Harvick Rips Dale Jr. For Performance & Impact on NASCAR

Ford 222 said:
"The Closer" (still get a chuckle out of that since he has blown more than he's ever saved) is still butt hurt he never lived up to the hype and inherited Sr.'s as much as he thought he was the 2nd coming of Ironhead.
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Didn't live up to the hype? When he inherited Sr.'s ride, there wasn't any talk about him winning championships. Which was why his win in Atlanta was so memorable, NOBODY expected that to happen.

Kevin Harvick is a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion, a Daytona 500 champion*, a winner of the Coca-Cola 600, a winner of the Brickyard 400 and is a first-ballot Hall of Fame
driver.

(* Denotes Mark Martin should have won the 2007 Daytona 500)

I think he's had a pretty good career.
 
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CamelPowered said:
Using Harv's logic Tom Brady should be the most popular player in the NFL right now and Belichek the most popular coach. Not the case. People choose a favorite driver for any number of reasons: personality, attitude, legacy, performance, number, paint scheme, sponsor, hometown, etc.
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I just saw on espn that Tom Brady leads the lead in jersey sales. Harvick is kinda right. Gordon merchandise sales went up 13% for his retirement year. Attendance was up for his last few races. Homestead resell value was almost retail price. Tony Stewart his merchandise sales were down and I could have bought tickets for $9 for his last race.
 
Skoalbandit33 said:
I don't think there was any surge in attendance or viewership during Jeff and Tony's last year's and I don't recall there being a spike in anything when Jeff got in the 88 last year so it sounds like Harvick is just blowing smoke. Of course maybe he is getting drilled for hair plugs and that is impacting his ability to think before opening his mouth.

There is an overall malaise surrounding Nascar, IMO, and that is why you don't see drivers on coke machines, kids wearing driver's ball caps or shirts or much news about it in the MSM.
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I seen a bunch of kids wearing driver ball caps this past weekend
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
Didn't live up to the hype? When he inherited Sr.'s ride, there wasn't any talk about him winning championships. Which was why his win in Atlanta was so memorable, NOBODY expected that to happen.

Kevin Harvick is a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion, a Daytona 500 champion*, a winner of the Coca-Cola 600, a winner of the Brickyard 400 and is a first-ballot Hall of Fame
driver.

(* Denotes Mark Martin should have won the 2007 Daytona 500)

I think he's had a pretty good career.
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Agreed Harvick is a sure fire hall of famer, he's won the Southern 500 as well
 
Harvick is stirring up the pot for his xm show. I think with racing it takes more of a trained eye to see on-track greatness and with ball anyone can see it.
 
ChexOrWrex said:
Dale Jr is popular because of his daddy. Gordon, Johnson, Stewart etc are popular because of their accomplishments.

Americans dont like losers.
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I think your wrong on that point. Junior had a lot of fans while racing with his Dad. Their TV relationship is something all people admire and wish they had it. Davy and his dad raced together and that sure helped Davy become quite popular. Being meek and mild ( as Junior was/is) describes the person in the bible whom God loves. I think it natural that race fans should also. Bill Elliot projected the same image and though he wasn't the most successful driver he did capture the hearts of many.
Kenseth had a similar image projected until he joined JGR and decided to imitate Denny. That may have cost him his job.
 
Because you are all boring. You sound like horse jockeys any time you're interviewed, and if a few inches shorter, likely would have found a lucrative career on top of a horse. You all also seem bratty, and douchey. Like my nephew, I would step in front of the bullet for the kid, but everytime he opens his mouth, I just want to slap the back of his head for sounding like a whiny, douchey, 20 years old that acts like a ten years old. Anyone using twitter to bitch, is just awful, and I have no time for you or your $50 merchandise that you'll get pennies for. Anyone that is slightly above mediocre and wonders why another mediocre driver gets more love than you, because that man isn't bitching, whining, and acting like a brat everytime he has a ****** day.
Junior equals fun, the rest are the type that bitch about work and life when you go out. Who would you rather hang out with?
 
Not sure what prompted Harvick's comments. Maybe he's not feeling the love from the fans right now, IDK.

NASCAR's issues can all be linked to Jr's lack of success or Johnson's lack of charisma. First I've heard that.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
I don't think Kenseth was able to help himself that day. He was having steering issues as he waited on the field being lead by Logano at the time. Honest mistake I'm sure.

Man, that was a memorable day/night.
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He was having gas pedal issues to I suppose
 
A bigger challenge for Nascar and something for Yap Yap to address is who will be the next driver that makes lukewarm or casual fans visit the track and tune in the race from home like Jeff and Dale Jr did? Walk up and down Main St America and ask people who Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott are and you would hear crickets. I doubt most people have heard of BKez, JLo, Daniel Suarez or Erik Jones either.

If you are any type of Nascar fan it is easy to get information as to what is going on in the series but if you don't follow it you ain't hearing about it in your local newspaper or TV stations. You won't see the drivers in the media for many of the good things they do through charitable organizations and you don't hear or read about things like JJ winning 7 championships or the retirement of Dale Jr or a young phenom named Byron. People can't become interested in something they don't know about.
 
