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THE WEEKLY CHOKE REPORT

Earnhardt Jr. Bores Fan to Death! Finishes 6th.

November 9, 2008 Phoenix Arizona

In an unprecedented turn of events a Dale Earnhardt Jr. fan appeared to pass away during the late stages of the Checker O'Reilly Auto Parts 500 at Phoenix International Speedway yesterday after saying repeatedly, "Junior is the most boring driver I've ever seen."

Ron Sunderson of Tuscon came to the race with friends and family to cheer on his hero, Dale Earnhardt Jr. in person for the first time, but after watching the first three hundred laps finally realized what many have suspected all along: Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the most over rated driver in NASCAR and a day spent watching him drive without ever taking chances and being happy just maintaining his starting position is like a day spent watching a Heifer graze in a south pasture.

"As the race went on Ron's eyes closed more and more, like he was going into a trance." said Taryn Engle, Sunderson's cousin. "We kept telling him to focus on a driver that wants to win a race, like Jimmie or Carl or Kyle but he wouldn't do it... And it killed him!"

Preliminary reports appear to show that Sunderson's heart was lulled into stopping after the prolonged focus on Earnhardt Jr.'s race day and he passed away peacefully as Junior dropped one spot from his starting position of 5th to 6th in the last couple of laps.

"Even though Junior is so boring, usually something happens. He cuts a tire, or makes a mistake or stalls himself in the pits." said Reg Hartley of Santa Fe. "But today was just, I dunno, nothing. He didn't do anything and lots of people in green and red were sleeping under the bleachers. I'm surprised more people weren't bored to death."

There were reports of queasiness and other trance like states for members of Junior Nation at the race, but many chose to focus on much maligned driver A.J. Allmendinger who caused at least two major wrecks and was all over the track all day.

Jimmie Johnson won for the 7th time this season and as long as he drives in a "Junior-Like" un aggressive style next week, he should lock up his historic third straight Sprint Cup.

Earnhardt Gambles... Loses Again!

November 2, 2008 Texas Motor Speedway

Remember back in June when Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the race at Michigan? Everyone said "Get ready, Junior is going to take control now!" or "Watch out for Junior!"

Remember how Junior won that race? He did it gambling on fuel mileage so he must have felt like the race gods were on his side at the Dickies 500 last night when late in the race he had a choice to make... Pit for fuel or stay out and take a chance. He stayed out, ran out of gas, had to pit, stalled himself out and finished the race a paltry 20th.

It's getting pretty obvious that when Junior has the choice between winning while racing hard and winning with tricks and gimmicks he'll go for the gimmicks every time. That's what a lack of talent will make you do. How many drivers have skipped late pitstops for track position more then Earnhardt this year? None. How many drivers have won more races this year? Plenty.

Carl Edwards went on to finish first and put some needed pressure on Jimmie Johnson going into the final two races for the Sprint Cup and it will be nice having some drama to finish the season.

Earnhardt Jr. remains entrenched in 11th out of 12 cup qualifiers and is easily the biggest disappointment of the bunch and Junior Nation appears to be becoming fractured.

"I named my son Dale Jr." said Robert Schiller of Houston "But now I'm starting to have second thoughts. Can't he just try and win a race, by getting to the front and staying there. I'm naming my next son Biffle."

Earnhardt Jr. Fails To Crack Top Ten In Atlanta

October 27, 2008 Atlanta Motor Speedway

Dale Earnhardt Jr. couldn't keep his car on the track at the Pep Boys Auto 500 last night. After challenging the field with a possible top ten finish throughout most of the race he took his foot off the gas and turned up the complaining which was no surprise. Junior finished 11th.

Earnhardt appeared to be fighting his National Guard #88 all night long and was trying find his line at the top and bottom of the track but to no avail. While the race leaders continued to drive away from him, Junior tried not to wreck himself. He appeared to be trying to blow a tire.

Tony Eury Jr. got frustrated with Jr. about 3/4 of the way through the race when during a pit stop he couldn't get any information from his driver to help make an adjustment.

