They are colorful, intensely loyal, and outspoken. They are the Junior Nation.
From Daytona to Martinsville, fans of Dale Earnhardt, Jr. pack the grandstands and salute their leader.
Judging from the Food City 500 at Bristol Motor Speedway, the Dale Jr. disciples are becoming increasingly restless.
For what almost certainly are a number of reasons, Earnhardt continues to sputter despite driving for NASCAR’s most powerful organization in Hendrick Motorsports. But much of the blame centers on Earnhardt’s crew chief and cousin, Tony Eury, Jr.
To put it mildly, the exchanges between Earnhardt and Eury during races can be harsh. Some fans and media types believe all that fussing and cussing is destructive.
Those critics must not be listening to the animated scanner conversations with Kyle Busch and his crew. While it’s mostly for comic relief, Busch refers to his crewmen as “ladies.”
Other theories for the fall of Earnhardt range from a lack of physical fitness and focus to various mechanical gremlins on the No. 88 National Guard-Amp Energy Chevrolet.
During a wide-ranging press conference Friday at BMS, Earnhardt attempted to deflect some of the attacks on Eury while accepting some of the blame for his lackluster finishes.
Earnhardt even implied that he simply wanted to “have fun” with racing. That only added fuel to the theory of Earnhardt needs a big dose of focus.
After his 14th-place finish Sunday at BMS, Earnhardt languishes 19th in Sprint Cup standings.
Meanwhile back at the track, Busch, the arch-nemesis to the Earnhardt Nation, is having plenty of fun.
Remember that team owner Rick Hendrick basically traded the fiery Busch to the laidback Earnhardt after the 2008 season.
Busch has won 10 races since he was unceremoniously dumped, and he also has made several subtle digs at Earnhardt along the way during interviews.
As Earnhardt searches for the fun in racing, Busch is making history on his terms. And judging by his actions and attitude, Busch doesn’t really seem to care about popularity.
For good reason, track promoters, television programmers and souvenir handlers are praying for an Earnhardt revival. The son of the seven-time NASCAR champion is good for business.
According to the Street & Smith’s SportsBusiness Daily, Sunday’s broadcast of the Food City 500 on Fox dropped 18 percent from 2008.
There were also reports of fans leaving their seats Sunday when it became apparent that Busch, and not Earnhardt, would conquer Bristol Motor Speedway.
At some tracks on the NASCAR circuit, it appears that three-fourths of the crowd is dressed in Earnhardt apparel or colors. Can you see why the leaders of this sport want Earnhardt to perform better?
Earnhardt fans monitor their man on every lap and pit stop, then moan about his misfortune.
Many drivers would love to have the resume of Earnhardt. Yes, Earnhardt has won been voted as NASCAR’s most popular driver six straight seasons, but he’s also won 18 Sprint Cup races and two Nationwide Series championships.
With his rowdy ways and love of music, Earnhardt has also made racing cool to younger folks.
But, fair or not, that resume is not nearly enough to satisfy the Junior Nation.
agregory@bristolnews.com|(276) 645-2544
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