Dale Jr., bad guy

   

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is interviewed during the rain delay that ended Sunday's Daytona 500.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. might be the least likely bad guy in NASCAR history. Although he is by far his sport's biggest star, he seems almost unaware of his celebrity. I take that back. He knows he's a big deal. But he doesn't act like it. He is one of those people you have to work not to like.

   Earnhardt made that a little easier, however, after his performance in Sunday's Daytona 500. After two glaring miscues, after twice missing his pit box, he was a lap down. There was more urgency than usual because rain was about to fall. 

   Every team has its own weather expert. You expect to see 43 of them along the water on Daytona Beach, wind blown and rain splattered ,as they interrupt regular programming to talk about the pending storm.

   The rain was coming and Earnhardt wanted to get back on the lead lap and in contention now. He was coming fast and Brian Vickers blocked him and Earnhardt went low, way low, beneath the double yellow line. And then, instead of moving back onto the track and fitting into traffic, Earnhardt attempted to create space where none existed and popped Vickers from behind.

   Vickers spun and nine cars were caught up in the wreck, including Kyle Busch, Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards. With the big names out, the remaining 28 laps weren't nearly as exciting.

   Earnhardt did not appear to try to take out Vickers. But he didn't try to avoid him, either. He made a terrible, hot-headed mistake.

   Race fans paid.

    

Comments

[Howard Penny]

Dales big advantage is also his biggest disadvantage.Being a Jr. opened doors for him and set goals that are obtained by talent and equipment and maturity .Could one or more of these be in short supply? Man up, grow up, fess up!

[Diggy]

This is a crock of crap!!!!! Its about time he brought out some of the Earnhardt's tradition. "Intimidator" Jr.? That's what Nascar needs and is long overdue for...... by the way Vickers is an idiot.

[eze]

Looked clean to me. Go Jr!

[Randy]

Well, well does it really matter? The boy was excited and he had the hammer down with lots of safety equipment all around him and someone got in his way......it was only Vickers.....bump him and see what happens....Vicker should have stayed in the middle and not tried to block "the Man. Little E".....Jr needs to get his thoughts together and pointed in the right direction...this needs to be his year IF he is really wanting to win a CHAMPIONSHIP???? Come on Junior cut back on your time spent away from the shop....let Kelly and your staff run the business and go win a CHAMPIONSHIP...after you do that have a big party at your club, go ride 4-wheelers and tell everone how much you missed them while you were so busy winning a CHAMPIONSHIP!!!! OR just don't worry about that CHAMPIONSHIP stuff and make everyone around you millionares and live happily ever after....HEY Junior, My wife says you need to get married...I bet that would change things???? Hang in there!! It's fun watching you grow up......

[Andrew]

Completely disregard the backstretch incident involving Earnhardt and Vickers...

What was going on with Earnhardt in the pits? The miscues reflect everything but an attitude of "nail the stop".

I hate "ifs", but if Earnhardt hadn't screwed up his pit stops, he never would have been in the position he put himself in.

[Randy]

One more thing...get back into church and get your life focused on God first then every thing else will fall into place...

[Diggy]

Yeah he probably would have been the victim of the "other wreck" that would have taken out nine cars.

[daleslady88]

Everyone is entitled to a bad day everyone is acting like its a sin or something. sure missing his pit yes that was his fault, but the l-lap penalty was not it was the crew. as for the accident that was BRIAN VICKERS fault plain and simple. i love ya Junior dont worry win or loose, champion or not. your still #1 to me

[Diggy]

awwwww88........

[Diggy]

d's lady, bet you have to add an 8 when he switched over from dei? to the sticker on the back window of your truck?... i did.....

[SouthFloridaPanthersFanClub]

First of all Vickers was way aggressive trying to block Jr. and deserved it because he is a total ***clown. More importantly, It is clear from watching the replays that Junior didn't intend to wreck Vickers, he tried to squeeze into where he didn't fit.

[suzanne barnes]

Vickers is a whiner AND Dale Jr does NOT have a reputation for being a dirty racer. So everyone needs to hush up and say "that's racin".

[Tarheel Rambler]

How was the accident Vickers' fault when Junior hit him? So many members of Junior Nation are deaf, dumb and blind when it comes to him, it's not even funny. Dale, Jr's favorite tactic at Daytona and Taladega when he gets in the lead is to block. Given his actions when someone blocks him, I guess he becomes fair game to be taken out when he does that in the future.

It's also very telling when the majority of drivers seem to be taking issue with Junior's actions as well. When it comes down to figuring things out, the drivers are the ones that we should be paying attention to, and they're not happy with Junior's performance on Sunday. Just as Jeff Burton.

[JRFAN]

Referring to this comment "With the big names out, the remaining 28 laps weren't nearly as exciting." How was it exciting anyway with Schrub leading most of the race. This incident was the most exciting part espeacily when schrub got taken out. Sorry

[J]

Why is Dale Jr. the bad guy? When Dale Sr. did this kind of thing all the time people love him for it.

[steve]

As one relevant person once said.."That's racin."

[Former Jr. Fan]

He causes a wreck and blames it on the other guy. Like father like son.

[D. H.]

Tom, just stick with the NBA... it's "works" better for you.

[Diane Sadler]

That's Racin'

[Andy Houtz]

Two words: Plate Racing. Restrictor plates are the cause of these wrecks. Yes, I know they keep the speeds down and everyone safe. Yes, I know that fans love the close side by side racing. Personnally, I hate it. A racer should not have to have help from competitors to get to the lead. I hate that a person can finish a second off the lead and be in 15th place. They should cut down the banking at Daytona by half and get rid of the darn plates. The real racing begins next weekend.

[Alan]

Dale Jr = no talent hack that has ridden his daddy's coat tails to get all doors open for him. He is not even a hollow shell of what his father was.

[Briarhopper]

Sounds like a typical WWE wrestling story.

[tired of wimps]

Partly his Fault, Partly NASCARS fault, Partly everyone's fault. There are all kinds of unwritten rules, or gentlemen's agreements. They need to make another one. And it should say something to the affect of "If you pull down and block someone, they have every right to punt you, and you should expect it". What is funny is I have not seen one mentionn of the fact that vickers Punted Jr. and J.Johnson in '06 at Dega, and that was a race that mattered, it was a chase race. In fact that is how vickers got his only win, and that only win will be the only one of his career.

[Southern Sage]

You say that Dale Earnhardt Jr is one of those people you have to work not to like. Nah. I don't have to work hard at all to not like this FIGJAM (F, I’m good, just ask me).
I don't think the wreck was intentional, but Dale Earnhardt Jr was clearly the one that caused this wreck. As for the deafness and blindness of the members of Junior Nation, it reminds me of the same disease that affect those of the Yankee Nation. After all no Yankee Baseball player can ever do wrong. Just ask them, A-Rod NEVER cheated.

[Ben]

"The real racing begins next weekend" What a joke. You mean nap time starts next weekend.