"It loose man! It's loose!" was Earnhardt's mantra as it usually is.

"What's it doing?" asked Eury. "What's it doing?"

The question was met by silence which was a microcosm of the #88's participation in the Race for the Cup this year. Silence. They haven't been a factor or challenged for anything other then a second at Martinsville that might have been a better finish with another driver behind the wheel.

Carl Edwards won the race and Jimmie Johnson looks poised to win an unprecedented third consecutive Sprint Cup finishing second. It's obvious that the cream is rising to the top and the over rated are finishing 11th.

Junior Blinks. Finishes Second!

October 17, 2008 Martinsville, Speedway

Dale Earnhardt Jr. had his best chance in his highly over rated career to win a race at the famed Martinsville short track on Sunday afternoon. The Tums Quickpak 500 came down to a Green, White, Checker ending and Junior started in second position at the re-start. The flag dropped, Junior blinked, Jimmie Johnson accelerated and that was the race.

It seems that every week Junior finds a way not to win. Sometimes it's "tires", sometimes it's incompetence, sometimes it's "dumb luck" and this times it was just falling apart under the pressure of the Junior nation.

“I didn’t have a good enough drive up off the corner to catch Jimmie,” said Earnhardt, who gained one position to ninth in the Chase for the NASCAR Sprint Cup standings but fell to 379 points behind his Hendrick Motorsports teammate. “They had such an excellent racecar. I did the best I could to protect my position.

“I didn’t have anything for Jimmie. His car was so awesome. We were spinning the tires up off the corner, and that’s where we got beat.”

Yeah, right. As the excuses mount and the goals that seemed attainable just a month ago drift away like the whisps of burnout rubber after a victory donut, Junior doesn't seem to mind. He just keeps up his consistent losing and breaking the heart of the Nation.

"I thought for sure Junior would win when it came down to a re-start, but he didn't even make it close. I'm starting to think he might not be as skilled as I thought." said Jeff Delvin of Aurora, Illinois.

October 11, 2008 Lowe's Motor Speedway

Junior Can't Handle The Heat Of The Chase... Again!

It was all right there for Junior Nation tonight at the Bank of America 500. The number 88 was starting in the top 10, Goodyear had assured all the race teams that the tires for the race would be up to specs and the weather was perfect. How could anything go wrong for Dale Earnhardt Jr.?

With what had amounted to a nightmare Chase for the Sprint Cup thus far, Junior was poised to turn things around and live up to the expectations of his vast sea of devotees. The stands were packed with screaming Junior followers decked out in their best green and red 88 garb, Jessica Simpson belted out a truly chesty version of our National Anthem, Olympic Gold Medalist Aaron Piersol gave the order for the drivers to start their engines and then, unfortunately for howling throng of the "nation" the race started.

Junior fell back, floated around the top 15, complained incessantly about being loose to Tony Eury Jr. and then finally had an excuse to stop competing when mercifully on lap 103 he cut a tire (again), hit the wall, went to the garage and was never a factor finishing thirty-sixth.

"While the car was in the garage I heard Junior trying to convince Tony not to make him go back out there." said an inside source. "Jessica Simpson was hanging out in there and Junior wanted to take her to Applebee's."

But Eury would have none of Junior's infatuation with the sultry Hollywood seductress and Junior finished the race in virtual pout mode, barely chirping on the radio to his team.

"Junior breaks my heart every week. I don't know why he can't get it together. Who hits the wall more then him? Who?" asked Holly Bertrom from Charlotte as she packed her 88 blanket, 88 beer coozy, 88 seat cushion and 88 foam finger into her 88 tote bag, looked sadly back at race winner Jeff Burtons post race celebration with his crew and all seventeen of his fans and grudgingly left Lowe's Motor Speedway.

October 5, 2008 Talladega

Earnhardt Too Nervous To Race - Crashes!

