For the third time in six years, NASCAR's title Chase goes on without Dale Earnhardt Jr. No driver, though, has as much at stake these final 10 races as Earnhardt.
Teetering on the edge of mediocrity, he has been among the sport's biggest disappointments this season. Pit-road mistakes turned him into a punchline early in the season. Kyle Busch mocked his performance and ridiculed his fans. Even some Earnhardt supporters questioned their driver.
"Most of the criticism was definitely deserved,'' Earnhardt says.
A crew chief change came after Earnhardt and his cousin all but gave each other the silent treatment in their final race together. Lance McGrew provides a glimmer of hope as the new crew chief but work remains. Earnhardt hates how these cars race — he implored NASCAR last month to make changes to the car.
While his teammates win poles and races, Earnhardt often runs mid-pack dogged by an inability to make these finicky cars better. It was only about 15 months ago, Earnhardt was leading laps often. At one point early last season, he was Hendrick Motorsports' top team. No more.
These final 10 races are critical because Earnhardt cannot afford to repeat this miserable season — on pace to be one of his worst in Cup, if not the worst. It's hard to be popular and command the sponsorship money he does when you don't win or at least stay competitive every week.
Earnhardt heads to New Hampshire Motor Speedway this weekend with one win in the last 124 races. While Earnhardt fans can question the equipment he had during part of that stretch, anyone not named Earnhardt would likely have lost their job with such a record. Twenty-three drivers have won at least one race during that stretch. Fifteen drivers have won more than one race in that time.
Thus begins Earnhardt's personal Chase. It starts at the same place where car owner Rick Hendrick was critical of Earnhardt's demeanor on the radio a year ago.
That day, Earnhardt led 79 laps but, as happens more times than not, his car did not improve as the race progressed.
A frustrated Earnhardt yelled and complained on the radio. Hendrick tried to calm him. At one point, Earnhardt said: "I need to find a motorsport that runs half the race and I'll be champion.''
