David Newton Is Off His Rocker
Thursday, September 13th, 2007 4:11pm CDT
By Luke, Thunder Lounge
Published on Thunder Lounge.
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Yeah, we’re going to talk about Dale Earnhardt Jr. In response to this ESPN article by David Newton.
Mr. Newton pushes the “I believe” button on the matter of DEI and its engine program. Yes, they are now working with RCR in partnership on motors, but last I read those particular packages would not be in use until sometime in October.
This particular piece concludes that its DEI’s shop overall that is having issues with their motors, and that is why Dale Junior has subsequently blow up a whopping 5 times this summer.
Now, I’m not an engine expert. If I were, I wouldn’t be sitting here discussing it, I’d be building motors for one of the fine teams in this sport. However, I can read between the lines and see what’s in front of my face.
Through 26 events this season, here’s the scoop:
- Both Dale Jr and Martin Truex blew up at Fontana in February.
- Truex again had engine issues at Chicago. Exit Truex from this discussion.
- Junior blew up at Texas (note, as things were definitely on their way out at DEI
- Junior again blows up at Indy, Watkins Glen, and Richmond.
So since things started to really head south, you know they were in April and in May it was made public, Mr. Junior has consequently blown up 4 times as compared to a single failure for Truex.
Is there something wrong with this picture? I don’t think it’s exactly intentional, but hey, if you had 2 drivers and one of them wasn’t going to be around next season, would it be possible that just maybe you might push a little bit of the R&D envelope on their particular motors? Especially as the Chase tightens in, and you know that it’s pretty certain that the driver that’s sticking around is 9 times out of 10 going to make the Chase?
It leads one to wonder, no doubt.
Is it not also ironic that the troubles that have plagued the #8 team this season, comes back yet again to bite them in the butt with 3 laps to go at Richmond?
Could it be that maybe, just maybe, there was indeed some engine R&D rolling along, and knowing there was a chance of failure that the engines were passed to the #8 team to roll out with? More of a vindictive move to possible ensure that Dale Jr. didn’t make the Chase, and would lose some of the publicity that comes along with it?
I’m not going to tell you its true, as much as the Red Nation wants to hear it, but I will say that from the outside looking in on this situation that it’s leaving me scratching my head wondering what (if anything) could be going on here.
One can’t help but wonder if there might be a little bit of favoritism going on. If I were wearing a red t-shirt, I’d probably be more opinionated, but even keeping a neutral position on (most) drivers, this still has me scratching my head.
Filed Under: Dale Earnhardt Inc #8, Dale Earnhardt Junior, Drivers, Nascar, Nextel Cup, Teams, The Chase
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