Dale Earhnhardt Jr Too Big For NASCAR

September 19, 2009 by RacingWin
Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr 

Dale Jr Autographed Items

 

Is Dale Earnhardt Jr getting too big for NASCAR?

It seems that Dale Earnhardt Jr is getting plenty of blame these days.

Sales of official NASCAR souvenirs and merchandise are not where they once were. Some companies that make and sell that merchandise said that was due to Dale Jr lack of wins this year.  That stopped buying his No. 88 merchandise.

TV ratings are up and down in 2009 – many blamed that on Junior’s failure to win a race.

Interest in the Chase has dropped among many Junior fans – can we blame Junior because he isn’t in it?

While TV ratings continue to be inconsistent, it’s not just NASCAR. Virtually all sports are suffering. Maybe it’s due to more coverage on the internet and the availability of all NASCAR races on Sirius satellite radio.

Would more people tune in to the Chase if Dale Jr were in it? Probably.

But one man cannot carry NASCAR. No sport can afford to have a single player be their entire draw.

Dale Jr doesn’t need to change anything. He just needs to race. Everyone else just needs to cut him some slack. Enough with the hype, let’s get back to racing.

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Comments

16 Comments on Dale Earhnhardt Jr Too Big For NASCAR

  1. T-berry on Sun, 20th Sep 2009 6:14 pm

    2. Junior had such a good car today. He had a chance to win and I can’t believe Reutimann ran into him. It was heartbreaking. I think his team is making great progress though so better things to come for Junior.

  2. Marilyn on Sun, 20th Sep 2009 10:14 pm

    3. Jr had a great race today, too bad he was wrecked. I don’t know why everyone expects Jr to carry the load for NASCAR. When Sr was alive he had a lot of power, Jr is just Jr and those days with the Black 3 are gone, yet everyone expects the load to be on Jr’s shoulders. It is not fair, he is not his DAD, don’t want to be, and never will be. Just give him a break and get off his back and he will be able to race again like he used to. He has so much pressure on him every race. I don’t know how he stands it, most would have crumbled by now. GO JR, WE AT JR NATION LOVE YOU.

  3. Ria on Sun, 20th Sep 2009 10:37 pm

    4. It’s the economy, stupid.

    Juniors bad luck has to stop soon, enough is enough. Must also be Juniors fault when rain postpones the race till Monday, I really do not know how or why he puts up with all the crap.

  4. Deborah on Mon, 21st Sep 2009 12:42 am

    5. Love What You Said And I AGREE You R Right One IT

  5. yaiyai on Mon, 21st Sep 2009 12:50 am

    6. Its true that Jr is in a slump. EVERYONE gets in a slump on occasion.He carries, whether he wants to or not, NASCAR on his shoulders. The pressure is overwhelming. Some of the slump is his fault but most of it comes from fans and media. He needs the opportunity to drive as John Doe and get analyzed on his own merit and not by what people expect him to be or what they want him to be.He is what he is and thats OK. Look at Mark Martin. Who would have thought he would have peaked at 50. He waited and did it his way. Now it is time for NASCAR World to get off Jr and let him do it his way and have some fun doing it. I guarantee you that you will see a much better driver. If we don’t we are going to lose him to something else thats fun for him and when that happens you will lose me and I’m sure many others. He’s a nice guy thats running and hiding from the media and fans. I hate we did that to him. I was at the airport in Talledega when alot of the drivers came in. Some were nice, some were snobs, but Jr had a private car pick him up off the runway and go the backroads because he is mobbed. He doesn’t even have the opportunity to enjoy his fans because of haters and the media. But Jr if you’re reading this, You know you can do it, I know you can do it, so go out have fun and just do it.

  6. Randy K. on Mon, 21st Sep 2009 8:34 am

    7. jr is nascar..

  7. Regan on Tue, 22nd Sep 2009 9:15 am

    8. NASCAR NEEDS TO MAN UP AND STOP ALL THE BS THEY PUT OUT. MIKE HELTON NEEDS TO GO! LET THE GUYS RACE AND STOP ALL KID STUFF!

  8. Regan on Tue, 22nd Sep 2009 9:45 am

    9. LOWER TICKET PRICES AND NOT BEING GOUGED AT THE TRACK WOULD BE A GREAT START! I ONCE WENT TO LMS TWICE A YEAR BUT NOT NOW. TICKETS 140$ PARKING 75$ FORGET IT I WILL STAY HOME AND WATCH IT ON TV AND WHEN THEY GO TO PAY PER VIEW I JUST WONT WATCH IT. I WILL READ ABOUT THE NEXT DAY.LOWER THE COST AND THE STANDS WILL BE BE FULL AGAIN. CAN YOU SAY GREED? HOW MUCH IS ENOUGH?

