I would like to thnk he will BUT as all have said above.NO... He doesnt have the drive to win. Question should be" Will he ever win another race". HE is going to have to show that first. Good point about Hendrick. I was wonderng why they signed him to another 5 years. With so many talented drivers out there. Bring to mind Menard to Childress, along came sponsorship. Good Poll.

 

Dale Earnhardt Jr. sells more merchandise in the south than any other driver. Outside the south, Jeff Gordon sells more merchandise. A lot of people support Jimmie Johnson with his 5 and soon to be 6 championships, especailly out of the south and on the west coast, which is a bigger market than it seems like it is. Plus, he has the most respectable driver and one of the statesman of the sport, Mark Martin. Why should Rick Hendrick try to do anything but keep on with what he has? He's probably depressed about Martin retiring and having to hire Kasey Kahne. However, with Kahne, he gets the young female merchandise and those girls who crashed the **** out of that Dodge years ago staring at him....

 

It's all about money & as long as you have 2 winning drivers than the other 2 can pull in fans & sponsors & nvr really have to win, if ur making money than no sense in changing anything

 

No, I don't think Junior will ever win the Championship. And the reason is simple. Its the reason nobody else can win a Championship anymore: Jimmie Johnson! He'll likely be doing this longer then Junior. Junior will have retired before Jimmie starts losing Championships.

I don't know what the hell Hendricks was thinking either - only that Kahne was probably more popular with the people when he signed him nearly 2 years ago. The whole thing seemed to be a kick in the pants to Martin from the get-go and its all been downhill from there. Hopefully he learned that it is stupid to sign a new driver (and essentially un-sign and current driver) so far in advance...

 

Thanks everyone for your post & thoughts. I think I'm alone on thinking that Jr has the talent to win a title ..
Yes, I am a Dreamer, but some dreams do come true... I found the below on the web...& it's a great article
if you are interested in reading about ~>
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Dale Earnhardt Jr.: 10 Things That Need to Happen for Him to Win the Sprint Cup

By Todd Jacobs
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Dale Earnhardt Jr. is actually in prime position to win his first title.
Jason Smith/Getty Images

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has suffered through what feels like an eternity for his legions of fans, but this looks like the season he will finally break through and have an opportunity to compete for his first NASCAR Sprint Cup title.
There are several key factors working in Dale Jr.'s favor. One is that he is now teamed with the No. 48 Lowe's team in the same garage. This exposes him to Chad Knaus, the man who took Jimmie Johnson from a nobody to a five-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champ and 50-plus wins on the NASCAR circuit.
Knaus knows it is on him as much as it is on Steve Latarte, Earnhardt's crew chief. Knaus considers it a challenge to help the No. 88 team exceed all expectations. Especially after many commentators noted the No. 48 team did not appear to be good teammates based on the No. 24 teams results over the last several years.



10. Teamwork: Dale Earnhardt Jr. Has Focused on Being Part of Team



<SMALL class=photo-credit>Todd Warshaw/Getty Images</SMALL>
The No. 88 pit crew for Hendrick Motorsports has developed into a cohesive team under the leadership of Steve Latarte and the adjustment of Dale Earnhardt Jr. to work as a part of the team.
This has been a return to Dale Jr.'s early days as a team leader when he was winning with the No. 8 team and experiencing success. In those days the team was held together by Tony Eury Sr.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. made reference to Eury Sr. when he discussed the influence of Latarte on his success this year. Latarte has brought a calm and an air of leadership to the team that was missing in the last few years.



9. Win a Race: Sounds Easy, but Once He Wins One, the Ball Will Be Rolling



<SMALL class=photo-credit>Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images</SMALL>
Dale Earnhardt Jr can win; he has proven he has the ability to find victory lane in the last two years despite his 100-plus winless streak. He has won in the NASCAR Nationwide series in a pressure filled situation when he brought the No. 3 Wrangler car to Daytona last July.
The No. 88 team has been on the verge several times and in Martinsville the victory was well within reach if Dale Jr. would have knocked his friend Kevin Harvick for the win. He attempted to give him a few love taps to move him up the track but he was not able to make the pass.
There are several tracks where Dale Jr. can grab his first win in the upcoming months. He has a strong engine under the hood of his Hendrick Motorsports car and the two mile tracks will be a perfect spot for him to win his first race of the season and possibly second.



8. Make the Chase in the Top Five



<SMALL class=photo-credit>Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images</SMALL>
Dale Earnhardt Jr. was once a regular in the NASCAR Chase, and he will once again become a regular beginning this season. He has been in and around the top five all season and a top five spot entering the NASCAR Chase will be critical to cashing in on a title.
With the Chase format as is and the new points system it will be difficult to make up ground once the Chase gets underway. A top five spot in the Chase is possible for Letarte and Dale Jr. by having a strong summer on the numerous big tracks the NASCAR Sprint Cup series schedule.



