAR was wrong for waiting so long to throw the caution on the last lap at Martinsville Sunday. If they are going throw a caution for a water bottle with 50 laps to go they must throw one when a car is sitting dead on the track at the start-finish line with the leaders coming.
John Andretti spun his car on the last lap as the leaders were taking the white flag. NASCAR race control watched and waited as Andretti’s car sat there with Denny Hamlin, Jimmie Johnson and the rest of the pack headed back toward Andretti and the start-finish line at full speed.
Finally the caution flag flew with Hamlin, the race winner, just yards from the flag stand. The lead cars barreled past Andretti at near full speed.
How can NASCAR call a caution for a tiny piece of debris – but wait for so long to call one when a car is sitting dead in the water at the finish line on the last lap?
Frustrated Dale Jr Video
Dale Jr Shows His Frustrations
A very frustrated Dale Earnhardt Jr talks about what he needs in a crew chief and what it would mean to just finish a race for a change.
These are the 7 things frustrating Dale Jr.
He’s never shy about saying what is on his mind. How do you think Junior really feels about all this.
Your Name on Dale Earnhardt Jr’s Car
Your Name on Dale Earnhardt Jr’s Car
On November 1 at Talladega 105,000 fans will have their name on Dale Earnhardt Jr’s car. 60,000 more did not register in time but will have their name on Dale Jr’s pit wall.
It’s too late to get your name on the car this year – but you can be the first in line for next time.
This is the 2nd time fans have been able to get their name on Earnhardt’s car – and the list has grown from 70,000 last year to 105,000 this year.
If you want to get your name on the No. 88 car you have to register fast. I sent out a newsletter to all my subscribers as soon as the details on this promotion was released and thousands of people instantly signed up to get their name on Dale Earnhardt Jr’s car.
If you want to see your name on the car next time be sure to sign up for my racing newsletter and I’ll let you know how to register as soon as details are released.
Learn how you can get your name on Dale Earnhardt Jr’s car.
Enter your email to subscribe and be among the first to be notified next time. Your info is safe. We never share your email with anyone else. Privacy policy
Photo Courtesy Hendrick Motorsports
7 Things Frustrating Dale Earnhardt Jr
7 Things That Are Really Getting Under Dale Earnhardt Jr’s Skin
Dale Earnhardt Jr let his frustrations pour out as he talked with a group of reporters at Charlotte’s Lowes Motor Speedway Friday.
Earnhardt didn’t come out and say that interim crew chief Lance McGrew was out – but he didn’t stand very solidly behind McGrew.
1. He Needs An Authoritative Crew Chief
“Whoever I work with needs to be a dictator,” said Earnhardt about the man selected to sit on the pit box and make the calls.
“The most success I had was with Tony Sr. and you know how he runs his ship,” continued Earnhardt.
Yet Dale Earnhardt Jr insisted he is not qualified to pick his own crew chief.
2. No One Has Made A Decision
“I don think I’m the guy to leave that decision up to cause I wouldn’t make the right one, said Earnhardt on picking a crew chief. “There’s probably better people to make it especially in the organization. There’s a lot of smart people around there and I’m just waiting on someone to make the call”
Junior was agitated by the fact that no decision has yet been made on leadership for his team next year.
“Put the Damn team together and say this is what you got this is what you’re gonna do next year,” said Junior.
3. He Hasn’t Lost Confidence or Ability No Matter What Some People Think
Still Earnhardt insisted that he had not lost confidence in his ability to drive a race car.
“I just come to the race track and climb in a car. If it goes fast it goes fast,” said Earnhardt.
When asked if he was second guessing himself Dale Jr simply said “no.” Then paused and added “I’m past all that, I’m over it.”
4. Fans and the Media will Be Hard on Whoever is Picked to Lead His Team
When asked if a crew chief change needed to be made now before the end of the season to get a jump on next year Earnhardt took Lance McGrew’s side.
“I don’t think we need to do that, said Earnhardt. “We’re getting better with Lance. Nothing’s wrong with how that’s going for the most part but Hell you don’t even know if Lance wants to do it.”
“I Wouldn’t want it,” Earnhardt said of the crew chief job. “I wouldn’t want to do it. Tough job.”
5. Just Getting to the Finish Line Would Mean A Lot
“How do you keep your head up” – Claire B. Lang asked Junior how he kept his head up amidst all the turmoil.
“Hopefully we can finish one. That should do a lot for us if we can finish one,” replied Dale Jr.
“I ain’t ready for the season to be over ‘cause I like going to the racetrack and racing.”
“I don’t know — what the hell. We just need to run better. It’s not happening. Its not happening fast enough.”
6. Junior Is at A Loss as to What Would Improve his Racing
One reporter asked Junior if it helped that Talladega, Texas and Martinsville were coming up on the schedule – some of his best tracks.
Dale Jr simply said “no.”
“It’s really frustrating. I’m just trying to get better. But I don’t know what the answer is. I’ve tried to think about what the answer is and I don’t know what it is.”
Would Dale Jr ask for Tony Eury Sr. – his original crew chief – back?
“I don’t think Tony Sr. would be interested in working in the Cup Series. It’s not a very fun place,” said Earnhardt.
“It takes a lot to be here. For anybody to work in and around this garage it’s really, really frustrating and really hard. You really have to commit yourself. He’s been out of it and he’s seen that’s not all there is to life. He has fun where he’s at so I don’t think he’d accept the opportunity.”
7. Earnhardt Feels He Has Lost Control
Dale Earnhardt Jr is locked into 3 more years of a 5 year contract with Hendrick Motorsports. He also has sponsor commitments in place. He can’t just jump ship and go somewhere else.
“I feel like I don’t have any control,” said Earnhardt.
“Rick’s put me in a great position – but – I haven’t made the most of it. For whatever reason we’re just not getting it done. I don’t know what to do.”
What do you think it’s going to take to get Dale Jr back on track?
Photo Courtesy Hendrick Motorsports
Find Your Name on Dale Jr’s Car
How To Find Your Name on Dale Jr’s Car
Photo Courtesy Hendrick Motorsports
I just found my name on Dale Earnhardt Jr’s Talladega car – it’s on the driver’s side.
Did you get your name on Junior’s car? Over 105,000 of you did. That’s up from 70,000 last year.
Junior will be driving the fan car at Talladega on November 1.
You can check to see where your name is at:
http://www.ampenergy.com/#/promos/get_on_88
Just scroll down the page until you see the big green Let’s See It box and enter your info.
Here’s a quick video that shows you how.
Will a 4th Jimmie Johnson Championship be Bad for NASCAR
Will Another Jimmie Johnson Championship be bad for NASCAR?
If Jimmie Johnson wins a record 4 NASCAR Championships in a row this year it will be great for you if you are a Jimmie Johnson fan. It will also be great for Johnson, Chad Knaus, Rick Hendrick and the whole No. 48 team.
Lowes and the rest of Johnson’s sponsors will be happy.
But it will be bad for NASCAR as a whole. Race fans will not watch on TV or buy a ticket as often if the same team keeps winning the title over and over
When one race team can win the Championship 4 years in a row it doesn’t say much for how close the competition is with the COT race car.
When Jimmie Johnson won the Pepsi 500 at California’s Auto Club Speedway he took over the Sprint Cup points lead. That doesn’t guarantee he will win it – but apparently Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus have something figured out that no one else has. The No. 48 car has won 9 of the last 19 Chase races. When one driver wins half the races something is wrong.
Do we really have a level playing field?