With the few wins Earnhardt Junior has been able to get in his NASCAR racing career, most have come in the restrictor plate format, so it's understandable why Junior Nation was excited about this week. With Junior fading in the points and tensions growing between him and owner Rick Hendrick, it seemed the perfect opportunity for him to show his boss, teammates and fans that he's not content to just make the chase and then fade into obscurity.

However, after running up front with the help of his teammates (past and present) Junior got scared and expressed his concern about the tires on the radio and wanted NASCAR officials to reassure the drivers that there were no problem with tires - that didn't happen.

After his radio communication Junior was visibly nervous and seemed to run as high as possible to try and avoid a hard collision should a tire fail, however, that proved to be the wrong place to be and proved you cannot compete in NASCAR when you're nervous, he slipped back a few spots and when when a crash occurred in front he had nowhere to go and crashed. A frustrated owner was seen just shaking his head - I think it's safe to say Junior maybe looking for a new team soon...maybe with Stewart?

Meanwhile, Tony Stewart showed that it's never to late to get back in contention and jumped several spots with the win. With an exciting 3 lap sprint to the finished Tony showed why he's a champion and was able to successfully block his way to his first win of 2008.

September 21, 2008 Dover, Delaware

Earnhardt Living Up To Expectations.

After a week in which Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports confirmed what over88ted.com has been saying for months about Dale Earnhardt Jr.s incessant whining and spoiled child syndrome, Junior followed it up with an expected 24th place finish in the Camping World RV 400 and drifted farther back in the point standings and now sits firmly in 9th.

On lap 144 the number 88 car cut a tire, spun and was never a factor, never led a lap and never challenged the leaders in the race . Greg Biffle took his second race in a row and moved to within 10 points of leader Carl Edwards.

Earlier in the week Hendrick had admonished Jr's childlike temper tantrums saying, "If you let things get to you, you will not win the Chase, You can't choke and that is what I am trying to get them not to do. I think they can be better. I know Tony (Eury Jr) will be better and can help [Earnhardt] more if he's calmer when he's giving him information."

Full Story: http://www.roanoke.com/sports/racing/wb/177035

Earnhardt's emotions are a symptom to another major issue -- he has a history of running well early in a race and fading late, costing him potential victories.

Randy Shaw of Boston said, "My wife and I love Junior, but it seems like when the pressure is on he just kind of stops trying. But he's a good guy."

Too bad being a good guy doesn't win races.

September 14, 2008 Loudon NH

Junior Has Fastest Car! Loses and Blames Tires.

Yesterday at the Sylvania 300 in Loudon New Hampshire Dale Earnhardt Jr. led 79 laps to the delight of Junior Nation, but then as expected, gave up the lead late in the race and finished fifth. Not a bad finish for a driver still trying to win his first championship, but disappointing for a driver with the fastest car on the track. Ask Junior:

"We had the fastest car on the track." Earnhardt Jr. said following his late fade. "We put on that one set of tires and we were a lot slower. It's too bad because the crew was good on pit road other then that one problem."

Tires? From the grandstands it looked more like Junior just got outraced by eventual winner Greg Biffle, Hendrick Teammate Jimmie Johnson and Carl Edwards. Three drivers that have showed late in the season that they're hungry for a championship. The pattern for the 88 team seems to be to start towards the top five, get to the front and then wilt under the heat of late race horsepower.

There are 9 races to go and Junior is currently tied for fourth in points with Jeff Burton at -50, but listed ahead of Burton in the standings by virtue of the win Tony Eury Jr. handed him with fuel strategy in May.

September 7, 2008 Richmond, Virginia

Earnhardt In But Still Can't Win

Dale Earnhardt treated his team and his fans to another expected dose of racing mediocrity when he started and finished fourth in the Chevy Rock and Roll 400 today in Richmond. Although Junior "loves this track" and actually (surprisingly) pulled off a win here way back in 2006 he seemed content with sitting back and holding onto his starting position. Hendrick teammate Jimmie Johnson won for the second week in a row and Tony Stewart finished a tight second in the final qualifying contest in the 'Race for the Chase.'

