Loose in Turn Three: Should JR Motorsports Progress to the Cup Level in 2009?
May 23, 2008 by Tim Zaegel
Filed under Racing
Image details: Coca-Cola 600 Qualifying served by picapp.com
Folks, welcome once again to yet another exhilarating edition of “Loose in Turn Three.” As always, I’m joined by good friends and sometimes nemesis (or, at least on Friday’s), Bruce Simmons and Charlie Turner, and we’ve got an exciting lineup for you this week. These last few weeks we’ve fed you quite a bit of logic concerning this great sport of ours in general, but today we’re going to kick it up a notch and discuss some of the more current topics that you’ve probably found even yourselves debating over these last few days.
Over at On Pit Row, we decide what the most significant outcome was from last weekend’s All-Star Race, and over at Bruce’s NASCAR Bits & Pieces, we try to validate the use of NASCAR’s fan vote into that very same race. And, of course, right here on Do You NASCAR, we’re going to re-hash the argument as to whether or not now is the time for Dale Earnhardt Jr. to bring JR Motorsports up into the Sprint Cup Series.
So, sit back and buckle up tight. Three questions, three voices, and three different answer … we’re about to get Loose in Turn Three!
Is 2009 the right time for Dale Earnhardt Jr. to bring JR Motorsports to the Sprint Cup Series level?
TZ: This would normally be one of those “if he feels the time is right” answers, but Junior’s a different story. The guy’s occupied himself with all of these sideshows, and he’s made all these steps to secure his financial future for life after racing – which is great – but, it’s like he’s forgotten to live in the present. You can see in nearly every interview he does that he’s completely drained and borderline depressed, and the pressure’s mounting. Back off for a moment and take a deep breath. Go out there and win a few races with Hendrick, compete for a championship, and just get back to racing period. Everything will fall into place where it should, and then you can look at building your own dynasty in the series.
Bruce: Yes, 2009 is the right time for JR Motorsports to move to the Cup level. He understands the processes, the pressures and the business aspect of it. Gads knows, he owns enough businesses to understand the venture and he knows the inside of this venture like the back of his hand. It would almost be full circle like when his dad drove for Childress and ran his own team.
Charlie: How successful was DEI when Junior was the titular head of the organization? On the track – not very. Moving JR Motorsports to Cup this soon, is too soon. But I have one caveat. If Tony Stewart is the lead driver and co-owner of said Cup team, then maybe it would work. That’s as likely to happen as Kyle Busch being JR’s best man. Junior should concentrate on winning races and championships with Hendrick.
Follow the rest of our discussion here:
I don’t think we can fairly analyze Junior’s emotional state or whether he’s depressed based on a few interviews. With most of Jr’s-and I would say this is true for most drivers-endeavors, he has someone else in place to do the heavy lifting.
As for is 2009 is the right time to move to Cup? If the costs are the same between the two series, but the money is far better in Cup, why wouldn’t you choose Cup? Joe Nemechek and Furniture Row have won $863,275 so far in 2008. The leading money-winner in Nationwide, Kyle Busch, has only made $551,530.
Dale’s come really close in winning some of the previous races we’ve had. I’ve noticed when he completes the race with a top five finish, he’s not as happy. Just when he could finish first, he’s struck with bad luck! But Junior will end his streak eventually. It took Newman about 2 years!!! An 81 winless streak! It just takes time and a good teammates.
Mike, I’m not entirely convinced that the cost of running the teams are quite the same between the two series … because otherwise there would be no incentive to drive the Nationwide Series anyway.
And, I’m not necessarily saying that he IS depressed (note that in the article I used the word “borderline”), but it’s clear that he’s drained. He’s looked like a sad little puppy dog in almost every interview he’s had since he announced he was leaving DEI. It just seems to me that the pressure’s been mounting, and he doesn’t really appear to be having all that much fun, and that probably won’t change until he finally wins.
I must say that during his interviews, he does seem more distracted, as if he’s having a hard time focusing on what to say.. not sure what that is or even if it is an indicator of anything – but I’m game for any theory these days until he backs it all up with a Cup title..
I think jr should do what he wants, it is his decission
but it might not be the right time. But in an interview jr said that with the nationwide switching to the new car also that if he has to change the cars it would be around the same cost as if he stayed in nationwide only.
I don’t doubt that the expenses would be pretty high to change all of your cars over to the COT, regardless of what series you’re running. But, I think to say that it would be just as expensive as running the Cup Series, I just don’t see it.
Same entry fee + Less payout = No incentive to run the series.
He was just talking about the cars change over not the actual cost of racing just the car changeover.
Yeah, I figured as much. On a sidenote, though, it’s kinda interesting how happy Junior can seem following the race when he winds up with a better finish than he was expecting.
That was a nice rebound for him at Lowe’s.
I feel Jr could make the transfer over to the sprintcup and be competive with the team he has in place.
He is alot like his daddy when it comes to the buisness of his race teams.
Jim Geyer
Hey, Jim … I appreciate you stopping by. Hope you don’t mind, but I went ahead and edited your comment to remove your address for your own privacy protection.
In reference to your comment itself, though, it’s tough to bring any full team up from the Nationwide to Cup level and see any kind of immediate results. It helps having Tony Sr. at the helm of the team, but I have to question if he’s really up for another run in the Cup.