I've been a staunch supporter of Dale Jr. and Tony Jr., but something has to change.  Maybe they both need a brief separation.  I don't expect a good qualifying run when the driver can drive up through the pack. But every time Dale drives up through the pack, just as things are looking good, the car slides backward. This not the consistancy fans are looking for!
I don't believe it is the consistancy that Dale Jr. and Tony Jr. want either.  The small things are killing the team.  Tires rolling out of the box.  Loose lug nuts. This is the third time Dale's driven through his pit. They can't catch a break on luck either!  Stay out to run up front, and the caution never comes, or comes when they pit.
Now is the time, with a points week off for the All Star Race, to put something in place.  If Mr. Hendricks has an ace up his sleeve, now is the time to play it!

Martinsville is a tough little track.  I’ve been there and I love it!  I won’t even get into the red hotdog scenario.  It’s enough that they keep the prices down.  But I noticed during the race coverage that difficulties encountered by the teams were not being blamed on the crew chiefs.  Except when Dale Jr. started at the rear due to a transmission change. When the 8 blew the 3^rd tire in 100 laps, they mentioned it might be camber related.  But no one suggested the team needed to be shaken up.

This Week In Nascar is a great show.  I enjoy it every week.  But why is it that when Michael Waltrip bemoans David Reutimann running in the top ten and then finishing 20^th; Brian Vickers running so well, only to succumb to equipment failure; Kyle Bush, Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth having terrible days, that nobody is calling for the heads of the crew chiefs? 

Is this reserved for just Dale Jr. and Tony Jr.? 

Everyone is running the new car.  Several drivers started with new teams this year and many are struggling.  Where is the criticism, the constant hounding? Yes Dale Jr. and Tony Jr. fell early in the points.  But they’ve climbed back up to 16^th. Yes he’s made some mental errors during races.  Every driver out there has made some this year.  But the media seems to use a magnifying glass when criticizing the 88 team.  I’m really tired of the media!  Just because they say something, doesn’t make it true, no matter how many times they say it.  Now they’re suggesting that Michigan last year wasn’t a “real win” because of the weather.  So winning rain-shortened races, wins on fuel mileage, or because of an accident during a green – white – checkers aren’t real “wins”?

The media says Dale Jr. fans want change.  The only change Dale Jr. fans want is to see Dale Jr. win.  And he’s getting there, despite of the added media pressure.  I’ve been a NASCAR fan since 1972. I’ve been a Dale Jr. fan since 1998.  If there is one thing that stays constant in racing – it’s change! 

(thanks to Getty Images)

With a whole new format, the Bud Shootout was still exciting. Instead of pole winners, NASCAR picked the top 6 finishers for each manufacturer from 2008, then added a wild card from each manufacturer.  Carl Edwards was leading at the end of the first 25 lap segment.  There was a 10 minute break, and then in the 50 lap segment Dale, Jr. fans got to see him run fast and upfront – always a great way to start the season.  But Kevin Harvick provided the excitement – from last to first!  He even lost the draft twice!  Jamie McMurray is off to a strong season finishing second, running up front in the final segment, leading until Harvick flew by!

Tony Stewart, and the new Stewart-Haas Team, have to be proud.  He’s back in a Chevy, and both he and Ryan Newman had fast cars in Sunday’s 500 qualifying.  Thanks to the new Shootout rules, Tony got to drive in the race and finished a strong 3^rd. 

Chevrolet made a strong showing at Daytona this weekend.  Chevy’s finished 1^st, 3^rd and 4^th in the Shootout.  As well as the top four qualifying positions for the 500, with Martin Truex,Jr. on the Pole and Mark Martin on the outside, Ryan Newman 3^rd and Juan Montoya 4^th.  Bill Elliot posted the highest Ford in 5^th.

With the current economy, teams have been scrambling for sponsors, and for survival.  There have been several mergers and more than the usual driver changes. Although the Petty name is still present as a team owner, the number 45 is not present. It is sad not to have a Petty racing. 

These are tough times economically and emotionally.  Americans are holding onto money and jobs while dealing with the stress of a yo-yo stock market.  With the return of the big “3” to Washington, DC this week, eyes are turning toward the future of the auto industry. 

NASCAR teams Rousch Fenway, Joe Gibbs, Ganassi, Petty Enterprises, Bill Davis Racing, The Wood Brothers and Hendricks have reduced their staff.  This has resulted in almost 700 jobs lost in the Sprint Cup alone, and the recession is still worsening.  Humpy Wheeler has initiated a Motorsports Employment Task Force, to be administered by the North Carolina Motorsports Association to address the job loss issues. Hopefully they will be able to keep these out of work technicians in the region and provide them with the support and opportunity for new careers. “When you count up all the small teams too, that we don’t hear about, the Nationwide teams and smaller Truck teams, we likely have over 1,000 people losing their jobs,” commented Wheeler.  “Historically, those who lost jobs in the past moved back to their hometown states, and we lost them from the area.  The main thing is that we don’t lose them from the region.  This has major economic impacts to all of the community including non-motorsports related business.”

 FOX is talking to NASCAR and ESPN about ways to save money broadcasting the 2009 schedule: cutting down on the number of cameras, different opportunities for advertisers, sharing production trucks. “It’s something we’re very cognizant of.  Every business has been affected by the economy, and we’re just trying to stay ahead of those things.  Out content will still be there, but we’ve go to take a closer look at how we acquire that content,” said Rich Feinberg, ESPN Vice President of Motorsports. “Are there areas where we can be flexible?”