One more race at Watkins Glen before the stretch.
It is not a secret Dale Jr doesn’t like to turn right. He comes by it naturally. His father was no fan of the right turn either. Sunday, unfortunately, NASCAR visits a track which requires it. Now I could jump up on my soap box and tell you how I feel about road courses. How I think NASCAR, racing road courses, is the equivalent of the NFL having two soccer games on their schedule. How I think road races are boring on TV and worse in person. How NASCAR is a beer chuggers sport and road races are for wine sippers. I won’t say those things but what I will say is; if God wanted NASCAR drivers to turn left he would of put the steering wheel on the right. He didn’t.
Since, NASCAR doesn’t have the good sense to keep the purity of oval racing in their schedule, Junior must make a few right turns on his way to the Chase. But that’s about all he has to do.
No win is needed this week. A decent finish would help. Top five would be fantastic. Top ten would be great. Top fifteen is realistic. Top twenty is necessary. But only necessary to relieve some pressure not make the Chase.
Dale Earnhardt Jr will make the Chase based on the four tracks following Watkins Glen. Michigan, Bristol, Atlanta and Richmond are all good tracks for the son of The Intimidator. After visiting the north in Michigan, Junior will make a Southern march to the Chase which will rival Sherman’s march to the sea.
Michigan will, as it always seems to be, a fuel mileage race. Steve LeTarte needs to pull some magic there. Bristol’s Thunder Valley will roar as Junior reminds the fans he is as good on short tracks as he is on super speedways. Then on to Atlanta where Junior’s average finish is 12.5.
Richmond will then stand between the 88 and the Chase. Dale Jr has won Richmond three times and he would love that number to be four after September tenth. It will not be a replay of 2006 when he lost his brakes and drove to make the Chase not win the race. Junior will drive like a guy looking to gain momentum setting up a Cup not a driver happy just to be in the hunt.
But before all that happens Dale Jr must and I believe he will, avoid disaster at The Glen and finish top twenty. If he finishes top twenty – book your tickets to Homestead it’s going to be a race you won’t want to miss.
Dale Jr – Watkins Glen
11 starts, 899 of 992 laps completed (90.6%), 46 laps led Win: 0 ( 0.0%) Average start: 16.9 Total Winnings: $952,110 Top 5: 2 ( 18.2%) Average finish: 22.9 Top 10: 3 ( 27.3%) DNF: 2