The final three slots for the Chase for the Sprint Cup were up for grabs and were locked up by Matt Kenseth, Jeff Gordon, Denny Hamlin and Clint Bowyer respectively. David Ragan and Kasey Kahne were both on the bubble and failed to challenge.

"Junior either doesn't want to win or he just can't win," said a source in the garage area after the race. "He always has a non driving related excuse and I know his team is frustrated."

"Junior has enough car! He just can't stay in front when he gets there! I'm getting sick of it!" spat Josh Stephens of Morgantown, West Virginia as he tore off his green Amp Energy t-shirt and slammed it to the ground. "He just can't keep up with the big boys in crunch time."

Earnhardt Jr. did lock up the fourth slot in the ten race Chase for the Sprint Cup which begins next week and his strategy of not trying to win could help him contend if he continues to stay unconcerned with victory. However, this week was only his second top ten finish in the past eleven races and drivers like Johnson, Stewart, Greg Biffle, Kevin Harvick, Hamlin, Kyle Busch and Carl Edwards have much more momentum going into the Chase and appear much more motivated.

You wonder how far back in the standings Earnhardt Jr. would be without the backing of Hendrick Motors sports and crew chief Tony Eury Jr.

September 1, 2008 Pepsi 500 - Fontana Cal.

Junior Locks Up Chase. Celebrates By Losing!

By the 60th lap in last nights Pepsi 500 Dale Earnhardt Jr. had secured himself a spot in this years Sprint Cup Championship Chase. At that point Earnhardt was running in the top ten and had been reeling in more talented driver slowly but steadily all afternoon. Unfortunately, for Junior Nation when Junior got the word he'd be in the Chase he took his foot off of the accelerator and drifted back to the rest of the field.

Earnhardt Jr. finished 11th, but it was obvious from the beginning that his Hendrick Motor sports Amp Energy Chevrolet had the horsepower to keep up with eventual race winner Jimmie Johnson and runner-up Greg Biffle. It was also obvious that it's driver was not motivated to be a factor in the race.

"Junior just wants to be part of the Chase. He knows he can't win it." said one observer. "It's obvious in a long race like this."

Number 88 crew chief, Tony Eury Jr. and the Amp Energy crew did everything they could to keep Junior in the race, but the driver just couldn't (or wouldn't) make it happen. When track turbulence broke a light standard from grandstands and it fell to the track an obviously shaken and stunned Earnhardt Jr. appeared to try to exit his car at the next pit stop, but was "talked into staying in the car and finishing the race" according to a source.

"I can't wait for the Chase to start. Juniors going to be fun to watch finish in the top twenty every week!" said Molly Tuffernan from Butte, Montana.

August 23, 2008 Bristol Tennessee

Earnhardt Loses Race Before It Starts!

Dale Earnhardt jr. seems to find a new and creative way to lose a race each week. At the 250 mile, 500 lap, night race at Bristol Earnhardt Jr. set a new standard for bad driving when he attempted to pass cars after the green flag dropped to start the race, but before crossing the start/finish line. This course of action got Junior black flagged on lap eight after officials reviewed his less than sportsman like tactics.

When Junior received the black flag he slowed his number 88 Amp Energy Chevrolet to 30 MPH and did the drive of shame down pit row and was never a factor again.

"Oh no!" cried the members of Junior Nation in unison. "Oh yes!" howled everybody else.

Junior spent the final 490 laps using all of his skill (or lack of..) to find a way onto the lead lap. He failed, yet because of teammate Jimmy Johnson's troubles he moved up a spot to third on the Sprint Cup Points list. Clint Bowyer meanwhile, wrecked his car, fell a lap down and still finished in the top ten.

Carl Edwards and Kyle Busch continued their rivalry finishing first and second respectfully, but Busch wasn't happy with the way Edwards passed him for the win and after the race broadsided the 99 with his 18. Edwards took offense and promptly spun Busch out. After the race Busch referred to Edwards as Mr. Ed and Edwards made no apologies for his driving.

Junior, of course was no where to be found.

