Can Dale Jr. Still Make The Chase?
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Here we are in Week 3 of Dale Earnhardt Jr., Version 2.0, you know, the new-look Junior without longtime – and now former crew chief – Tony Eury Jr.
Thus far, new pit boss Lance McGrew has managed to bring his driver home to finishes of 12th (Dover) and 27th (this past Sunday at Pocono).
Not exactly showings to set the NASCAR world on fire, indeed.
And as we return to Michigan International Speedway this weekend, site of Junior’s last win a year ago in a fuel mileage finish, I’m very curious to see how he and McGrew respond.
Will it be more of the same, like the finish at Pocono, or will Junior finally start finding a way to become the driver his fans so desperately want to see him become?
Michigan is a great track that has seen some outstanding finishes over the years, especially recently. We’ve seen Carl Edwards (who won there in last summer’s race), Greg Biffle, Kurt Busch, Matt Kenseth, Kasey Kahne, suspended Jeremy Mayfield, Ryan Newman and so many others bring us some exciting racing on MIS’s fast, banked two-mile surface.
If there were a way for Junior to will his way to a win, this would be the place to do so. It’s the kind of track he likes – lots of speed and a superspeedway to boot, albeit without restrictor plates – and one that could go a long way towards disproving Earnhardt is his own worse enemy behind the wheel.
In fact, I’ll go on record to predict that the No. 88 Chevrolet earns a top-five finish if everything goes right for it and its driver.
With only 12 races to go until the start of the Chase for the Sprint Cup, I’m not quite ready to say the season is lost just yet for Earnhardt.
But if he’s to have even a snowball’s chance in hell of making a late run-up to qualify for the Chase, there’s no longer waiting until next week or the week after that to get things righted.
The route has to begin this weekend, end of story. And what better way to pick up where he left off than the last place he won at, right?
“In fact, I’ll go on record to predict that the No. 88 Chevrolet earns a top-five finish if everything goes right for it and its driver.”
Bold move, Jerry, and I hope you’re right!
Hey look, Jerry just had a non bashing article about Jr., even predicting a top 5.
-Take that you “Jerry is always bagging on Jr.” fans!
It shouldn’t be a crime to tell the truth about Jr.
It should be treason!
