Dale Jr. = overrated.

[Boyd]

How much longer can he possibly benefit from his father's legacy? It's got to be close to running out, yes? He's an average driver, at best.

[qwik1320]

As much as it pains me to agree with you, I gotta agree. I'm a huge Earnhardt Sr. fan and still have a little hope for Jr but it's wearing thin...hell I'm getting fed up with Nascar in general. Now we have a cartoon to watch as part of the ever expanding pre-race show. Come on, cut the crap. Get rid of the COT, lose all the pre-race BS and hype and make the races affordable again. Let the crew chiefs "tinker" and the drivers drive.

Poor Sr's probably spinning in his grave, Jr can't drive and Teresa is driving DEI into a ditch, oh wait she merged with Chip Ganassi Racing...

[thedugan]

as long as he keeps taking out Kyle Bush hes fine by me

[Derek69SS]

In my opinion, Jr fans have unrealistic high expectations of him, but the Jr "haters" (I hate that word, but it fits here) have unrealistic low opinions of his driving skill.

He's a hell of a driver, you don't consistently end up in the top-10 in points in the highest level of American auto racing without an incredible level of skill. He's far above average, he's just not as good as the 5-7 guys that consistently beat him.

I'm a Stewart fan FWIW.

[b-man]

It's hard to look stellar when your father was the latter-day King of NASCAR, high expectations.

Same could be said for Kyle Petty, but Junior has always driven on a higher level for sure.

Junior didn't have anything handed to him, he had to earn his seat behind the wheel.

I just have to laugh when I see folks criticize great drivers like Dale Jr.

[67 ls1 vert]

as long as he keeps taking out Kyle Bush hes fine by me
Amen brother!!

As far as Jr. goes I think he's played out a little also but that's just marketing.

They did the same thing with Kasey Kahne with all those stupid commercials with the older women drooling over him. Like he would have any interest in them. No wonder he always ran from them. LOL

It use to be Carl Edwards, Stoney Tu wart, Jeff Gordon... it just depends on who is hot at the time and how to make money off them at the time.

I'm sure Dale Jr. is going to miss Smoke not driving any longer. His drafting buddy.

[moreHP]

as long as he keeps taking out Kyle Bush hes fine by me


LOL!:twothumbs

[Vegas69]

His weakness isn't his driving it's his mind. He makes way to many mistakes in the pits.

[jonesmoto]

as long as he keeps taking out kyle bush hes fine by me


hell yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Damn True]

His weakness isn't his driving it's his mind. He makes way to many mistakes in the pits.

Winner.

[JohnLClark]

Nascar is so strong in talent. As skilled as Junior is, he may be good but not the best. Disregarding his name if he was a no name driver I would say he is a solid 10th thru 15th in driver level. He should win a title or two, but he is going to have to fight tooth and nail, to beat his teammates. They are going to be the biggest threat he faces to winning.

[Brandon Miller]

I'm a Jr fan. Always have been even before he hit the Busch series. I was always a Sr. fan. I watched from the time I was 4 in '84. Everyone needs to realize that Jr is not his father and never will be. Once EVERYONE realizes that (which will never happen), he won't be held to unattainable expectations.

[PT Goat]

I'm willing to bet he'll be #4 at Hendrick come the end of the year...

[Norm Peterson]

Two years ago Jr, I was sure that Jr. was a bit overrated as an 'A' list driver in a Yahoo NASCAR fantasy league. Last year, he got dropped back to the 'B' list, which I think was mildly underrating him (making him a better pick). Nothing in between, so yup, 'B' list again this year.

I'd like to see him have at least one shining year, but I fear his clock is ticking a little louder these days.


Norm

[69TAPoser]

I have administered a Yahoo! Fantasy League with about 20 teams the past 4 years. We only have 2 JR fans in the group (I am not one of them) and the forum discussion is regularly focused on JR being overrated.

I think his biggest issue is his lack of focus on racing. He just built a mega building for JR Motorsports for his licensing business alone. Then there is the countless commercials, part owner in 2 race tracks, and a plethora of other ventures. Bottom line is, I think he is too ditstracted.