August 18, 2008 - Michigan International Speedway

Junior Slams Into Wall On Purpose!

For the third week in a row the 88 team tried to pull off a race by using pit strategy it didn't work... again. It has to be frustrating for Tony Eury Jr. to know that his driver doesn't have the skills to pull out a win without using tricks, but he's doing what he can to keep Junior in position to win and he held Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the track in lap 180 when the leaders entered pit row during a caution.

Earnhardt (running ninth) moved into second place behind David Ragan, but began to fade quickly at the re-start and on lap 183, out of frustration, slammed the National Guard Chevrolet into the wall and finished 23rd.

"We just couldn't get the car right today." Earnhardt said. "It was too loose."

"That guy just can't drive a loose car!" said a source close to the action.

After starting the race in the fourth spot, moving into the lead and surprisingly holding it for much of the early going, the real Junior showed up and the expected results followed. Carl Edwards won the race in Michigan and Kyle Busch finished second. Junior held onto his fourth spot in the Sprint Cup Point standings, but the field continues to close on him and he'll be fortunate to stay in the top 5 at the rate he's sliding with The Chase approaching. Official NASCAR Point Standings

August 11, 2008 Watkins Glen, NY

Earnhardt Jr. drops to fourth in cup points as expected

Dale Earnhardt Jr. continued to show the world why he is possibly the worst road racer in NASCAR's Sprint Cup series when after starting second yesterday at Watkins Glen he dropped to a paltry 22nd place finish and lost 2 places in the cup standings.

Earnhardt's crew chief, Tony Eury Jr. is very aware of Junior's lack of road course skill and tried to use strategy to help the 88 win. He kept the blue and white bomber on the track late in the race while all of the leaders tapped pit row. Unfortunately the gamble failed when the caution flag flew and by the time Junior made his fuel stop he'd been slotted back to the 32nd position. You start to wonder if Earnhardt Jr. can win a race (or even contend) without using a gimmick such as pit strategy. He is slowly moving backwards in the points and that trend should continue.

Meanwhile, the man he replaced at Hendrick, Kyle Busch, just continues to dominate NASCAR in 2008. With his 8th Sprint Cup victory and road course sweep he has solidified himself as the best young driver in racing and should pass Junior in career wins sometime in 2010.

August 4, 2008 Pocono, PA

Junior finishes 12th to prove point

Friday, Dale Earnhardt Jr. loudly professed his desire to shorten the length of the five hundred mile race at Pocono Speedway to four hundred miles.

"It's a big, big race track," Earnhardt said. "It's no different really than running at Indy [the Allstate 400] and that's 160 laps. It's a 400-mile race and that's probably what this should be." Earnhardt continued, "I think the races are too long here, I think that's obvious. I think NASCAR thinks it's too long, but the people in charge of that will not change it for whatever reason. Just for spite maybe, I don't know. But they don't have to be out there running."

Sunday on the final lap of the rain delayed Sunoco Fuel-Red Cross 500, Earnhardt allowed his car to run out of fuel and fell from third place to twelfth showing the sellout crowd that the race truly was too long. Carl Edwards finished first for the fourth time this season followed by Tony Stewart. Both drivers reported they had no problems with the length of the race at the fabled triangle and an unnamed source said, "It seems like Junior wants to make the same money for less work."

July 12, 2008 Chicagoland

Earnhardt Gets Lost on Way to Chicagoland

Dale Earnhardt Jr. started the race in the second slot and then quickly faded away to become a complete non-factor at Chicagoland Speedway on Saturday night finishing 16th. There was a lot of talk at over88ted.com during the race that perhaps Junior had left the track and was occupying his time with something other then racing. If you hadn't seen him start the race in the front row you never would have known he was there... He had to make a pit early in the race and was never able to race his way back.

You know a guy had a bad race when A.J. Allmendinger beats him. The streak continues.