7. Mental Toughness



<SMALL class=photo-credit>Jason Smith/Getty Images</SMALL>
As Yogi Berra once said, "90% of the game is half mental." Okay, Yogi wasn't the greatest mathematician, but NASCAR titles are won by the team that learns from their mistakes.
Learning from mistakes has been a theme with the No. 88 team since they became a team. This season the team has meshed well and now they are expecting their driver to do the same.
Dale Jr. has also made less mistakes this year and he has worked on the simple mistakes that have cost him races in the past. He has made major improvements with his pit in and pit out skills. This could be a direct reflection of spending more time with Chad Knaus and the No. 48 team.



6. Communication



<SMALL class=photo-credit>Jason Smith/Getty Images</SMALL>
Communication is behind every successful organization and the No. 88 team was lacking in the constructive communication department the last few years.
Dale Jr. was easily frustrated and he melted down several times when his team was not making the adjustments correctly. It was a combination of direction from the driver and execution from the team.
Now Dale Jr. has learned quickly with Steve Latarte what adjustments to make and how to ask for them. The two spent time together in the offseason to learn how to communicate with each other and now the extra time has paid off.



5. Chad Knaus Will Play a Major Role in a Dale Earnhardt Jr. Title Run



<SMALL class=photo-credit>Christian Petersen/Getty Images</SMALL>
Chad Knaus and Jimmie Johnson have had their differences in the past but this season their relationship is looking frayed. Knaus has dealt with the issue by working more with Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Rick Hendrick made the changes to his teams with the No. 88 team as his No. 1 priority. Hendrick made sure Dale Jr. was paired with the No. 48 team to see how a NASCAR Sprint Cup championship is won.
Dale Jr. has learned quickly the differences between what a championship team such as the Lowe's No. 48 team works on and what his team needs to do to close the gap. Knaus has made the success of the No. 88 team a priority and he will help them down the stretch if they are in the running and his team is not.



4. Focus



<SMALL class=photo-credit>Todd Warshaw/Getty Images</SMALL>
Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been accused in the past of not being focused on winning races and winning championships. Many have felt Dale Jr. is more focused on his brand than he is on winning.
This year he has cut back on time away from the track, and although he does have a demanding appearance schedule, he has planned it out with limited time away from racing during the season.
This year his focus and determination have become apparent. He is running up front on a regular basis and he has been a top five driver all season despite not winning a race.



3. Heredity Is One Key to Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Success



<SMALL class=photo-credit>Robert Laberge/Getty Images</SMALL>
Dale Earnhardt Sr. gave Dale Jr. his god-given ability and instincts but the shadow he has cast on his son has been a source of angst for the younger Earnhardt.
Dale Jr. has learned by example from his father when it comes to winning and running up front on restrictor plate racetracks. He has become the new pied piper just as his father was when the series goes to Daytona and Talladega.
The one aspect of his father's life that Dale Jr. has not been able to emulate is winning championships. He has been close on several occasions but in the last few years he had lost his way. Now he looks like he is on track and ready to win his first title.



2. Steve Latarte Is Going to Make Sure Dale Jr. Does Not Fail



<SMALL class=photo-credit>Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images</SMALL>
Steve Latarte is the biggest player in getting Dale Earnhardt Jr. to hold the NASCAR Sprint Cup trophy over his head. Letarte has learned since his days as a car chief what it will take engineering wise and now he has developed the gut instincts of a winning crew chief.
Latarte also is a man on a mission that has been under pressure since the first day he became a crew chief. First he was charged with getting Jeff Gordon back to victory lane and now he is crew chief for the most popular driver NASCAR has ever known. No pressure. "Just win baby," is all Letarte hears from track to track as Dale Jr.'s winless streak continues.



A Renewed Will to Win



<SMALL class=photo-credit>Chris Graythen/Getty Images</SMALL>
Dale Earnhardt Jr. has spent the last two years looking to adjust to the Hendrick Motorsports way of doing things. The presence of his cousin and crew chief, Tony Eury Jr. never worked well for Rick Hendrick, but he allowed the team to stay together until he felt they working backwards.
The next adjustment period then began for Dale Jr. He needed to adjust to another crew chief Lance McGrew. McGrew and Dale Jr. never meshed well and it was obvious after their first ten races together but Hendrick made the two work together until the 2011 season.
Now with Dale Jr. and Steve Latarte teamed up, the two both have something to prove and both have a renewed will to win. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has focused on this season as a make it or break t season. To this point of the season Dale Jr. is on track to make it happen but he lacks just one signature win.
Look for him to win a big race and possibly two during the summer. The tracks to watch for a win will be Pocono, Michigan and of course, Daytona. He will take down at least one race at one of these tracks.




