Read Loyal Homer’s argument that Junior belongs, and Sports Geek’s argument that he does not.
In all fields of work – as in all aspects of life – children often hero-worship their parents. Many times that childhood adoration can even foster a desire to “follow in their footsteps.”
Think about some of the names of those who attained success by following the paths forged by their parents…
- Presidents: John Quincy Adams and George W. Bush
- Hollywood Stars: Kate Hudson, Drew Barrymore, Sean Astin, Ben Stiller, Angelina Jolie
- Musicians: Jakob Dylan, Natalie Cole, Hank Williams Jr., Miley Cyrus (IT’S MILEY!!!!)
- Athletes: Peyton and Eli Manning, Ken Griffey Jr., Kellen Winslow Jr., Prince Fielder
Whether you agree with the merits of their work or not, each of those people has made a very successful career by following their parents’ lead.
However, for every Hank Williams Jr., there’s a Kelly Osbourne, and for every Angelina Jolie, there’s a Tori Spelling!
Which brings us to Dale Jr.!
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the son of racing legend Dale Earnhardt Sr.
Dale Jr. began his racing career in the late 1990’s, and had some early successes, which include winning the 1998 and 1999 NASCAR Nationwide/Busch Series Championships.
Those championships were 10 years ago, though. When you consider Dale Jr.’s performances in more recent times, his resume doesn’t quite hold a candle to Dale Sr.’s.
His best Sprint Cup Series finish was third, back in 2003, and he has only finished in the top 10 once in the last five years. He hasn’t won a race in over a year, and he hasn’t even seen the top 20 in the current standings.
So, the question I am posing to Sports Geek and Loyal Homer today is…
Does Dale Earnhardt Jr. deserve to stay in NASCAR racing?
Loyal Homer will argue that Dale Jr. does deserve to stay in NASCAR racing. Every athlete can hit a dry-spell, but he can still compete with the best of them.
Sports Geek, on the other hand, will argue that Dale Jr. has no business being in NASCAR anymore. Despite some early successes, he has given no evidence that he will ever be able to consistently compete with the big boys of racing, and is living more off of his father’s name than his own successes.
And there’s the green flag…
If Kyle Petty can race for a long time, so can Dale Jr.
Are their drivers on lower series that can outdrive him? Possibly, but racing a money making enterprise first, entertainment 2nd, and actual sport a distant 3rd. How else can you explain a caution at the end of the recent Daytona race near the end, that was never explained???
At the very least, they want attention and publicity for sponsors. There’s no bigger star in the sport that Dale Jr. If he’s all that keeps a few fans watching, then NASCAR can’t afford to lose him. Plus, there’s 15 drivers who don’t deserve to be out there every race.
But at some point, people need to quit justifying someone’s ability based on their father’s ability. I can think of good and bad examples of both.