June 29, 2008 Loudon, New Hampshire

Nice job Junior! All he did was complain last week about road courses and then after starting in 5th he ended up in 24th at Loudon. It was classic driver's incompetence this week as when late in the race and running in the top ten Junior decided to pit and slowed down and dropped into the path of the number 26 of Jamie McMurray.

Junior quickly dropped to about 7 seconds behind the leaders in Sunday's race at the stout New Hampshire mile long track. He stayed there and did his usual complaining to Tony Eury Jr. about too loose, too tight, and our favorite, "Can I get some positive encouragement here?" That is an exact quote and the new streak continues!

June 25, 2008 Sonoma, California

"I hate road racing and the best thing about Sonoma is finishing the race so I can go real racing next week!" whined Junior, before and after this weeks road coarse extravaganza in sweltering Northing California. He actually finished a respectable 12th to Kyle Busch.

Earnhardt was never a factor at Sonoma and made it a point to avoid contact rather then aggressively pursue victory. So now we all sit back and wait to see if the new losing streak will stretch to the vast distances of the former... Go Dale Go! One and counting.

June 15, 2008 Michigan Super Speedway - Every dog has it's day!

Well you have to give it to Junior, he somehow figured out a way to win a race, but of course it was only 400 (not 500) miles and he won it when he finally shut his mouth, listened to crew chief, Tony Eury Jr. and followed directions. Junior wanted to pit late in the race when he had the lead (because Eury told him to stay out), but Eury decided to gamble and told Jr. to take a chance on fuel mileage. Junior didn't want to ("what the hell are we doing"), but followed directions and stayed out..

The gamble could have been disastrous (not really, since he's used to losing), but even with extra laps added due to a late caution somehow Jr. pulled it out. Eury instructed him to coast with the engine off as often as possible to conserve fuel during the caution and even when Junior almost messed it up with a warning from NASCAR officials to stop passing the pace car while coasting, the 88 team pulled it out...NICE JOB... See you in 76 more races!

June 8, 2008 Pocono 500

Thousands of members of "Junior Nation" got to stand and cheer loudly as their hero (Dale Earnhardt Jr.) slid up the track and let Kasey Kahne pass him in lap 183. Junior finished fourth and in doing so kept his losing streak alive at the Pocono 500. He was lucky to be that high up in the standings because his crew chiefs decisions and race strategy are what got him there. Not his driving skill.

After spending much of the race bickering with crew chief, Tony Eury Jr., Earnhardt spent his post race time pouting and sulking and whining about the length of the race and the heat. It seems the mammoth losing streak is heading towards 80 and it's starting to get to him. It's hard to be the most over-rated athlete in American sports.

June 1, 2008 - Dover Delaware

This week was a disappointment because we didn't even have the chance to see Dale Jr. somehow blow a lead in the final laps or come up with some lame excuse why his car was running good or why his team wasn't performing up to par. This week after qualifying poorly ("That car just felt loose.") and being stuck in the middle of the pack he got caught up in a huge wreck on lap nineteen and finished the race thirteen laps behind. 75 races without a win and counting!!

May 25, 2008 - Charlotte, North Carolina

Dale Earnhardt once again snatched defeat from the hands of victory when he hit the wall late in Sunday's Coca-Cola 600 in Charlotte. Earnhardt mounted a strong bid to snap his 73-race winless streak, leading 76 laps in the latter portion of the evening. But he appeared to lose his right rear tire while running out front, and his Chevrolet slid into the wall and bounced along it until finally coming to a stop. He had additional damage when J.J. Yeley ran into the back of him, and he sped to pit road for repairs. NASCAR initially penalized him one lap for speeding past the safety workers, but rescinded it (no surprise) after further review. Tony Stewart, who inherited the lead when Earnhardt wrecked and held it after the ensuing pit stops, was baffled by the non-call. "Now how does that work?" he called. No one was quite sure, but Earnhardt rallied to finish fifth. "I thought we were done, and then I got motivated again," he said. "We got lucky. Got gas and made it last."

Throughout the race Darrell Waltrip commented that he was worried Junior was riding too high and he was right. Just bad driving... Again.