I'll never forget a comment that Eury made several years ago when he said something to the effect of, "Jr needs to decide whether he wants to be a movie star or race car driver."

I was never a fan of his father either, but miss routing against him and admittedly NASCAR has never been the same. At least his Dad was focused on 1 thing...winning.

My opinion is JR doesn't seem to be divesting in his many ventures outside of driving the car so I don't see a breakthrough season in his future. My prediction is 3 more years of marginal success then Sprint Cup team ownership.

Phil

[lunatic_magnet]

Nascar is so strong in talent. As skilled as Junior is, he may be good but not the best. Disregarding his name if he was a no name driver I would say he is a solid 10th thru 15th in driver level. He should win a title or two, but he is going to have to fight tooth and nail, to beat his teammates. They are going to be the biggest threat he faces to winning.

if jr didnt have his last name, he probably would not have gotten the lucky breaks it takes to get to a cup ride. face it, he isnt great enough behind the wheel that he'd be able to distinguish himself from the thousands of other guys out there beating doorhandles on tracks across the US. he is where he is and has the opportunities he has because of his last name - whether people want to argue that he had to work for it or not. budweiser doesnt come throwing millions at everyone who busts their butt turning their own wrenches.

he's a likable guy, but he isn't the white knight nascar really needs to do battle every week with the "heel" kyle busch.

[shmoov69]

he is a way "above average" driver, but ain't the best in the series for sure!! The media plays him to be a god which don't help him. Shadowing dad (one of the best) don't help. A boitch of a step mom don't help. Being treated like a god don't help much too. Being a priick on the radio to his team don't help much either! I've listened at a few races to him and if it ain't going good, he's an arss to his team. That killed most of the respect I did have for him.

[chicane67]

as long as he keeps taking out Kyle Bush hes fine by me

Hell... Kyle doesnt need any help wrecking his own car, he does that just fine by himself. But... anyone that helps him along is a favorite in my book any time.

Ole Junebug is in his "awkward" point of his career. AndI very much agree... it's a mental issue.

[SS1156]

First off I'm not a big Nascar fan but I do watch it from time to time. JR is not his father, good or bad. He is his own man and I think people need to let him be that man. SR was a hell of a driver and JR may not be the same driver as his dad, but he is his own driver and needs to be looked at him that way. I give them all a lot of respect. It's not easy doing what they do and having themselves in the public's eye. I wouldn't be able to have the public looking over my shoulder all the time. This is just my .02's worth.

[JEFFTATE]

He may be a little overrated , but isn't NASCAR a little overrated too ?
Anyway , I've never met the guy.
He may be cool , so I can't dislike anybody I haven't met.
But , I will say , Isn't that part of the reason he left DEI ?
To make a name for himself ?
Isn't that admirable ?

Plus , EVERBODY uses his name for marketing.
Just like his Dad.
He's a little overpublicised.
But , that's no crime.

[LateNight72]

It also doesn't help he is getting Johnson & Gordon's leftovers...

[Munster]

I don't have much time to check out Dale Jr. and see how its going for him. Because, honestly, I'm a Michael Waltrip fan. Have been for a long, long time. Most of my time is spent....."where's Mikey, what happened to Mikey, anyone seen Mikey".
Thru thick and thin.

[stateroad33]

Just thought I would throw this out there, I am a big Jr. fan as I was getting interested in racing when he started in the Busch series. If you want to find out if Jr. is overrated compare him too say Kyle Busch and Matt Kenseth. He isn't on the Jimmie, Jeff, or Tony level so lets leave that out. For the first 5 years of their careers.

Jr: 8% winning percentage, 29% top 5, 43% top 10
Matt: 5% winning, 21% top 5, 44% top 10
Kyle: 8% winning, 32% top 5, 50% top 10

If anything people calling Junior overrated only seem to come out after he has a bad outing, they fail too realize that he is statistically very much in the top 10 and already has two Nascar Championships. I also think that unlike alot of drivers there is more to life than racing for Dale Jr. and that is a big factor. I think he would do well to go to a partial schedule in a few years and would be fairly successful. Not too mention he is the best plate racer and in the top 3 short track drivers of his generation.