Junior Nation--How many of you didn't like Sr.?

Revman

Revman

Denny beat your favorite driver....again!
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Just talking to a fellow NASCAR fan, and this came up. What say you? Anybody out there dislike Sr. but love Jr.?
 
I didn't like Sr (but he earned my respect). I've been following Jr. since he and Kenseth had a friendly rivalry in the Busch series. He's a student of NASCAR history and he supports NASCAR as a team owner. I like Jr.
 
I was a Terry Labonte fan growing up. Never much cared for Dale Sr. (taking Terry out at Bristol) but respected him as a legend of the sport.

Liked Dale Jr. in the Busch series, but became a full on Dale Jr. fan in 2004 when Terry stepped out of the 5 car. Been a fan ever since. He's the coolest all round guy in the sport IMO. Gives an honest no BS interview, great with the fans, and gives back to the sport as a team owner. And not a bad driver to boot;)
 
As a kid growing up as a Gordon fan all I knew was Gordon vs. Dale Sr. So naturally I did not like him. Unfortunately my very first Daytona 500 that I attended was in 2001. It was then that I realized that it was about so much more than just a rivalry of drivers and fans. I wish he was still alive and I wish he could have raced as long as he wanted.

Oddly enough I am a HUGE fan of Dale JR the person...the driver? Ehhh. Isn't that what having a favorite is all about though? He is a terrific guy, personable, humble, honest, takes the good and the bad both in the same, and his interviews are just great. I truly hope he wins a championship for many reasons, but I'll certainly root against him along the way ;)
 
I didn't dislike Dale Earnhardt, but my #1 driver has been Junior since he ran Busch.
 
I got turned on to a yellow #3 the first time I got a glimpse of Nascar on some
1/2 hour show. I finally bought a 10 ft satellite so I could follow racing. That would have been late 80's. I have always been a fan of his and to some extent his son Junior. I didn't always agree with some of his moves but in all honesty I guess every fan can say that about their driver.
I caught on to Bad Brad while he was in Junior's car and watched Edwards and Hamlin try to Bully him. Maybe they should have tried racing because he has a championship and I have a feeling neither of them will get one.

Of course with this format anyone can do it.
 
Senior was my favorite and I didn't return to being a Nascar fan till I saw Kyle Busch wheel a car. I do like Junior and find it good for my general well being if I root for him a little and cuss if he wrecks :p
 
Revman said:
Just talking to a fellow NASCAR fan, and this came up. What say you? Anybody out there dislike Sr. but love Jr.?
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didn't like sr and think jr does not deserve all the acclaim he gets all he has ever done is be some guys kid.
 
JBone88 said:
He's the coolest all round guy in the sport IMO. Gives an honest no BS interview, great with the fans, and gives back to the sport as a team owner. And not a bad driver to boot;)
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I'm not a part of Junior Nation. He's not my favorite driver. But this describes him perfectly, and I like him a lot. "Earnhardt Mania" is kinda creepy IMO, like "Elvis Mania." Junior had that thrust upon him, and he has handled it well with class and dignity.

I never liked Senior. Far too often, he crossed the line from aggressive driving (=good) into the realm of dirty driving (=bad). He was a great racer into his mid-40's, and even after that as his skills diminished he remained a great restrictor plate racer, but I was always an "Anybody But Earnhardt" guy.
 
Abridged version: I couldn't stand Dale Sr. and love Junior.

Full version: As a kid who was a Ford fan because his dad was a Ford guy, I couldn't stand Dale Sr. I was happy for him when he finally won the 500, though, and from that point on, as he started to mellow out and not wreck people as much, I started to warm up to him a bit. I still wasn't a fan, but I was sad when he died in 2001.

I was indifferent to Junior until I lost my dad ten years later. I no longer cared about manufacturers at that point and was looking for a driver, and I just naturally found myself gravitating towards Junior and rooting for him every time he ran well. The Coke 600 finish that year sticks out in my mind. When I saw him pull away on that final restart, I just started going insane and cheering like I had never cheered before. Even though he lost it in turn 4 on the last lap, I knew I had found my new favorite driver.

I came to like the guy because I felt like I could relate to him in some small way. We both lost our fathers at around the same age, and both of our fathers were well respected in their fields and by their peers (though obviously Junior's dad was far more famous than mine). I know what it's like to have everyone put those lofty expectations onto you and get disappointed when they realize that you're not as amazing and successful as your dad was. Junior never let any of that get to him, though. He's his own man, and I respect that.
 
I was a Rusty fan, so I disliked Sr. Like others, still respected what he was in the sport.

At first, I disliked Jr. Just another kid riding daddy's coat tails. I slowly started to become a fan of his after I saw the exact opposite. Yes, his name helped him in the sport, but he has done everything he can to seperate his legacy from his dad's. He's wanted to have his own brand, not just mooch off his dad's, and for that, he earned my respect.
LARRY said:
didn't like sr and think jr does not deserve all the acclaim he gets all he has ever done is be some guys kid.
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That guys kid still can drive a race car. If he couldn't, I think the Earnhardt name would have only got him so far for a few years. He's done a good job at being his own man, not just living in daddy's shadow.
Musrat#2 said:
Jr. is ok I just don't like his fans
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This x 1,000,000
 
Didn't care for Sr. that much in the beginning but gradually grew to like him. Jr. seems like a really nice guy, but he has ridden his Dad's legacy for being popular. Until the last few years I had doubts for his desire to win a championship. The problem was always somebody else it seemed like. Now he seems to have more fire and I'm liking him more.
 