Begin Slideshow
Dale Earnhardt Jr.: 10 Things That Need to Happen for Him to Win the Sprint Cup | Bleacher Report

 

<TABLE id=cnnDataTable class=cnnDataTable border=0 cellSpacing=0><TBODY><TR><TH>RANK</TH><TH>+/-</TH><TH>DRIVER</TH><TH>POINTS</TH><TH>BEHIND</TH><TH>STARTS</TH><TH>POLES</TH><TH>WINS</TH><TH>TOP 5</TH><TH>TOP 10</TH><TH class=cnnLast>WINNINGS</TH></TR><TBODY id=cnnDataBody><TR><TD class=cnnCup>1</TD><TD class=cnnCup>+1</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Jimmie Johnson</TD><TD class=cnnCup>873</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Leader</TD><TD class=cnnCup>25</TD><TD class=cnnCup>0</TD><TD class=cnnCup>1</TD><TD class=cnnCup>11</TD><TD class="cnnCup cnnLast">17</TD><TD class=cnnCup>4,536,090</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnDefault>2</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>-1</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Kyle Busch</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>852</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>-21</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>25</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>1</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>4</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>13</TD><TD class="cnnDefault cnnLast">15</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>4,759,310</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnCup>3</TD><TD class=cnnCup>+1</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Carl Edwards</TD><TD class=cnnCup>835</TD><TD class=cnnCup>-38</TD><TD class=cnnCup>25</TD><TD class=cnnCup>2</TD><TD class=cnnCup>1</TD><TD class=cnnCup>11</TD><TD class="cnnCup cnnLast">16</TD><TD class=cnnCup>6,314,890</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnDefault>4</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>-1</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Matt Kenseth</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>834</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>-39</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>25</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>1</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>2</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>7</TD><TD class="cnnDefault cnnLast">14</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>4,454,190</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnCup>5</TD><TD class=cnnCup>+1</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Jeff Gordon</TD><TD class=cnnCup>830</TD><TD class=cnnCup>-43</TD><TD class=cnnCup>25</TD><TD class=cnnCup>1</TD><TD class=cnnCup>3</TD><TD class=cnnCup>9</TD><TD class="cnnCup cnnLast">13</TD><TD class=cnnCup>4,404,890</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnDefault>6</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>-1</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Kevin Harvick</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>819</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>-54</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>25</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>0</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>3</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>6</TD><TD class="cnnDefault cnnLast">12</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>4,450,200</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnCup>7</TD><TD class=cnnCup>+1</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Kurt Busch</TD><TD class=cnnCup>789</TD><TD class=cnnCup>-84</TD><TD class=cnnCup>25</TD><TD class=cnnCup>3</TD><TD class=cnnCup>1</TD><TD class=cnnCup>6</TD><TD class="cnnCup cnnLast">13</TD><TD class=cnnCup>4,437,930</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnDefault>8</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>-1</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Ryan Newman</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>786</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>-87</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>25</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>2</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>1</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>8</TD><TD class="cnnDefault cnnLast">12</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>3,909,550</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnCup>9</TD><TD class=cnnCup>--</TD><TD class=cnnCup>Dale Earnhardt Jr.</TD><TD class=cnnCup>753</TD><TD class=cnnCup>-120</TD><TD class=cnnCup>25</TD><TD class=cnnCup>1</TD><TD class=cnnCup>0</TD><TD class=cnnCup>3</TD><TD class="cnnCup cnnLast">9</TD><TD class=cnnCup>3,077,160</TD></TR><TR><TD class=cnnDefault>10</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>--</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>Tony Stewart</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>751</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>-122</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>25</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>0</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>0</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>3</TD><TD class="cnnDefault cnnLast">10</TD><TD class=cnnDefault>4,040,260</TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>

Dale jr is 9th in the standing 9/7/11
Better then last.....3 Hendrick cars in the Top Ten & Chase Just the facts ~> nothing but the facts '

I think the Chase is going to be great this year
Hope everyone enjoys..
Whose going to win the Championship 2011 ?
It could still be Dale `Jr (?) ~> Long Shot, but he still has a shot........~>Gun

 

Don't get me wrong. I do think Junior could win the Sprint Cup. I just don't think he will

 

Good Morning `Brent,
I agree with your words, but just maybe, just maybe he will be the surprise upset of the year in NASCAR I do think he has the talent & if he has the car & the support of his team/equipment ?, he could be the surprise of the year...
Yes, I believe that Jr will really, really want it BAD, and I don't know if he really, really want's it that BAD like the others in the Top Ten do ? Time will reveal the outcome...
& I hope that we are all still here to enjoy the Win 2gether : )

`Brent...,Thanks for all your contributions...I always enjoy reading what falls outa your `mind

p.s. Duane, Please consider making a Thread on
Who will be the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Champion ?
I was going 2, but I think it should be your THREAD...
Thanks

 

I was planning on making something like that a poll question on the weekly rundown thread and let people comment on that.

Sometimes though, I get the feeling no one really reads my rundown and no one would see it... oh well.

By the way, I believe Jr. made the chase his first year iwth Hendrick in '08.... yeah, that went over like a fart in the breeze, didn't it?

And that line about heredity as to how he coudl win a championship... bull ****, he didn't inherit anything but his daddy's name. I have never personally seen Dale Jr. do anything like his dad did. Well, he does try to "rim ride" around a lot of tracks like his dad did... which would probably get him to the front if this was 1986. New car, lots of new tracks, completely different schedule.

 

Duane will probably make the thread/ poll, and then everyone will vote Dale Jr (inspite this thread)!