NASCAR: Returns to its Roots

Since the death of his father on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has grown to be NASCAR's most popular restrictor-plate driver. The 2008 season has brought multiple changes for the sport, its sponsors, and the teams. The sport has implemented revisions in rules ranging from qualifying procedures, pit road rules, fuel cell size, engines, and even the final destination of the money collected from fining drivers. Yet, Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s departure from his fathers company, DEI (Dale Earnhardt Inc.) and arrival to Hendrick Motorsports has been the most publicized story of the 2008 season.

Junior decided to leave DEI at the end of the 2007 after a dismal season because he and Teresa Earnhardt could not come to an agreement on a common vision for the family business. "It is time for me to continue his legacy in the only way I know I can by taking the life lessons that he told me: Be a man, race hard and contend for championships," Junior said. "That's what I intend to do, and I feel strongly that I would have my father's blessing." Already the highest paid driver in the sport earning $20.1 million per year, Junior says it's not about the money. The boy with the golden legacy believes the vision for his father's company was forgotten somewhere along the line, which is the reason he demanded 51 percent of the company during contract negotiations at the start of the 2007 season.

Just like Tom Petty, Junior will be learning to fly this season, and although he knows the good old days may not return, a new era has arrived on the track. Earnhardt joins Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, and Casey Mears to form what has the potential to be one of the most dominant teams in the sports history.

On Saturday, in his very first appearance in the new No. 88 Chevrolet, Junior edged out Tony Stewart with a push from teammate Jimmie Johnson to get the checkard flag at the Bud Shootout. It seemed like pure magic, not only for the team, but for the sport as a whole. NASCAR knows if Junior wins, marketing him as the face of the sport will be cake. The sport has high hopes of regaining some of the attention it lost while Junior was struggling towards the end of his tenure at DEI. Saturday was Junior's first victory in Daytona since the 2004 Daytona 500. Five times in the past the winner of the Shootout has gone on to win the 500 a week later.



From a glance, it would appear that the sport is back on track, with its golden boy in the driver seat and a dominant team along-side him. The No. 88 gear will surely be flying off the shelf as Junior has quickly rebounded from the disaster that was his final few seasons at DEI. A veteran leader in Jeff Gordon, a consistent winner in Jimmie Johnson, and a competitive Casey Mears may just push Hendrick Motorsports over the top as the top racing team in the sport.
-DP.