Is Dale Jr.’s Future Written In NASCAR’s History?
The announcement of Dale Earnhardt Jr. missing another race due to concussion symptoms brings up the reality that NASCAR’s most popular driver may have to drastically change to remain behind the wheel.
As NASCAR fans we are going to have to face the facts that the end is closer than we all thought for the face of NASCAR. The issues that creates are enormous not just to his team but the sport, its advertisers and sponsors. Right now the health of the sport is in question with lagging television ratings and continuing falling attendance. Everyone in and around NASCAR has to be hoping that Jr. stays driving for a long time.
The truth of the matter is the third-generation driver is only three years younger than the recently retired Jeff Gordon. That loss has been blamed on some of the fall in the popularity of the sport this season. Could you imagine if Dale Earnhardt Jr. just up and retired because of health reasons? The drop in merchandise sales alone would have a chilling impact on the financial health of the sport.
There is a way for Earnhardt to stay in the sport longer, and it is by following in the footsteps of two of the all-time greats in NASCAR history. David Pearson ran a part time schedule with the Wood Brothers in the 70’s running up front every week he showed up to race. Mark Martin ran part time for DEI, and was contending for wins every time he got behind the wheel. Dale Jr. is a true historian of the sport and has a firm respect of its past. He often describes his affection for the history of the sport and believes it can help turn the sport out of its current struggles.
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I know all the rules as constituted today would make a part-time run in a top-tier car near impossible. As we all know, NASCAR writes all its rules, at least the ones that do not involve revenue, in pencil and makes changes at will whenever it thinks will make more money. If Dale Jr. went to NASCAR and said he wanted to run a part-time schedule out of his JR Motorsports shop using Hendrick equipment, NASCAR would be foolish to turn him down. He would have to agree to visit every track on the schedule over a three year period to appease the track operators and owners, but everyone wants him to stay in the sport.
With the way the rules are set up now, NASCAR is going to drive one of its highest generating money producers completely off the track. You also do not want to see him in the role that Bobby Labonte is, driving second-rate equipment just picking up a check week to week. The way it has to be set up is for him to race enough to stay competitive when he shows up to be a draw, but not race so much the weekly wear and tear force him to step away all together.
The last couple years have shown with Kyle Busch, Denny Hamlin and Tony Stewart that when older drivers that miss some races actually finish the season stronger. The 38 race weekends a year (36 points races, the Daytona twins and all-star race) take a toll on even the younger drivers. The precedent has been set by two NASCAR Hall of Fame drivers. Part-time driving in top-rides provides fans what they want and NASCAR an event they can sell.
The end of the driving career of Dale Earnhardt Jr. is fast approaching, and with the current emphasis on concussions it could be sooner than anyone wants to believe. If everyone would take a step back and look at NASCAR history they could see the path that could extend the driving career of NASCAR’s most popular driver. It would be fitting that one of the drivers that truly appreciates NASCAR history would bring it to modern NASCAR racing.