Tag Archives: Dale Earnhardt Jr

Does Jimmie Johnson’s Daytona DNF Spell Trouble for Hendrick Drivers?

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Jimmie Johnson, driver of the #48 Lowe’s Chevrolet, stands on the grid during qualifying for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series 59th Annual DAYTONA 500 at Daytona International Speedway on February 19, 2017 in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Photo – Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Mr. Hendrick, we have a problem.

Twice during Sunday’s rain-delayed Advance Auto Parts Clash at Daytona International Speedway, Jimmie Johnson spun without provocation off turn four.

The first time, on lap 17, he took out the No. 41 Ford of Kurt Busch. The second time, Johnson nosed into the inside wall near the entrance to pit road crashed out of the 75-lap exhibition race.

Forget that Johnson failed to finish the Clash for the sixth straight year. More important is the observation that the balance of the Hendrick Motorsports cars has been problematic at restrictor-plate tracks.

Watching from the TV booth as Alex Bowman drove his No. 88 Chevy to a third-place finish Dale Earnhardt Jr. expressed apprehension when Johnson spun once, then twice. Remember, Earnhardt spun three times on plate tracks last year before a concussion sidelined him for the final 18 races of the season.

Unlike last year, Earnhardt plans to practice extensively for next Sunday’s Daytona 500. Sunday’s accidents left Johnson thinking in the same vein.

“It’s bizarre, because it drove really good everywhere else,” Johnson said after the second wreck. “Then off of (turn) four, the first time I had a handling problem was when it broke free and I got into the No. 41, and then after that it was really loose after that caution and the last long stretch before I crashed again.

“Just off of turn four. The sun certainly sits on that edge of the track a little bit harder than anywhere else. We will take some notes and learn from those mistakes and apply that to the (Daytona) 500 car.”

As to possible solutions, Johnson already was pondering potential fixes.

“I would have to assume that it’s relative to the height of the rear spoiler,” said the reigning Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series champion. “When there is less air and the air is so turbulent back there, the spoiler is so small it’s real easy to get the pressure off of it, and then the back just rotates around.

“We can adjust rear shocks, rear ride height and try to get more pitch in the car in a sense to keep the spoiler up in the air longer.”

Alex Bowman Happy to be Aligned with Hendrick

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Alex Bowman, driver of the #88 Nationwide Chevrolet, stands in the garage during practice for the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series Advance Auto Parts Clash on February 17, 2017 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Photo – Jerry Markland/Getty Images

After a stellar performance as a substitute driver for Dale Earnhardt Jr. last year, Alex Bowman got several offers of NASCAR rides – but none that could induce him to leave Hendrick Motorsports, where he spends most of his time driving a simulator. Continue reading →

FOX Sports and NASCAR Productions Commemorate Jeff Gordon’s First Daytona 500 Victory in Original Documentary

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DAYTONA BEACH, FL – FEBRUARY 16, 1997: Daytona 500 1997 winner Jeff Gordon (center) celebrates with teammates Terry Labonte (left) and Ricky Craven (right) following their sweep of the first three finishing places by Hendrick Racing. Photo – Getty Images

FOX Sports and NASCAR Productions Commemorate Jeff Gordon’s First

Daytona 500 Victory in Original Documentary

Actor Luke Wilson Narrates “Beyond the Wheel” Short Film in One of Three Daytona-Themed Specials 

In advance of the 59th annual Daytona 500, FOX Sports and NASCAR Productions have teamed up to deliver a rare behind-the-scenes look at four-time champion Jeff Gordon’s first win in the “Great American Race” with an original film entitled “Refuse to Lose.” On the 20thanniversary of Gordon’s milestone triumph, the documentary takes viewers inside his journey to victory lane using never-before-seen footage of the No. 24 team captured in the ten days leading up to the event.

Featuring interviews with Gordon and crew chief Ray Evernham, both executive producers on the project, the film premieres on Thursday, Feb. 23 at 10 p.m. ET immediately following FS1’s coverage of the Can-Am Duel at Daytona International Speedway. Continue reading →

Dale Jr Surprisingly Excited about Phoenix Testing

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Monster Energy NASCAR Sprint Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. (L) laughs with crew members in the garage during NASCAR testing at Phoenix International Raceway on January 31, 2017 in Avondale, Arizona.
Photo – Jennifer Stewart/Getty Images

Last Tuesday, Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series drivers headed west to Phoenix International Raceway for testing. Among the teams showing up was Dale Earnhardt Jr, driver of the No. 88 Nationwide Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports.

This was Earnhardt’s first time behind the wheel of his race car since taking time off for concussion-like symptoms that sidelined him late last season. So test day at Phoenix was, perhaps no so surprisingly, exciting from that perspective and his team was happy to have him back in the No. 88. Continue reading →

From Small Beginnings, Rick Hendrick Reached Pinnacle of Success in Business and NASCAR

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HOMESTEAD, FL – NOVEMBER 17: Jimmie Johnson (C), driver of the #48 Lowe’s/Kobalt Tools Chevrolet, poses with team owner Rick Hendrick (L) and crew chief Chad Knaus (R) in Champions Victory Lane with their six trophies after the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Ford EcoBoost 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway on November 17, 2013 in Homestead, Florida. Photo – Robert Laberge/Getty Images

It’s said reaching the top is the easy part; staying there is more difficult.

For Rick Hendrick, the climb up the mountain required a decade of hard work culminating in Hendrick Motorsports capturing its first NASCAR premier series championship in 1995.

Two decades later, Hendrick’s Chevrolet team remains stock car racing’s platinum standard: a record 12 NASCAR premier series titles – including Jimmie Johnson’s record-matching seventh crown in 2016 – and 245 victories with 16 different drivers.

“It just seems like yesterday we didn’t think we’d even make it through our first year (1984) and now we’ve won 12 of these things, and it’s hard to do,” said Hendrick following Johnson’s title-winning victory last November at Homestead-Miami Speedway in south Florida.

The 67-year-old Hendrick will reach yet another career milestone on Friday when he’s inducted into the NASCAR Hall of Fame (8 p.m. ET on NBCSN). The Class of 2017 includes fellow team owner Richard Childress, former Hendrick Motorsports drivers Mark Martin and Benny Parsons and pioneer car owner Raymond Parks. Continue reading →