What is it about Dale Earnhardt Jr that made him NASCAR Most Popular Driver 14 times in a row?

dpkimmel2001 said:
I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.
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Don't worry, only Kyle Busch fans could even fathom the notion Dale and Kyle are anything alike. If you need to feel better about it, watch the 1990 Daytona 500 and last years Xfinity race from California. You'll feel better.
 
Lucky sperm club initially.....but he's a good guy. Clean driver, relatable, doesn't seem to take himself too serious, not above his fans or just race fans in general. I found myself rooting against him because his throng of annoying fans but it's almost impossible to dislike the man.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
Not even close in my eyes. As a long time fan of the sport and of the man himself, I couldn't disagree more.
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And I couldn't disagree with you more, from a drivers standpoint I think they a very similar in driving style. Personality wise I think they are similar in some aspects as well. While Dale seemed to be a bit more caring neither really cared to piss others off. Dale also had a large group of fans that hated him. We don't have to agree but I'll let you know how I feel about the matter
 
I don't think Kyle drives ANYTHING like Dale Sr. As much as I don't care for Kyle, I've never seen him take a cheap shot at somebody or otherwise intimidate them. If Kyle is faster, he just goes around you, not try to go through you. Outside of the car, they couldn't be more different. About the only thing I see in common is excellent car control.
 
Formerjackman said:
I don't think Kyle drives ANYTHING like Dale Sr. As much as I don't care for Kyle, I've never seen him take a cheap shot at somebody or otherwise intimidate them. If Kyle is faster, he just goes around you, not try to go through you. Outside of the car, they couldn't be more different. About the only thing I see in common is excellent car control.
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You're kidding right? He's done this kind of stuff throughout his career. He doesn't intimidate, he just crashes them out.

 
no way KDB is like Dale Sr. Dale Sr had this way about him even if crashed you as a driver you couldnt hate him. Not so with KDB.
The fans sure hated Sr, but the drivers all seemed to feel differently at their core.
 
Formerjackman said:
I don't think Kyle drives ANYTHING like Dale Sr. As much as I don't care for Kyle, I've never seen him take a cheap shot at somebody or otherwise intimidate them. If Kyle is faster, he just goes around you, not try to go through you. Outside of the car, they couldn't be more different. About the only thing I see in common is excellent car control.
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Bush is a bigger crybaby and cheapshot artist than his brother was.
 
Formerjackman said:
I don't think Kyle drives ANYTHING like Dale Sr. As much as I don't care for Kyle, I've never seen him take a cheap shot at somebody or otherwise intimidate them. If Kyle is faster, he just goes around you, not try to go through you. Outside of the car, they couldn't be more different. About the only thing I see in common is excellent car control.
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I disagree. Lots of cheap shots taken by Dale Earnhardt. He made Ayrton Senna look like a choirboy, and that's not easy to do.
Lots of cheap shots by Kyle too... for example THIS YEAR driving through Logano at Las Vegas. It wasn't pretty "back in the day," and it's not pretty now. I'm all for aggressive driving, but I hate dirty driving. Most of the time, there is a clear distinction between the two. Kevin Harvick and Kyle Busch go over that line more than any other active driver. Just my $0.02.
 
this has turned into who is the dirtiest driver thread. BTW Bill Elliott took his name off of the 2002 voting ballot for the most popular driver vote. I wonder if any of the others have done that?
 
StandOnIt said:
this has turned into who is the dirtiest driver thread. BTW Bill Elliott took his name off of the 2002 voting ballot for the most popular driver vote. I wonder if any of the others have done that?
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I'm pretty sure that was 2001 as a one year nod to Dale Earnhardt, awarded posthumously. The next year, Bill was among the selections again..... which he won.
 
