Dale Jr. 2014 Champ contender?

Rockears001

Rockears001

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I hope he can win a championship but is it going to happen? First to be a real contender he needs to win races. Yes he comes clise but never has the initiative to win. How can he contend without wins? He had great finishes in the chase but had a bad finish at Chicagoland. So I ask, can he be a real contender?
 
No. He peaked years ago. It's not initiative, it's talent. There can be only a couple drivers at the top, and he's not talented enough to be one of them.
 
He is a real contender. I thought he was the second- or third-most impressive driver during the Chase. If Chicagoland wasn't pushed back late into the night, he would have had a shot going at the title going into Homestead.
 
Well yes he does, Question is will the stars align for him and his team. If you/we have learned one thing from the 48 team is that it is a total team that wins races/championships. not just a driver.
 
But his motivation was there in the 2004 season? Why can't he get it together now? I believe if he can win more he could compete.
 
BobbyFord said:
I think Dale Jr.'s motivation suffered an extreme setback in February of 2001.
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yes, why kill himself when he has all that money. he drives nothing like he did when he won two Busch championships.
 
Gotta be able to run off wins, most laps led to get max points a few times a year.I just dont see it happening.
Sometimes a W doesn't even happen during an entire season for Jr.

In 2012 Jr and Letarte seemed to be building the blocks and getting better. But they have stalled since then.

Currently they are a team that can run off a lot of top tens and some top fives.
The next stage needs to add actually winning during the season as something that is routine.
Then theres another stage, that would be running like JJ and Kenseth did this year. Strong every week, the 88 team seams to be an eternity away from being that good imo.
 
Of course he can win a championship. He and Letarte are a top five team . Even a team from outside the top five can win the chase . Smoke and Brad both did it recently . Winning individual races is pretty much on non issue .It did nothing to insure Matt Kenseth a championship . All it will take is a little racing luck in the chase , he has the equipment , the team and the experience not to take himself out.
 
FLRacingFan said:
His postrace interviews suggest he does...like after Dover. He wants to win as badly as anyone else does, IMO.
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I hope you are right and I hope he does win some races. Most of my family are Junior fans and they get tired of not seeing him win.
 
He seems pretty annoyed with the 2nds and the 3rds. I guarantee you he wants it. He looks better now than he has in years. His apparent complacency has turned into discomfort it seems.
 
I believe that Junior is about 75% dedicated but of course not as much as Sr.
 
I don't know how we can gauge his commitment by post race interviews, or any other media snapshots.

Some serious people just seem nonchalant, kind of like passive aggressive, we never really know what's inside a person (well perhaps one could see their guts and innards if we x-rayeds them, but that's all).
 
The consistency's there, they just have to start winning some races. Two wins in seven years ain't gonna cut it, Junior.
 
ToyYoda said:
The consistency's there, they just have to start winning some races. Two wins in seven years ain't gonna cut it, Junior.
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The 88 team were in position to win several times this year, it just didn't happen. There is a difference in contending for wins and not winning, and not being good enough to even be in contention for a win.

I wouldn't make too much out of the 88 not winning this year. They are good enough to win.
The team seems to be getting better.
 
A real contender? Not likely, but certainly possible. Dale is a very good (not great) driver and Letarte is a pretty good (not great) crew chief, but I think they have both hit their ceiling. I think Gordon, Kahne, and obviously Johnson would be more likely to win a title out of the Hendrick stable.

That being said, all it takes is a little luck and a hot streak during the Chase. Championships are always a possibility if you drive for HMS; I wouldn't be totally shocked if Dale won one. Stranger things have happened.
 
Greg said:
Sometimes a W doesn't even happen during an entire season for Jr.
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Sometimes? How about most of the time. One win every 4 years is about right.

Thing is if it was anyone else in that car only winning 2 races in 7 years with HMS equipment they would have been booted already. Just ask Brian Vickers and Casey Mears
 
problem is in the past 9 years you have had only 3 champions, so with the logic some use that would eliminate over 90% of the drivers of EVER having a chance of being the champ.

I say good team/good driver/good equipment/ good luck = a chance at being the champ
 
Earnhardt has been much more consistent this year. He shares resources with the 48 and he has been getting an inside view of how its done so he knows what it takes.
 
I believe Jr. is more consistent than Gordon or Kahne. Alot more than Kahne, pretty close to Gordon. He's right there. If you believe Gordon can win it again then it makes sense to believe that Jr. could as well. Wouldnt take much.
 
Zerkfitting said:
Earnhardt has been much more consistent this year. He shares resources with the 48 and he has been getting an inside view of how its done so he knows what it takes.
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They all share resources with the 48.

I thinks it's more a case of... after all these years Jr is finally getting the hang of this stock car racing thing.
 
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