May 10, 2008 Dodge Challenger 500

Kyle Busch wins! Kyle Busch wins! The man who was replaced by Dale Earnhardt Jr. won his third race of the season. That's 3 wins in two months for Busch and 0 in two years for Jr.

One week removed from last Saturday's controversial finish at Richmond, where Busch spun Dale Earnhardt Jr. in a late-race battle for the lead, Busch finished 3.115 seconds ahead of runner-up Carl Edwards and extended his lead in the Cup standings to 79 points in front of second-place Jeff Burton.

Junior led his standard few laps but began complaining of "wheels chattering" in the late stages so he had an excuse finish fourth at Darlington.

In the win Busch also broke the race speed record formerly held by Dale Earnhardt Sr.

May 3, 2008 Crown royal 400

Within three laps of a victory that would have ended a two-year, 71-race drought, Earnhardt Jr. smacked the outside wall in Turn 3 after Kyle Busch slid up the track into Junior's No. 88 Chevrolet as the two drivers battled for the lead on Lap 398.

I've seen the replay, and Tony [Eury] Jr. [Earnhardt's crew chief] said it looked like Kyle got loose underneath me," Earnhardt said. "We'd been racing each other before, and we had no problem. I've been priding myself on running good all year, and [Saturday night] we got wrecked. It's disappointing."

It's always something isn't it..

Busch had his own version of events.

"Junior and I were just racing hard into Turn 3," said Busch, who took over the championship lead by 18 points over Jeff Burton. "It was just a product of good, hard racing. If I had wanted to do it deliberately, I would have waited till the last lap, when I probably still could have won the race."

Everybody from Junior Nation should put their Buds and Amps down now and start pondering the thought: Maybe you're backing the wrong horse in the race...

Try something new.. maybe Travis Kvapil.

April 27, 2008 Aaron's 499

Who is that guy? It's Kyle Busch. He wasn't good enough to race for Hendricks Motorsports, but he's good enough to beat Hendricks new star drive Dale Earnhardt Jr. again. Let's see, that's 2 wins in the last month for Busch and O wins in the past 2 YEARS for Junior.

Junior did however, lead his obligatory 46 laps at Talladega Super Speedway before fading back to tenth to the dismay of the 100 plus thousand people that were there to watch their hero hold his over88ted crown high.

April 12, 2008 Subway Fresh 500

Dale Earnhardt Jr. started the race in 13th ended it in 7th and won the Goodyear/Gatorade fastest lap award en route to finishing his 70th consecutive race without a win in Phoenix yesterday.

Once again Junior led multiple laps, but "handling problems" prevented a win. This is getting predictable... Let's see, Junior qualifies in the top 15. Runs well until attrition brings him to the front and then when things get down to it he chokes... Odds the same thing happens next week... even!

April 6, 2008 Samsung 500

Dale Earnhardt Jr. started from the pole position, The freakin' pole position, and ended up in 12th place, a lap behind yesterday in Texas.

As usual, Jr. blamed his choke this week on handling problems (although the car handled well enough to garner the pole). After leading 36 laps the "handling" issues were too much for him and he faded away.

This guy sure leads a lot of laps. It seems like he must have a pretty good equipment and team. Who's fault is it that he hasn't won in 69 races? Must be "handling problems".

March 30, 2008 Goody's Cool Orange 500

Dale Earnhardt Jr. led five different times for his race-high total of 146 laps, and once again couldn't pull out a victory in Martinsville finishing a fading 6th.

While he admitted afterward that he had designs on breaking a winless streak in points events that now sits at 68 races, dating back to the Richmond race in the spring of 2006, Earnhardt said he blamed himself for running too hard at the start of the last green-flag run and using up too much of his tires, too quickly. But he added that he wouldn't allow himself to be upset.

"We got a good finish. I am really happy about that," he said of his No. 88 Chevrolet team. "We led a lot; we can't be too upset. That would be ridiculous to be disappointed with how we did, because we did really good."

You done real good Dale... 68 race winless streak!!!