I'm sure everyone involved knows this isn't a statistically accurate polling process. While a driver might enjoy winning the award, I suspect it means more to his publicist and NASCAR's.
 
sdj said:
NO
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Kind of is, I know its something people don't want to acknowledge but its true. Kyle Busch is more like Dale Earnhardt than any other driver today. Not saying he is just like him but there are similarities in the two.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
I'm pretty sure that was 2001 as a one year nod to Dale Earnhardt, awarded posthumously. The next year, Bill was among the selections again..... which he won.
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Elliott took his name off the ballot after 2002. I got that wrong, he won it in 2002. 2003 started the Jr era.
 
Pat said:
Redneck refers to the working class. I can't figure out why that is derogatory but most people think it is.
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My grandfather was a real redneck which referred to their red necks from working in the oil fields of east Texas. He also worked on the 1st offshore drilling rig which was on Caddo Lake in East Texas I have photos of this event.
 
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Simple Fan said:
Throw up all you want because its true
Kyle Busch is the closest thing we got to Dale Earnhardt in today's NASCAR.
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Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt both breathed oxygen. That's about the extent of their similarity.

Busch is the epitome of a peddle to the mat driver. Give him a fast piece, and he'll drive the wheels off it. Ask him to do anything beyond that, and he mentally implodes.

Dale was the king of getting something out of nothing. The man got more out of an 8th place racecar than anyone he ever competed against. I'd argue the closest we have in the current garage are JJ and Keselowski.
 
JBone88 said:
Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt both breathed oxygen. That's about the extent of their similarity.

Busch is the epitome of a peddle to the mat driver. Give him a fast piece, and he'll drive the wheels off it. Ask him to do anything beyond that, and he mentally implodes.

Dale was the king of getting something out of nothing. The man got more out of an 8th place racecar than anyone he ever competed against. I'd argue the closest we have in the current garage are JJ and Keselowski.
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I definitely agree with the Keselowski part. I've long thought he is more similar to Sr than anybody right now.
 
Bowtie3 said:
I definitely agree with the Keselowski part. I've long thought he is more similar to Sr than anybody right now.
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Brad doesn't have the good ol' boy charm. But his aggressive driving style, ability to rub others the wrong way, and say whatever is on his mind personality definitely remind me of a young Earnhardt when he was coming up.
 
You guys much watch a different Kyle Busch than I because he makes some other the most aggressive moves on the track. I understand the Keselowski comparison as well and believe him and Kyle a very similar as well, why they butt heads all the time.
 
JBone88 said:
Brad doesn't have the good ol' boy charm. But his aggressive driving style, ability to rub others the wrong way, and say whatever is on his mind personality definitely remind me of a young Earnhardt when he was coming up.
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His family history does as well, but yeah, he definitely does not have that good ok boy charm.
 
JBone88 said:
Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt both breathed oxygen. That's about the extent of their similarity.

Busch is the epitome of a peddle to the mat driver. Give him a fast piece, and he'll drive the wheels off it. Ask him to do anything beyond that, and he mentally implodes.

Dale was the king of getting something out of nothing. The man got more out of an 8th place racecar than anyone he ever competed against. I'd argue the closest we have in the current garage are JJ and Keselowski.
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yes he was, if you ever listen to him on the scanner at the end of the race even if he was a lap or more down he wanted to know who he had to pass to gain as many points as he could he was always racing someone for points.
 
BOWTIE GUY said:
yes he was, if you ever listen to him on the scanner at the end of the race even if he was a lap or more down he wanted to know who he had to pass to gain as many points as he could he was always racing someone for points.
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And...... no matter where he finished..... I can't recall him ever whine or cry or blame someone else for his finish..... or.... why he didn't finish..... he was tough as nails ...... I was never a SR. fan..... but...... I always respected him for how he could take a mediocre car and get a good finish from it..... and at the end of the race..... if he had a bad day..... the reporters were trying to interview him...... they had to run to keep up with him .... but..... he always answered them with the best quips....
 
