It’s been one of the primary debates in NASCAR for several years, but the heat has increased this season.
Is the often-volatile working relationship between Earnhardt, Jr. and his cousin, Tony Eury, Jr. conducive to winning races?
Eury serves as the crew chief on Earnhardt’s No. 88 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet. The two often engage in animated discussions – even arguments – over the scanner during races.
Entering Sunday’s Food City 500, Earnhardt ranks 24th in Sprint Cup points with just one top-10 finish. Many of Earnhardt’s loyal fans blame Eury.
Criticism of Eury has been the most disappointing part of this season for Earnhardt.
“The guy I feel bad for is Tony Jr.,” Earnhardt said. “He gets criticized so bad. Everybody in this room . . . knows how smart of a guy he is, certainly knows he’s a good mechanic and a solid crew chief.
“He just wanted to do this for a living just like I do. I’ll take the fall. I’d rather be crucified than him. Every time I read in the paper that people are on his case I feel like I’m sending my brother to jail for a crime I committed.”
Eury has been with Earnhardt since he came to Cup in 2000 with the exception of 26 races in 2005 and the last few races of 2007 when Eury moved to HMS after Earnhardt announced he was going there.
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“I just like racing with him,” he said. “That’s what I want to do for the rest of my life. Whether I get to do that or not I don’t know.”
The relationship has been a target for criticism for years. It came to a head at the end of the 2004 season when they opted to split, and again last season when Hendrick noted Eury might get more out of the car if Earnhardt was less volatile in radio communication.
“Maybe we’re not the best combination out there, but if we’re both on our ‘A’ game at doing what we should be doing, and with a little bit of luck and a break here and there, we’d be just as good as anybody else out there,” Earnhardt said.
Before Earnhardt moved to the Hendrick Motorsports team last season, he worked with five crew chiefs at Dale Earnhardt, Inc. The most successful pairing came with Eury’s father, Tony Sr.
With his last name and marquee team, Earnhardt understands he cannot afford to be average.
“I put myself in this position,” Earnhardt said. “I’m willing to accept the ups and downs and the goods and bads that come with it.
“We haven’t run like we want to, like I think we should. It’s alright for everyone to point that out.”
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