I became a nascar fan in the mid 80's. SR, you either loved him or hated him, but, you always wanted to know where he was and what he was up to. He was an intense driver of great talent and at times would take what was not his, which is the nature of a nascar driver, if you want to be successful that is, and he was very. I was not a quote"FAN" of his, but, he sure made it entertaining at times. He was a "No Guts No Glory" guy, that saw nascar come to mainstream, of which was in large part, due to him.
I have always liked Jr., we all knew he had the name, but, did he have the talent, yes he did and does. I am not a member of the Jr. nation, but then, I pull for another driver, and have for years.
Jr. has done so much in helping young guns get a chance and I respect him for that and for him being his own man. I in know way compare him to his Dad. I have always thought Jr was and is his own man. He truly loves the sport and is a great ambassador for the same.
 
I was a Sr fan, didnt really care fot Jr until the last few years.
Jr seems a lot more focused now, and a lot easier for me to respect.
 
I hated Sr. for 3 hours every week..... the rest of the week...... I totally respected him.... I never ever thought I would miss him so much as I do.


I am not a Jr. Nation fan....... but..... I sure do like him. He's made his own niche in the sport.
 
Mr. Gregory said:
Abridged version: I couldn't stand Dale Sr. and love Junior.

Full version: As a kid who was a Ford fan because his dad was a Ford guy, I couldn't stand Dale Sr. I was happy for him when he finally won the 500, though, and from that point on, as he started to mellow out and not wreck people as much, I started to warm up to him a bit. I still wasn't a fan, but I was sad when he died in 2001.

I was indifferent to Junior until I lost my dad ten years later. I no longer cared about manufacturers at that point and was looking for a driver, and I just naturally found myself gravitating towards Junior and rooting for him every time he ran well. The Coke 600 finish that year sticks out in my mind. When I saw him pull away on that final restart, I just started going insane and cheering like I had never cheered before. Even though he lost it in turn 4 on the last lap, I knew I had found my new favorite driver.

I came to like the guy because I felt like I could relate to him in some small way. We both lost our fathers at around the same age, and both of our fathers were well respected in their fields and by their peers (though obviously Junior's dad was far more famous than mine). I know what it's like to have everyone put those lofty expectations onto you and get disappointed when they realize that you're not as amazing and successful as your dad was. Junior never let any of that get to him, though. He's his own man, and I respect that.
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Appreciate that post on every level. Thanks.
 
Greg said:
I was a Sr fan, didnt really care fot Jr until the last few years.
Jr seems a lot more focused now, and a lot easier for me to respect.
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Absolutely !! he seems to really be trying now
 
Mr. Gregory said:
Abridged version: I couldn't stand Dale Sr. and love Junior.

Full version: As a kid who was a Ford fan because his dad was a Ford guy, I couldn't stand Dale Sr. I was happy for him when he finally won the 500, though, and from that point on, as he started to mellow out and not wreck people as much, I started to warm up to him a bit. I still wasn't a fan, but I was sad when he died in 2001.

I was indifferent to Junior until I lost my dad ten years later. I no longer cared about manufacturers at that point and was looking for a driver, and I just naturally found myself gravitating towards Junior and rooting for him every time he ran well. The Coke 600 finish that year sticks out in my mind. When I saw him pull away on that final restart, I just started going insane and cheering like I had never cheered before. Even though he lost it in turn 4 on the last lap, I knew I had found my new favorite driver.

I came to like the guy because I felt like I could relate to him in some small way. We both lost our fathers at around the same age, and both of our fathers were well respected in their fields and by their peers (though obviously Junior's dad was far more famous than mine). I know what it's like to have everyone put those lofty expectations onto you and get disappointed when they realize that you're not as amazing and successful as your dad was. Junior never let any of that get to him, though. He's his own man, and I respect that.
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You have the respect of every forum member. The apple certainly didn't fall far from the tree. :)
 
Clutch said:
You have the respect of every forum member. The apple certainly didn't fall far from the tree. :)
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Couldn't agree more. IMO NASCAR should quit chasing the 18-35 or whatever demo, and tap into that kind of passion. Just awesomeness.
 
I pulled for him when he was an underdog after his long winless spell, but overall I don't really care for him. Mostly due to the media and fan hype, not of his doing. It just annoys me to much
 
I was only 3 when Sr died, so me being a Jr fan is hard to figure out. I think it was that red 8 car that made me start liking him and learning more about him has made me like him more. As I learned more about the sport's history, I know I would have been a Sr fan. I do agree that some fans of Junior Nation can be very annoying, but one of the funniest things i have heard at the track was from I believe a Jr Fan. It was after the Spring Martinsville race in 2014, when the loudspeaker announced Jr was now the points leader, the crowd cheered and someone yelled EARNHARDT !!!. I still find it funny now
 
I was at the racers expo in Daytona when this tall guy standing next to me at the urinals said the ''little shiit'' to my right was a trouble maker and would pisss on my shoes and laugh. That tall guy was wearing a Goodyear hat, Dave Marcus. The ''little shiit'' was Sr.
Always was a fan of his.
 
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