Beginning of the end for the #48 squad?

ChexOrWrex

ChexOrWrex

Ya gotta wanna
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Jimmie, Chad & Ron have won all 7 if their championships together and have been together from day 1. Hard to imagine them being seperated.

Is this the start of the unraveling?

 
Charlie Spencer said:
If '18 looks like '17, then you can point back and say 'That's when it started.' Right now, one year's performance isn't enough data to support that conclusion.
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Yeah, they had a down year in 2011 as well, but almost won the championship the next year and did win it the following year. I'm not writing these guys off just yet.
 
Three of the past four years they've missed the finale. '16 was a miracle.

Chase had more speed most of the season, and I wouldn't be surprised if Bowman and Byron are quick out of the gate next year.

The writing is on the wall, but they might have one more run in them.
 
Charlie Spencer said:
If '18 looks like '17, then you can point back and say 'That's when it started.' Right now, one year's performance isn't enough data to support that conclusion.
Click to expand...
This. I agree with this 100%, very reasonable statement.
 
Its reasobale to say that the Jimmie and Chad era on the backside of their careers, while I dont think their time is over just yet, its getting real close.
 
Ron Malec is probably just sick of the road. It happens. He'll work at the shop. Chad might end up doing the same thing, but I doubt it will be worth a lot of reading in to.
 
Doubt it.

Sometimes a change of station is necessary. Going back to the shop might be the ticket.

Redrawing the board.
 
Their window is closing. Everyone's time must pass. But I wouldn't rule them out of title contention or anything. Maybe the ZL1 turns out to be a downforce machine and HMS as a whole bounces back.
 
I would say Jimmie is still gonna race another 3-5 years, my guess is it's time for some changes within the 48 team to get them back up to usual pace.
 
We'll see, it very well may be but time will tell, it won't last forever
 
Looking back at recent history, (1992), Earnhardt had a miserable season. Finished outside the top ten in points, only had one win. I recall people predicting his/RCRs' demise. He came back and won the title in '93 and '94. So I wouldn't write JJ and Chad off just yet. They may well have another title run in them, or two. Time will tell.
 
Chad has a new bride and Jimmy has everything except the 8th. I don't think the drive is there for another championship. All the excitement is now about the new young guns and I for one think the time has come for most of the old young guns to hang it up.
 
What made the 48 look so bad was the 24 running great with a near rookie. Maybe Chad just used the notes from the 5 car.
Could be they just took the year off so they could come back and win #8 with the new Camero and announce JJ's retirement in Victory Lane.
 
I don't think they are washed up. With the exception of Chase from time to time, Hendricks cars normally didn't have the speed this year. The 5 and 88 never had speed all year. 48 won a couple races but rarely theatened in others. Maybe NASCAR finally tightened the inspection noose enough to eliminate those gray areas that Knaus oftened seemed to wander into, and it affected the whole organization. Figure the fire is still there because you know they want that 8th title
 
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