JR Motorsports shakeup sends Keselowski to school with Pops Eury
Doug Guthrie/Detroit News
Rochester Hills' Brad Keselowski is getting a new crew chief on the No. 88 Navy sponsored car he drives in NASCAR's Busch series for Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s JR Motorsports. Wes Ward is leaving the team and Tony Eury Sr. will crew chief for the rest of this season.
This is mixed news for our local guy because getting the same crew chief who was selected by Dale Earnhardt Sr. to mentor and mold the young Dale Earnhardt Jr. has got to be a thrill.
But, Keselowski had talked earlier this season about measuring success not only by improving week-to-week with stronger finishes, but also by building communication with team members. The relationship between crew chief and driver is essential in NASCAR's style of long-distance racing. Those two must learn to understand each other perfectly. Think Jimmy Johnson and Chad Knaus. Think Tony Stewart and Greg Zipadelli. OK, maybe not this week after what happened in Kansas with Stewart's worn out tire, but I think you get the picture.
It's going to be interesting to see in the next few races what Tony Sr. gets out of the 23-year-old Keselowski.
Eury has said, "I remember Dale coming up to me and asking if I could make a driver out of Dale Jr. My remark to him was I don't know why we can't. Why would you want to spend money on someone else's kid when you can spend money on your own kid?"
He certainly succeeded. With Uncle Tony as his crew chief, the rookie Earnhardt Jr. collected 13 wins, 34 top-five finishes and back-to-back Busch Series championships in 1998 and 1999. They came as a pair to the Cup series in 1999 through 2004, winning 15 races, an All-Star race and the Daytona 500. His son, Tony Eury Jr. took over in 2005 and he will also leave Dale Earnhardt Inc. after Sunday's race at Talladega to join Hendrick Motorsports to begin early setup on Earnhardt's No. 88 cars for next season.
If I was a young race driver, I think I'd be excited about the chance to go to school with "Pops" Eury sitting on the pit box and his experience on the radio.
Other activities planned for the increasingly busy JR Motorsports includes scheduling a star-studded cast to drive the No. 5 car now that Hendrick Motorsports is sending its Nationwide Series operation over to Dale Jr.'s shop. Landon Cassill will be behind the wheel most of the races, but Dale Jr. will drive the car at least five times, Jimmy Johnson will probably drive it at Lowes and California Speedways and Casey Mears will probably get a few races too.
Doug Guthrie/Detroit News
Rochester Hills' Brad Keselowski is getting a new crew chief on the No. 88 Navy sponsored car he drives in NASCAR's Busch series for Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s JR Motorsports. Wes Ward is leaving the team and Tony Eury Sr. will crew chief for the rest of this season.
This is mixed news for our local guy because getting the same crew chief who was selected by Dale Earnhardt Sr. to mentor and mold the young Dale Earnhardt Jr. has got to be a thrill.
But, Keselowski had talked earlier this season about measuring success not only by improving week-to-week with stronger finishes, but also by building communication with team members. The relationship between crew chief and driver is essential in NASCAR's style of long-distance racing. Those two must learn to understand each other perfectly. Think Jimmy Johnson and Chad Knaus. Think Tony Stewart and Greg Zipadelli. OK, maybe not this week after what happened in Kansas with Stewart's worn out tire, but I think you get the picture.
It's going to be interesting to see in the next few races what Tony Sr. gets out of the 23-year-old Keselowski.
Eury has said, "I remember Dale coming up to me and asking if I could make a driver out of Dale Jr. My remark to him was I don't know why we can't. Why would you want to spend money on someone else's kid when you can spend money on your own kid?"
He certainly succeeded. With Uncle Tony as his crew chief, the rookie Earnhardt Jr. collected 13 wins, 34 top-five finishes and back-to-back Busch Series championships in 1998 and 1999. They came as a pair to the Cup series in 1999 through 2004, winning 15 races, an All-Star race and the Daytona 500. His son, Tony Eury Jr. took over in 2005 and he will also leave Dale Earnhardt Inc. after Sunday's race at Talladega to join Hendrick Motorsports to begin early setup on Earnhardt's No. 88 cars for next season.
If I was a young race driver, I think I'd be excited about the chance to go to school with "Pops" Eury sitting on the pit box and his experience on the radio.
Other activities planned for the increasingly busy JR Motorsports includes scheduling a star-studded cast to drive the No. 5 car now that Hendrick Motorsports is sending its Nationwide Series operation over to Dale Jr.'s shop. Landon Cassill will be behind the wheel most of the races, but Dale Jr. will drive the car at least five times, Jimmy Johnson will probably drive it at Lowes and California Speedways and Casey Mears will probably get a few races too.