Skoalbandit33 said:
A bigger challenge for Nascar and something for Yap Yap to address is who will be the next driver that makes lukewarm or casual fans visit the track and tune in the race from home like Jeff and Dale Jr did? Walk up and down Main St America and ask people who Kyle Larson, Ryan Blaney and Chase Elliott are and you would hear crickets. I doubt most people have heard of BKez, JLo, Daniel Suarez or Erik Jones either.

If you are any type of Nascar fan it is easy to get information as to what is going on in the series but if you don't follow it you ain't hearing about it in your local newspaper or TV stations. You won't see the drivers in the media for many of the good things they do through charitable organizations and you don't hear or read about things like JJ winning 7 championships or the retirement of Dale Jr or a young phenom named Byron. People can't become interested in something they don't know about.
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So true. I remember when in 2001 when he won the Pepsi 400 at Daytona, and I was at a doctors appointment for a physical. I wore that year's Budweiser hat and when my doctor walked in saw the hat, instead of making the usual small talk she started talking about the race 2 days before about how awesome and exciting it was Jr won that race., she wasn't even a fan. No driver around right now moves the casual fan, and it might be that way for a while.
 
Harvick made some good points and he's not really ripping Jr in my opinion. He's just stating facts, NASCAR would be in alot better shape had Jr actually won more and was a threat to win a championship. I understand why people are fans of his but his performance has driven some away from him and I imagine some away from the sport as well.
 
Snappy D said:
So true. I remember when in 2001 when he won the Pepsi 400 at Daytona, and I was at a doctors appointment for a physical. I wore that year's Budweiser hat and when my doctor walked in saw the hat, instead of making the usual small talk she started talking about the race 2 days before about how awesome and exciting it was Jr won that race., she wasn't even a fan. No driver around right now moves the casual fan, and it might be that way for a while.
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It's not often such an emotional situation happens in racing. The kids dad had died 5 months prior and NASCAR happened to be huge at the time.



I'll be honest, I think Harvick is very well-represented amongst fans. He's got a **** ton of them, himself.



As far as the next driver to take over and turn people on to racing, probably none.... you can't blame the lack of interest on the sport on these "boring" young kids. That's ridiculous..... If anyone can do it though, at this point, it might be Blaney. His fan base is really growing quite large. Larson is gaining a ton of fans as well. Same with Elliott-even though he's a bust :D
 
Snappy D said:
So true. I remember when in 2001 when he won the Pepsi 400 at Daytona, and I was at a doctors appointment for a physical. I wore that year's Budweiser hat and when my doctor walked in saw the hat, instead of making the usual small talk she started talking about the race 2 days before about how awesome and exciting it was Jr won that race., she wasn't even a fan. No driver around right now moves the casual fan, and it might be that way for a while.
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This is what NASCAR is lacking - these interactions. NASCAR was on fire in the early 2000s and Jr. was at the heart of it all. Son of a legend, winning races and getting better every year, the sky was the limit. Then he won 4 races from 2005-2013 while remaining the most popular driver each year. It is not farfetched to wonder how things may have been different.

IMO Harvick said what many have thought or wondered... whether he should of said it or it needed to be said is another story. Ratings booster I guess.
 
Snappy D said:
So true. I remember when in 2001 when he won the Pepsi 400 at Daytona, and I was at a doctors appointment for a physical. I wore that year's Budweiser hat and when my doctor walked in saw the hat, instead of making the usual small talk she started talking about the race 2 days before about how awesome and exciting it was Jr won that race., she wasn't even a fan. No driver around right now moves the casual fan, and it might be that way for a while.
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I know exactly what you mean as I could walk up and down the street decked out in Kyle Busch or Jimmie Johnson attire and people wouldn't even raise their heads. Maybe part of the problem is that Nascar doesn't market these guys or if they have some program it just doesn't work. I know a lot of drivers do a lot of great things for disadvantaged people so that would be a really good in to introduce these guys to the general public, IMO.
 
Simple Fan said:
Harvick made some good points and he's not really ripping Jr in my opinion. He's just stating facts, NASCAR would be in alot better shape had Jr actually won more and was a threat to win a championship. I understand why people are fans of his but his performance has driven some away from him and I imagine some away from the sport as well.
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On one hand Nascar could have been in better shape if Dale Jr won more races and an champ or 2 but the flip side to that is you would have all the conspiracy theorists whining about how Nascar is corrupt and ensured he would win in order to keep the series relevant.

The best thing that could happen for Nascar right now is for Dale Jr to attach himself to one driver like Byron and be seen anywhere and everywhere with him wearing the #5 gear and promoting the heck out of him. Jeff Gordon should have done the same thing with Elliott as when Dale Jr and Jeff speak Nascar fans listen.
 
DUN24 said:
It's not often such an emotional situation happens in racing. The kids dad had died 5 months prior and NASCAR happened to be huge at the time.



I'll be honest, I think Harvick is very well-represented amongst fans. He's got a sh!t ton of them, himself.



