The most popular driver in NASCAR is wrapping up his last season at DEI, a season marked by nine DNF’s. (did not finish)
He has been a true sportsman and a great role model this season. Not only for breaking out of the confines of DEI, but more importantly for the way he handles himself on and off the track, on the good days and the bad.
My advice for Junior at Homestead? Forget trying to get that elusive win. Make it fun. Drive that No. 8 like it’s the last time you’ll ever drive it. Run it into the ground like you would a low-cost rental and see if instead of a win you can get DNF number 10 in grand style. Something akin to Kevin Costner in Tin-Cup. A losing season to remember.
“There will be so many mixed feelings for me this week, ” he said. “It’s hard to imagine it was 1999 when we made our first Cup start with this team.
“It’s been relatively easy to concentrate and focus so far this season when it was time to pull on the helmet, but it may be much tougher to do that at Homestead. ” Brian Watkins, InsiderRacingNews.com
No doubt, there seems to be a fast-forward mentality permeating NASCAR. Earnhardt’s future sponsors have been selling merchandise for next year (car No. 88), even though he has one race left under his deal with Dale Earnhardt Inc.
That’s a strange deal, to be sure, especially since Earnhardt crashed early on Sunday and has gone 61 consecutive races without a victory.
But the moment of truth is coming, and nothing seems to excite NASCAR fans more than the idea of the most popular driver joining the best team in 2008. DAN BICKLEY, JacksonSun.com
“It’s really getting down to the end of a great era. I can’t explain how much fun I’ve had working with these guys on my team. That’s one of the bad things about moving on (to a new team) at the end of the year. I’m looking forward to my new deal, but it’s also really tough to leave these guys. We’ve done it twice before at Phoenix when we needed a win and we need one now. Our Car of Tomorrow program has been superb, so we expect to go in there and be fast like we have been everywhere else. I’d like to keep my streak going (Dale Jr. has won a race in seven consecutive seasons but has yet to score a victory this year), but most of all I want to win one for my fans and for these guys. It’s been a rough season to get out of the car at the end of each race and know everyone poured everything into that car but we’ve still not won one. “
“It’s very, very important for me to end my time with DEI with integrity and with my head held high, ” he added. “I think that’s critical.
“I have so many close friends and people that I’ve gone into battle with for nearly a decade, and that type of bond will stay with me forever.
“It’s been a rough year for the team, but whether we go out with a whimper or a bang, we’re going to do it together as a team. ” DaleEarnhardtInc.com
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