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Cannot blame the chief, JR could have pulled into the pits - on his own free will.

Um, yeah right Bond. Jr has been so close only to have pit strategy backfire in a couple of races this year.

I am checking our JR Motorsports tomorrow....anyone need a T or Hat?

Give it up. Everytime something doesn't happen the way JR. fans want, then they blame everyone. Hey Jr Fans, things have changed with Jr., NASCAR, with the new team and so forth, but he is not going to win every race. And the way it is going with Gibbs and the Toyota's, he might have no chance at a win this year. The year of the Hendrick Motor Sport is gone. They should have kept Kyle Busch and get rid of Mears. No offence Casey I still can not figure out how you get rid of one of NASCAR's best driver at this time and keep a driver that has little success. Good job getting Jr. Mr. Hendricks, but what were you thinking.......Mears over Kyle Busch. Money can't be an issue, you have been the premier race team for the past several years. I would have fired the person who made that decision.

Jack Man Rob I will take a hat and a T. Don 't mean to be a lush. but that would be great, Thanks!

Jackman, let me get back to you on that T or a Hat. My chef buddy likes Little E and was given a hat last year by his friend that works for Jr's Natiowide team with the NAVY sponsor. It was autographed by Jr but he may want one of his Cup Car hats from this year. If he does I guess we could stop by and pick it up this weekend.

As for this article...consistancy is the key. NASCAR is like a lot of sports now where you have two seasons. The regular season and the playoffs. Right now the key is to get into the chase. Once that happens the season starts over. So finsishing 5th is nothing to scoff at. Yes, everyone wants to win but it's still early in the season, still a new stable for Jr to be working out of and consistantly finishing in the top 10 is crucial to get to the chase. So for any Jr fans that are upset they didn't pit...there's a reason Eury Jr is a crew chief and you sit and watch on Sundays.

We need to remember that most Nascar fans and all of Junior's fans were not the first people in line when they handed out brains. Ask any Junior fan the same question and you'll get the same response "I love Junior and I hate so and so."

Tells you alot right there.

Tribe, I think you are forgetting about the bonus points for wins. Those points can make a big difference in making the chase and winning the chase. Like last year, did anyone really think Jimmie of Jeffie could be caught, once the chase started?

hey jackman.... if you remember I said this 3 days ago.. i sad in here that the jr fans would blame ury jr.......low and behold.... look what happens... nascar is turning to the blame game..... see who you can blame ........ but you can bet ain't anyone gonna blame jr...... oh no.... lol this is funny
the dr.

I agree Archie...but like I said, it's early in the season. We've raced what, 5 or 6 races. He'll get his wins, no sense in all the Jr fans to get their panties in a wad this early considering he didn't pit and was third and finished 5th. We'll never know what would have happened if he had pitted. Maybe the jack fails, a lug nut gun breaks, he speeds on pit road, gets a bad tire and finishes worse than 5th. Then all the Jr fans would be crying that they should just have stayed out on the track. It's like throwing a football. 3 things can happen and 2 of the 3 are bad. Do he lost 2 positions in a race going from 3rd to 5th in a a season of races that hasn't even reached 10 races yet. Big Whoop. He'll get his wins, no sense whining this early.

Ouch Jr bashing this morning. Okay, no problem guys on the orders. Send me your credit card numbers and I will take care of it lol

Yea, I'll get that right to ya Rob! Actually me and my friend are going to the Checkers game tonight and we are both off tomorrow. I'll see what his wife and kids are doing tomorrow and maybe we'll take a trip over to Jr Motorsports ourselves. Someone that Troy knows helped Jr. design or work the deal with his candybar and she's been quizzing Troy on if he would want to cater a lunch for Jr Motorsports some afternoon. If it works out I'll let you know, maybe we can get you to help us. Not the same as Jr going to Troy's house but close enough I guess.

See you there Tribe. Of course I assume that they are open on Good Friday. A lot of business are closed in the "bible belt".

I remember Doc, and it would be hard to complain as Jr or a Jr fan with his standing right now....he is looking good. This article should be about Jimmie's 48 doing below par for that team.

I can call the guy that works for the NAVY car and find out what is happening there tomorrow. Because if I'm correct, the Nationwide series runs this week but the Cup cars do not...correct? I'm too lazy this morning to look it up.

Rev. DaveyJ == As for your remark as to Jr ,,look where he has finished so far
this year = not to shabby = Now as for Mears over the punk Busch = Jr
was picked for many reasons = but most of all was the fact Kyle walked
away from his car and team during a race =and Jr got in that car and
finished the race for HMS that was the main reason.

Let me know Tribe. Yeah, you are right....believe they are in Nashville Sat.

Blaming is a waste of time and energy.....yeah , I know that is human nature..... Eury worries me sometimes, but going forward, E Jr and E jr need to work on better strategies and learn as much as possible from this to get better and win.......and as many of you said, being 6th in the chase so far is so much better than last year and not shabby at all.

Besides, gambling your strategies in the last few laps is what makes racing so interesting, .....it pays off for some and not for others.

I don't understand why it is even in question? I am a jr fan...I know that entails being roped into some pretty lame demographics, but I will stack my technical,historical and anecdotal knowledge of Nascar up against anybody.
In saying' that; I just don't think jr has all that is necessary to arbitrarily make ad hoc decisions, such as the risk assesment involved with pitting late or not.
He really does depend on the crew-chief to make these decisions. Not that it is a slight: But how many times have we heard jr utter some instructions from his car like, " count me down...Keep talkin' to me..." Why? I'm not quite certain, but maybe he just needs some kind of control words, for focus or something. I just don't think he spends too much time thinking of anything other than the "moment" and he really isn't planning much strategy as he is driving.
It wouldn't be the first time a driver leaned heavily on his crewchiefs gameday strategy to win races (kenseth used to when it was Reiser...The most recent case of success). I truly think this is the missing ingredient this year, and it is a shame that jr wasn't willing to just let Hendrick find someone to pair up with him.
Spare me the attacks as a jr apologist...I am just tryin' to make a reasoned assesment.

johnnyrunner....I did not mean for Dale Jr to be talking stategy while driving, I meant pre race and post race. I agree the driver has to depend heavily and trust his crew chief, to make those decisions and risk assessments.......however, many of the drivers occassionally disagree with their crew chief (don't mean fighting). After all they are feeling the car and what it is doing or not doing.

I don't expect anyone to remember my comments from last year, but I was very vocal about my concerns of Eury going with Jr. Generally, he has not inspired a lot of confidence in me. whilst at DEI and I was hoping Jr would leave him behind, or at least that the HMS influence would remove my doubts about him.
As for the situation in the above topic, I think it was simply a judgement call that failed.......but can sometimes work, if luck is with you.

i am a huge jr fan and i dont blame eury jr. dale jr even stated after the race that he was glad they finished fifth and didnt' pit. he was happy with his race result and everything. it wasnt like oteher fans needed someone to blame. i think hte blame game is getting old with drivers. as a jr fan i want to say that we need to realize jr cant win every time and it will be ok if he dsnt.