Can DJ Step It Up?
Friday, May 4th, 2007 10:49am CDT
By Luke, Thunder Lounge
Published on Thunder Lounge.
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Being out of Championship Provisionals, Dale Jarrett is now in the same boat as any other “Go or go home” team. Being 72 points out of 35th, and considering the competition in front of him, the road ahead looks pretty bumpy. Jarrett has been in all 9 races thus far, but only 3 of those have been on his own accord. It won’t surprise me if he misses the show this weekend, to be honest.
Now we have to look at the other side of the fence. Granted competition in the back of the pack is fierce. Only 2 cars have not competed in all 9 races, Nemechek and Sauter both have 8, but are in the safety of the Top 35. All other teams have participated in all 9 events. DJ is only 1 of 2 cars (Riggs being the other) not in the Top 35 and to have been in all 9 events this season. Riggs won’t be there for long, most likely, so what’s DJ to do? He’s had 9 races to get it done, but the mission hasn’t been accomplished.
This isn’t just a Dale Jarrett problem. There isn’t a Toyota in the Top 35 at all, but of all the Toyota’s DJ is the front runner (as of Talladega) by 43 points over Dave Blaney. Had Blaney not missed Talladega, it may be a different story. Had Dale Jarrett not had the provisionals, it would be a different story. But we have what we have, and it’s shaping up to be and interesting qualifying session.
So from here, DJ has to step it up. The question is, can he do it? At this point, it isn’t a question of ability it is a question of equipment. With a new crew chief, Matt Borland is no longer with MWR, I wonder if it will make a difference. It may, it may not. Something happened, but what? Did MWR get scared? Was there internal conflict? We may never know.
Filed Under: Dale Jarrett, Drivers, Michael Waltrip Racing #44, Nascar, Nextel Cup, Teams, Tracks
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Maybe the combo of new crew chief with renewed deperation will spawn a fast race car. I hope so. I still say copying the #00’s set up–exactly–wouldn’t be a bad plan. That car has been pretty darn good.
I won’t disagree that Reutiman has been the light in MWR’s season, thus far.
Making the show 7/10 times on speed is an accomplishment in the Toyota camp.
With DJ, who knows. The organization had to see it coming though. The question is now, what will they do with it.
Read a recent article where Toyota is trying to get the teams to “work as one”, but that it isn’t happening yet. Also said that it took some 18 months for the teams to start working like that in the Truck Series. With it being more fierce in Cup, and struggling to make the show, it might take longer than that.