NASCAR: Patience Key In Earnhardt/Ives Combination
USA Today Sports
It has already been a wild and thrilling 2015 Chase for Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and his number 88 Hendrick Motorsports team. Earnhardt was clutch in the final stages of the AAA 400 at Dover International Raceway, passing Jamie McMurray on the outside in the waning stages of the race and holding on to secure his chance of moving into the second round of NASCAR’s Chase for the Sprint Cup.
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Had it not been for late race fuel problems in the previous race at New Hampshire, Earnhardt would not have been in the position he was in going into Dover. Earnhardt had a solid top five car for the majority of the 300-lap race but pit strategy and fuel mileage cost the 88 team a solid finish with a 25th place result. Prior to having to pit for fuel with a handful of laps remaining, Earnhardt was running in 12th due to the fact that nearly all of the competition ahead of him had four fresher tires. Earnhardt’s crew chief, Greg Ives was certain that Earnhardt would be able to make to finish the race without having to pit again but he was wrong. Ives’ mistake was costly and could have been disastrous for his team’s championship hopes but fortunately the third place effort at Dover was just enough to advance his driver to the second round of The Chase.
Being the crew chief for NASCAR’s most popular driver puts Ives in a unique situation that no other crew chief in the garage has to deal with. Fans will question what their favorite driver’s crew chief is doing every race but for Ives, those questions are louder. His predecessors Steve Letarte, Lance McGrew and Tony Eury, Jr. can attest to the pressure that comes with being Dale Earnhardt, Jr.’s crew chief. The difference between those former crew chiefs and Greg Ives is that Ives is a rookie crew chief in the Sprint Cup Series.
2014 was a fantastic season for Dale Earnhardt, Jr. as he scored four wins including the Daytona 500, 12 top 5s and 20 top 10s. While Earnhardt only has two victories thus far in 2015, he is on pace to have a better season as he already has 13 top 5s and 18 top 10s. The 88 car has had good speed throughout the majority of this year and much of that is thanks to Ives.
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The biggest hurdle for Earnhardt’s team is the pit crew which has been lackluster for most of the season. It seems as if Earnhardt has had a loose wheel in nearly every race. In fact, Earnhardt’s Chase hopes were in serious jeopardy at Dover thanks to a loose wheel but fortunately the 88 team was able to catch a caution just before Earnhardt pulled into the pits under green.
Although history does not guarantee success, Earnhardt, Jr. fans should feel confident that the 88 car will likely be very competitive in the remaining Chase races. Earlier in 2015, Earnhardt finished third in both races at Charlotte and Kansas. He will be a huge favorite at Talladega coming off two plate wins in a row and the team will be bringing the same piece to the superspeedway.
Earnhardt’s biggest hurdle will be in the Eliminator Round, should he advance that far. He is the defending race champion at Martinsville and has had success at the 1.5-mile Texas track but will need to avoid disaster at Phoenix where he finished 43rd in the fourth race of the season. Should Earnhardt get as far as being in contention to win the Sprint Cup title at Homestead, he almost certainly will be a front runner in that race.
If Earnhardt is unable to achieve his goal of winning the championship, it most certainly will be a huge disappointment. But fans of the Kannapolis, North Carolina native should take heart in knowing that things can only get better after this season. It is impossible for anyone who is new to being a crew chief in the Sprint Cup Series not to make errors in strategy and Ives has made his share this season. Don’t expect him to make those mistakes again and with a full year of experience under his belt and an off season to retool and energize, Ives and Earnhardt should come out of the box at Daytona better and stronger. Earnhardt fans should be excited for 2016 and beyond. Fans of everyone else should be fearful.