If were making comparisons I'd say Keselowski is like Earnhardt and Kyle is like DW.
 
blue92 said:
My grandfather was a real redneck which referred to their red necks from working in the oil fields of east Texas. He also worked on the 1st offshore drilling rig which was on Caddo Lake in East Texas I have photos of this event.
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You might be a Redneck if you go off shore drilling on a land locked lake. Here's your sign.
sarcastic.gif
 
Formerjackman said:
I don't think Kyle drives ANYTHING like Dale Sr. As much as I don't care for Kyle, I've never seen him take a cheap shot at somebody or otherwise intimidate them. If Kyle is faster, he just goes around you, not try to go through you. Outside of the car, they couldn't be more different. About the only thing I see in common is excellent car control.
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Yeah, Senior would wreck you. Happened umpteen times.
 
Johali said:
You're kidding right? He's done this kind of stuff throughout his career. He doesn't intimidate, he just crashes them out.

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As soon as I got back to this thread, I KNEW somebody would mention that! I consider that a retaliation incident, not a rough driving incident. It's all a mater of opinion, but I don't see Kyle's driving STYLE at all like Earnhardt's, and I've been watching this stuff since 1981. I can't stand Kyle, and I never was an actual Earnhardt fan, so take it for what it's worth, but when I watch Kyle race, I don't think dirty driver, and I never get concerned when he gets near drivers that I like that anything bad will happen. I worry he will BEAT them, but not that he will WRECK them. With Earnhardt, I ALWAYS held my breath when he was around my guys. Dale would hit you just to get in your head. I will say that both are/were EXTREMELY talented drivers, among the absolute best in pure TALENT the series has ever seen.
 
TexasRaceLady said:
He doesn't pretend he's anything other
that what he is --- no pretensions.
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That there is one reason why fans love him. He comes off as just another guy lucky to have a ride. No big splash, not to good for others and many like me like him for his loyalty to his family.
 
Simple Fan said:
His dad was never the most popular until he died but Jr is completely different from his dad I believe Kyle Busch is more like Sr. than Jr. is. He's a good guy and people would like to see him do better but he does what he can. Had a good career and been a great ambassador for the sport.
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Lyle Bush in no way resembles Dale Sr and if you think so you never bothered to learn about the man. Dale was the first to step up to the plate when anyone in Nascar needed help. Much of his charity was never reported. Back in the day, cuppers would run Bush races to help draw the fans and then mysteriously break down and never challenge for the wins.

Kyle is a self centered egotistical spoiled ass
 
I think Kyle is a spoiled egotistical brat but I don't think he is dirty. He'll retaliate and rough you up if he doesn't like you but I don't remember many times he just wrecked or moves people for wins or positions.
Comparing him to Earnhardt is laughable. He is hardly intimidating and his boos from fans is due to his behavior off the track more than anything. Sr's boos were due to his rough driving and beating other drivers using that rough driving. Sr bitched as much as anyone else but you never saw a tantrum and was usually humble in victory and loss. Usually.
 
Simple Fan said:
His dad was never the most popular until he died .
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Without ANY question, after about 1987, Dale Sr. was CLEARLY the most popular driver in NASCAR by a WIDE margin, rivaled all time only by Richard Petty. The fact that he never won a MPD award while alive is irrelevant, proven by fans in the stands, on the streets and at the souvenir counter. Voting for somebody is ONE thing. Dropping fifty bucks for a shirt and a hat is another thing, a more telling thing. He was also the most disliked driver of his era, and maybe ever, and that too played a role in his success. Dale Sr. stirred up passion for NASCAR every time his named was mentioned. Where I'm from (northern Indiana), in the years between about 1995 and 2005, if you saw ten people wearing NASCAR gear, 6 would be in Earnhardt gear, 3 in Gordon, and 1 for everybody else. Keep in mind Indiana likes to think of themselves as Jeff Gordon country. Before Gordon came on the scene, it was probably 8-2 or 9-1 in favor of Dale. I'm pretty sure for several years, Earnhardt and Gordon had more in souvenir sales than the other 41 drivers combined.
 
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