March 16, 2008 Food City 500

Dale Earnhardt Jr. stayed non-aggressive and accepted a 5th place finish rather then "going for it" after a late caution stacked up the field at Bristol yesterday.

It's getting quite predictable watching the most over-rated driver in NASCAR flirt with victory week after week yet never quite be able to break through..

Prediction: Junior will win a race this year and then say "This is just the beginning, We have all of our momentum back" Then he won't win again... Can you win a championship without a win? Yes, but isn't that a lame way to do it?

March 9, 2008 Kobalt Tools 500

Kyle Busch, the man that was unceremoniously booted from Hendricks Motorsports so he could be replaced by the big name, big excuses and extremely over-rated Dale Earnhardt Jr. fired his first of what we predict to be many volleys at his old team by winning the Kobalt Tools 500 on Sunday in Atlanta.

Junior, as usual led the second most laps (62), but when push came to shove he (as usual) got shoved and finished 3rd. That makes it almost two full years since Junior won a race. Surprised? We're not.

March 2, 2008 UAW-Dodge 400

Dale Earnhardt Jr. lucked his way into a second place finish when the cars passing him wrecked each other at theUAW-Dodge 400 in Las Vegas yesterday.

On a restart with five laps remaining, Earnhardt (second at the time) spun his tires, Gordon dropped low and Kenseth went high to pass the No. 88 Chevrolet. As the cars exited Turn 2, with Edwards in the lead and Kenseth and Gordon in his wake, the No. 24 Chevrolet of Gordon washed up to the outside, clipped Kenseth's No. 17 Ford and started a wreck that crippled both cars.

In a two-lap dash after NASCAR stopped the race for nearly 18 minutes to clean the track. Edwards pulled away from Dale Earnhardt Jr. to win by .504 seconds.

"That red flag just really killed us," Earnhardt said. "We were terrible on cold tires. I had a good car, and I'm really proud of my team, but I would have liked to have had a shot at Carl on hot tires there."

Good one Dale.. What'll it be next week? Low blood sugar?

Las Vegas Motor Speedway has been the scene of some of Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s greatest professional frustrations. In 2004, weeks after winning the Daytona 500, his team never found the setup and he finished 71 laps back with handling problems. The next year he finished next to last, getting caught up in a crash after just 11 circuits around the 1.5-mile facility.

February 24-25, 2008 Auto club 500

After a rain delay on Sunday Dale Jr. parlayed a 15th place start to a crisp 41st after wrecking in lap 203 of 250.

After bouncing off the wall, Earnhardt's teammate Casey Mears collected the No. 88 Chevy of Hendrick Motorsports. That wreck also crippled the cars of Reed Sorenson and rookie Sam Hornish Jr.

Go Dale Go!!!!

February 17, 2008 Daytona 500

Dale Earnhardt Jr. finished the race on old tires after crossing signals with crew chief Tony Eury Jr. and failing to come to the pits under caution with 22 laps to go. Earnhardt held on for a ninth-place finish and was unable to complete a Speedweeks triple -- he had won the Feb. 9 Budweiser Shootout and Thursday's first Gatorade Duel 150 qualifying race.

"It wasn't tires -- we had good grip at the end," Earnhardt said. "The track was cooling off, and the car was fine. I got great runs ... just made poor choices on what to do with them. That was the difference.

Poor choices = Bad race car driving... Man is this guy over-rated or what?

"We started off a little bit tight, and we adjusted on it. [Crew chief] Tony [Eury] Jr. made some good changes that got me great at the end of the race. We had great motors all week and another one [Sunday]. I'm real proud of Hendrick and the effort they gave me because I have had a great time this Speedweek. I think the year is going to be like that, and I am really going to enjoy it."

We're sure you'll have a great car all year too... but what can he do with it? Prediction: the streak will continue.

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	Dale Jr. Facts More... Get over88ted Gear More... At least 70% of the people at any given race are rooting for Dale Jr. They’re wearing his gear and screaming his name and we just can’t figure out why.