OK, for those that didn't know ( which is just about everybody) my nick of RPM comes from my love of everything motorsports. More specificly NASCAR! I bleed Blue (oval) andhave since the first time I watched The Daytona 500 on a 12 inch color Radiation King my Dad bought at White's Auto in Bridgeport.
12 inch COLOR!!! It was like being there!
Flash forward 40 years or so...
I said since the day he signed with Hendrick that Junior would win Daytona. I'm not a Dale Earnhardt fan, I'm not a Jr. fan (I've met him and think he's a prick), I'm not a Chevy fan, I'm not a Hendrick fan. But tonight I found myself rooting hard for Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
The guy got a royal screwing from his stepmother and boy, can I identify with that! He was robbed of something his father built with him in mind to carry on the family name. When push came to shove, he stood his ground. Rick Hendrick knew a birdnest on the ground when he saw one and jumped on it.
I know they are supposed to be a "team" and resources divided more or less equally, but you can't tell me that 99.9% of Hendrick Motorsports has'nt been working on the 88 car. Tonight it showed. Junior was quiet before the race, but it only took about 10 laps before he spoke up, and did so with an impressive move.
Dale, Jr. ran at the front of the pack for the majority of the night. His car looked strong, his driving looked sharp. He led 47 of the 70 laps and got good words from his fellow drivers. His good friend Tony Stewart said "Dale Earnhardt Jr. is one of the best drivers that's ever been in a restrictor-plate car. He knows where to be on the racetrack, and he knows when to switch lines."I'm happy for him. He drove his butt off and put himself in the right places at the right times." Tony was also quoted as saying Jr. may even be better than Dad on a restrictor plate track.
OK, let's not get all crazy just yet. Junior is good, but he had something to prove.
He was a man on a mission...
That mission was to shove a grapefruit into the face of Teresa Earnhardt and DEI. He proved that he was not dependant on the #8 car or the DEI nameplate. He proved that he was a highly skilled driver and with proper equiptment under him and no drama surrounding him, he could win and win impressively.
He proved you can't run a race team from a yacht in The Bahamas. He proved he might just know a bit more about racing than someone that has never turned a competitive lap. Maybe he has'nt screwed as many drivers as she has, but he's beat every driver she's screwed. Have fun running DEI into the ground. Just how many #3 replica cars and t-shirts does it take to fill up a yacht anyway?
I know the Bud Shootout counts for squat. We have'nt even started qualifying for Daytona yet. But, mark my words (or flame me with you comments after the race) Dale, Jr. will win the Daytona 500. I also expect him to make the Chase and be a strong contender for the Sprint Cup. Rick Hendrick is going to put everything he has behind the 88 car this year just to rub it in Teresa and DEI's face for the way that they have behaved in NASCARland.
It's a long season and time will tell. But, if I was a betting man and I had a few sheckles to wager I'd put them on the 88 to win. I also predict DEI will sink below Petty Enterprises and be sold within 5 years.
Impressive run for Toyota and their debut at JGR! A rice err.. nice run by Tony Stewart who dang near won the race, but how about that Denny Hamlin!!! The poor guy was pounded on all during practice and it did'nt stop when the green flag dropped! I belive there were no less than 3 seperate incidences where the 11 got tangled up, Denny still fought his way back into the race and had a Top 10 finish. Don't count him or Toyota out, not by a longshot.
Now, will somebody with a Ford show up at the racetrack?!?
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