Is it true that Dale Jr. must do well for the survival of the sport?

Per a discussion between Kenny Wallace and Kyle Petty yesterday in the pre race show I understood this to be the case. Nascar and HMS are now going to do everything they can to make sure Dale Jr. runs better and gets some wins. Sounds like all those red shirts in the stands are going to get what they want.





How do you, as a fan, feel about this?Is it true that Dale Jr. must do well for the survival of the sport?
I think too many are applying pressure to Jr just because of his name and his father, it is unfair for anyone to think he should stand higher and better thatn any other driver out there. The fans are loyal to the sport!Is it true that Dale Jr. must do well for the survival of the sport?
I agree with ICE about fabricating winners (ahem Fall Talledega Race ahem) sorry had to clear that out, and their phantom cautions and made up on the spot rules.





but I will say this as a Dale Jr. fan. this sport is not built on one driver and when you have people beginning to think they are bigger then the sport, thats when all the haters show up and start to ruin everything. I like some drivers and there are some drivers I could care less about, but I respect all drivers except one driver, no I am not going to drop that name, and that one driver I dont like him for the simple reason that he is just a top class jacka**, and has the worst personality and attitude of any of the drivers in the in any of the three series.





but does JR have to run good to increase ratings???? wouldnt hurt but it isw not nessacary because if Jr. left those Jr fans will find another driver. simple as that.
Sure, he is the most popular driver in the sport. A certain amount of fans might not find what they consider a suitable replacement and lose interest. However, no one person makes the sport. When his father who was such a great champion died tragically, the sport managed to carry on. When Richard Petty whose winning record will not be surpassed retired, it was also a blow. But the real fans are not simply fans of a person but of the sport itself.
It is normal for HMS to want it's best money making team to succeed and to put all it has behind that goal.





NASCAR is not going to risk everything and fix the show to save the maybe 10% of fans who will lose interest if Jr continues to do poorly.





It sounds like the other side is getting it's excuses ready in case Jr runs well with his crew chief change. Talledega and Daytona are coming up don't forget he gets a larger restrictor plate.
mbl is right, the sport is bigger than any one man. although junior is the biggest star NASCAR has ever seen, (sorry haters, but it's true) NASCAR will survive and thrive when he's no longer a part of the sport, just as it did before he arrived on the scene.





(*)(*) at topshelf for laughably comparing kenny wallace and kyle petty to the most popular driver in the HISTORY of NASCAR. get a clue pal.
I really don't think NASCAR will deminish to the old days when it was just bootleggers and moonshiners racing backroad. However, some people might lose interest if Jr. does quit the sport. True Jr. fans aren't fully longing for a win. They like to see the Sr. heir drive and that's it. True NASCAR fans will keep going to the races for the exitement. NASCAR isn't go anywhere for quite some time. The popularity might diminish some for the NASCAR posers who support Jr. just because he's his daddy's son.
I don't recall them saying that, what I thought they said was that him doing well would be good for his fans, not NASCAR. I don't know if a 12th place finish in a top 5 car is worth getting c0cky about. He was 12th place in a race not in the standings.





Not a Jr 'hater', just my opinion...


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No. I am totally neutral when it comes to Dale, Jr. I like Carl Edwards, Jeff Gordon, Greg Biffle, Mark Martin, and Jeff Burton. I dislike the Busch brothers and Brad Keselowski because they like to wreck other drivers. Dale is OK, but nothing special to me. Frankly I do not understand the magnitude of his popularity since he has hardly won the last 5 years which should be his prime years. Equipment is not the problem any longer. Perhaps people need to look at the driver.
UHMMMMMM...no. NASCAR is fine without Jr. doing good. It's survived Rusty's little brother and ';The King's'; son not dominating the sport, so I think it'll be ok with a 3 time Champion, and all the multi-champs actively racing every week.
Well it has survived the past 3 yrs. without him..he is on the track but that is about it...sickening to even think such a thought..most Nascar fans respect talent, driving ability, and being able to find your pit...
The sport was fine before him and it would be fine without him. I'd like to see him start running better but Nascar is bigger than any one individual.
Nascar will be fine without Dale Jr, but as popular as he is, the sport would be better if he'd run well.
I feel that you are a silly goose and have no idea what you are talking about.
Red???? His color is green.....................Sorry. I guess the same could be said about Tiger Woods in golf, Lebron %26amp; Kobe in basketball.........get my drift????
I don't know of any person involved in NASCAR that if they left it would be the end of NASCAR.











GO 24!!!!
what red shirts?


I'm going to say ';no';
I think so. NASCAR has been holding him down penalizing him for any little reason to the point it's hurt the sport. Look at the empty grand stands...!!! They know if they was to lighten up on Jr and let him actually race that he would generate excitement and fans. Let's face it ..the Kyle show just isn't getting it when it comes to putting fans in the stands. I've seen them be unfair to Dale Jr long enough and now I think they are feeling the results of trying to hold him down.





So yes in this econmy he needs to do well.





Even TV ratings are down. Most of the people I know that were hardcore fans of NASCAR have said that NASCAR has started fabricating winners and champions. That has a lot to do with how fans view the sport in general. They need to let them boys race no matter what their last name is.
If that were so, it would have already went under.





NASCAR went 50 years without him, and survived his father's sudden death, so I'm sure it can handle Jr. leaving...Jr. doesn't seem to want all the attention he gets anyway.





The crowds are down because of the economy...just like in every other sport. It's not the fans fault that Jr. isn't doing good. I hope that NASCAR would not stoop to the level of giving him personal assistance to do better. That would just make it a show and not a race. I don't see that going over well...you're either good or you're not, if his fans want him to be successful, that's great, but they aren't gonna make him drive better just by cheering for him. They should know by now that he is not a legend as far as racing goes, and more than anything is a media star, and accept that. Finishing 10th-25th should be what they expect from him, so when he finishes there on any given weekend, they shouldn't be upset and ask for more changes to his team, when it's been that way for much of his career...at least in the last 5 years or so.





Jr. fans should be happy with his 12th place finish this week. Sure, there was some strategy involved early in teh race, but those are gambles you have to take sometimes. The only thing different about this new crew chief is that he will be taking more risks and gambles to help Jr's position out so he doesn't sulk in the 20s and 30s all day.