  9. Dyanne on Tue, 22nd Sep 2009 3:50 pm

    10. I loved the write up! Jr should NOT be expected to CARRY Nascar gessh. I love jr and he has had it rough. As far as the sell of his merchandise, heck most of his fans already have everything DALE JR! Mark Martin has been driving for years and had his flunks but look at him go now!!! Just let these guys race. If you love racing and Nascar, thats all that matters.
    #1..The prices at the tracks are what have kept fans away this year due to … guess what…the ECONOMY, thats just a no-brainer!!!
    #2..How can ‘they’ actually keep up with tv viewers? Sometimes my husband and I watch it at home, while various friends/family watch it at their houses. Then sometimes 12 of us may have a Nascar get together, hence watching it off one tv, so does that mean the ratings were dropped by 11 viewers? Hence how can `they` determine exactly are many people are viewing.
    Its the chase guys get out there and do your thing! Drive it like ya stole it!

  10. Regan on Wed, 23rd Sep 2009 8:50 am

    11. DYANNE IS RIGHT THE ECONOMY IS MOSTLY THE BLAME. BUT AT THE SAME TIME THE GREEDY TRACK OWNERS NEED TO HELP THE FANS OUT AS WELL. JUST LOOK AT THE RACES ON TV THE STANDS ARE NOT FULL! I HAVE GONE TO LOWES FOR THE 10 YEARS (BOTH RACES) BUT NOT THIS YEAR. BUT WHAT I HAVE NOTICED IS FOR ABOUT THE LAST 5 YEARS THE STANDS HAVE NOT BEEN FULL. I HAVE A MEMBERSHIP WITH THE SPEEDWAY CLUB SO I HAVE GREAT SEATS AND DONT MIND THAT SO MUCH HOWEVER THEY COULD LOWER THE PRICES. BUT WHEN YOU GO TO THE SPEEDWAY CLUB RESTURANT TO EAT ( I DONT GO OFTEN) THE COST IS TO HIGH AND THEY ONLY GIVE YOU 45 MINUTES TO GET IN AND OUT. ALL AT A COST OF ABOUT 40$ PER PERSON. THE FOOD IS GOOD BUT NOT ALL THAT GOOD. ALSO 75$ TO PARK IN THE SILVER LOT IS A BIT MUCH. I KNOW I DONT HAVE TO DO THESE THINGS BUT YOU DO WANT TO HAVE A GOOD TIME. BUT NASCAR SEEMS TO HAVE TAKEN THE WANT TO OUT OF ME WITH ALL THE GREED POOR RACING AND COOKIE CUTTER CARS. NO RUBBING AND ALL, JUST NOT EXCITING ANYMORE. I DONT EVEN GO OUT OF MY WAY TO WATCH IT ON TV. DRIVERS KEEP CHANGING SPONSERS SO WHAT YOU BOUGHT LAST YEAR IS REALLY NO GOOD THE NEXT. I STILL LOVE THE SPORT AND HOPE A LIGHT BULB WILL GO OFF SOON. GO #88

  11. Mary on Fri, 2nd Oct 2009 5:59 am

    12. Dale Jr has had his wins and losses, no one knows that better than he. If the media and JR haters would stay off his back maybe he could concentrate on racing! Dale has had the worst luck lately, like David R putting him into the wall, accidently or not, it most likely cost Dale a win! I know that the media will NOT leave Dale Jr alone…after all he is their meal ticket too…without him who would read some of the stuff they write???
    So Dale Jr…hang in there…we of JR Nation know you love to race and wont stop now, so LET’S GO RACING IN THAT #88!!!!!!!!

  12. skip trace on Thu, 8th Oct 2009 1:49 am

    13. Jr. appears to be everybody’s meal ticket and look what he gets in return. Nada. The family carries on like they couldn’t work for anybody else. What happens when his friends and family finally suck him dry. They will still be trying to get more.
    Leave him alone.

    We should be more concerned with his mental health and well being.

  13. Karen on Sun, 25th Oct 2009 12:51 pm

    14. Ya know..it’s like having a favorite football team. They don’t always win, but they are still your team, no matter what. Jr is going through a rough spot. I’m stickin with him, win or lose. We saw Sr go through rough spots, too, everyone goes through them. It just seems worse when it’s your favorite driver. Look at Jeff Gordon..he is not winning like he used to either, but he is in the chase. Jr will do well again. Just be patient.

  14. Karen on Sun, 25th Oct 2009 12:53 pm

    15. By the way…NO, Jr is NOT to big for NASCAR. The media would love to make it seem that way. They LOVE to twist things around for everyone ….just for a story. They make me mad

  15. Karen on Sun, 25th Oct 2009 12:57 pm

    16. How right you are !!! Dale Jr is Dale Jr. I’m sure his dad would be very proud of him, he always was. You cannot compare the two of them, it is not fair. I wish people would stop saying….well his daddy used to do this or would have done that. Dale is NOT his dad. Drop it and leave it alone

  16. Lisa on Sun, 25th Oct 2009 2:44 pm

    17. Jr is Nascar he lives for racing its in his blood, for all of those people who say he can’t drive! Then you get your butt in the car and see what you can do, whoever is in Nascar Can drive a car no matter what their last name is, there is more to winning races then driving. Something is off with Jr YES, he has alot to figure out and when he does all of you who says he can’t drive will jump on the Jr band wagon, us true Jr fans would prefer you to stay away. I for one have been a Jr fan from the beginning not for his name but for who and what he can do, and I will be his fan till then end. I have faith in Jr and I can’t wait to see him in victory lane and I will be cheering him on till he gets there. AND HE WILL GET THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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