As far as the next driver to take over and turn people on to racing, probably none.... you can't blame the lack of interest on the sport on these "boring" young kids. That's ridiculous..... If anyone can do it though, at this point, it might be Blaney. His fan base is really growing quite large. Larson is gaining a ton of fans as well. Same with Elliott-even though he's a bust :D
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Anything is possible but I am with you as I don't see anyone currently in Cup that could transcend the series like Dale Jr and Jeff have.
 
I've said for years that Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s biggest advantage is his name. I've also said that his biggest disadvantage is ... also his name.

I think Kevin's off base on this one. Popularity has plenty of sources besides performance. Jr.'s job is to drive a car. Regardless of how well he does that, carrying NASCAR and all its related industries isn't in his contract. If his performance isn't what it could be, he's certainly represented the sport well as a personality and historian.
 
Who's to say that after Jr retires, JJ doesn't get the notoriety that Harvick thinks Johnson deserves. :rolleyes:
 
Proof that name and popularity go a long way in this sport:

Kasey Kahne in 202 starts at HMS:

6 wins, 35 Top 5's, 71 Top 10's. Being released at the end of this year.

Dale Earnhardt Jr's first 202 starts at HMS:

2 wins, 33 Top 5's, 74 Top 10's. Still has his ride four years later and will only be out of it next year because he's retiring.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
Didn't live up to the hype? When he inherited Sr.'s ride, there wasn't any talk about him winning championships. Which was why his win in Atlanta was so memorable, NOBODY expected that to happen.

Kevin Harvick is a Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion, a Daytona 500 champion*, a winner of the Coca-Cola 600, a winner of the Brickyard 400 and is a first-ballot Hall of Fame
driver.

(* Denotes Mark Martin should have won the 2007 Daytona 500)

I think he's had a pretty good career.
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Yup after that win he thought he was the 2nd coming and would have fans and support as much as Sr. It never happened. That's the type of hype I'm referring to. Probably wrong term I'm using. He still isn't a pimple on the old mans ass.
 
ToyYoda said:
Proof that name and popularity go a long way in this sport:

Kasey Kahne in 202 starts at HMS:

6 wins, 35 Top 5's, 71 Top 10's. Being released at the end of this year.

Dale Earnhardt Jr's first 202 starts at HMS:

2 wins, 33 Top 5's, 74 Top 10's. Still has his ride four years later and will only be out of it next year because he's retiring.
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You forgot the 7 wins between 14 and 15 during which JJ won 9, Gordon won 5 and Kahne won once... and until Indy hadn't won since that one win in 2014
 
Love that harvick knew dale jr win total for the last decade... I guess "yap yap mouth" took some time out of his record setting trail blazing 2017 season to look at some dale jr stats...
 
Snowman said:
You forgot the 7 wins between 14 and 15 during which JJ won 9, Gordon won 5 and Kahne won once... and until Indy hadn't won since that one win in 2014
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I didn't forget them, they came after Junior's 202nd HMS start, which is how many starts Kahne has with HMS. The point I'm making is that if Dale Jr wasn't Dale Jr, he probably wouldn't have been around in '14 and '15 to get those wins.
 
Snowman said:
You forgot the 7 wins between 14 and 15 during which JJ won 9, Gordon won 5 and Kahne won once... and until Indy hadn't won since that one win in 2014
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for sure, completely evident that based on long term past performance Kahne needed to go. nothing like cutting his legs out from under him when he is a contender like the preacher did.
 
StandOnIt said:
for sure, completely evident that based on long term past performance Kahne needed to go. nothing like cutting his legs out from under him when he is a contender like the preacher did.
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If some car owner would have Jamie McMurray and Kasey kahne on week to week contracts I honestly think they would lead the win column...
 
ToyYoda said:
I didn't forget them, they came after Junior's 202nd HMS start, which is how many starts Kahne has with HMS. The point I'm making is that if Dale Jr wasn't Dale Jr, he probably wouldn't have been around in '14 and '15 to get those wins.
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no doubt, but again Jr was paying his own way and being profitable in a sport where that matters in many cases more than performance. Jr fans wanted him to be on the track and were willing to pay to see it. Kahne couldn't hold sponsorship anymore.
 
Don't want to give too much attention to Harvick's yap, but I don't think that Junior deserved to be taken out on a stage where Harvick calls the shots. Have Junior call in, and then spew. Lots of words to describe what he did, none of them good.
 
Revman said:
Don't want to give too much attention to Harvick's yap, but I don't think that Junior deserved to be taken out on a stage where Harvick calls the shots. Have Junior call in, and then spew. Lots of words to describe what he did, none of them good.
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He has a point though, winners are always celebrated in any sport.

Petty, Earnhardt Sr., Bobby Allison, Yarbrough, Roberts, etc.

They are known and legacies are there because of winning. Jr has a great following because of his name, but he's paved his own legacy IMHO and has nothing else to prove. This is why Stewart and Gordon retirements received more attention IMHO, they are/were champions of the sport.
 
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