Should Jr be more like Kyle Busch?

Jeff Owens: Should Junior be more like Kyle Busch?
By Jeff Owens - Executive Editor
Thursday, May 08, 2008

Kyle Busch’s spin of Dale Earnhardt Jr. while battling for the lead at Richmond was arguably the most dramatic, most exciting moment this season.
It put fans on the edge of their seats and gave them something to talk and argue about for weeks.
But perhaps the most intriguing part has been monitoring the ongoing debate among Earnhardt Jr. fans. In the days following the controversy, the tone of Earnhardt’s fans has changed dramatically, turning almost as suddenly as Junior’s spinning car.
First, Junior fans were absolutely irate that Busch wrecked their man, calling the young driver every name in the book and declaring that he clearly took out Junior intentionally.
Although a few conceded that it looked like a “racing incident,” most were convinced that the contact was intentional and advanced the theory that Busch did it just to get back at Junior for taking his place at Hendrick Motorsports.
Then, after Busch and Junior both called the wreck an accident and tried to put the incident behind them, the anger shifted to Denny Hamlin, Busch’s teammate, who stopped on the track to intentionally bring out a caution flag when he had a flat tire late just before the wreck. According to Junior fans, Hamlin’s action was a deliberate attempt to help his teammate and cost Junior the race.
Now, in some corners, the debate has shifted yet again. Was Kyle Busch really at fault? Is he a dirty driver, or just an aggressive, hard-nosed racer, like Dale Earnhardt Sr.?
This is where things get interesting.

Many fans, some of them seemingly staunch Earnhardt supporters, don’t blame Busch much for making the aggressive move that wound up spinning Earnhardt Jr. and possibly cost him his first win in two years.
How can they condemn such a move when Earnhardt Sr. did it all the time?
Earnhardt Sr., the man nicknamed “The Intimidator” for his daring, aggressive style, was often characterized this way: He would wreck his own mother if it meant winning a race.
Earnhardt Sr. would have done the same thing as Busch under similar circumstances. And if he took out his own son in an effort to win, well, so be it.
Busch merely did what other great drivers before him did when a race was on the line. He does whatever it takes to win, even if it means using his bumper or taking out another driver.
Earnhardt Sr. did it. So did Rusty Wallace, Darrell Waltrip, Bobby Allison, Cale Yarborough, and the list goes on.
Jeff Gordon has done it. So has Tony Stewart. So has Kurt Busch, Kyle’s older brother.
Sometimes they are criticized and booed for it, sometimes they aren’t. It depends on how many fans they have and what kind of double standard they are willing to apply.
There are two things Earnhardt Jr. fans seem most frustrated about:
One, what Kyle Busch did is exactly what Earnhardt Sr. did countless times, and they usually cheered him for it. On a few occasions – 1999 at Bristol – Earnhardt’s actions were so blatant and so deplorable that even his own fans booed him, though they soon got over it and used it as just another testament to his greatness.
And two, Earnhardt Jr. hardly ever makes such a move. He hardly ever races that aggressively and has rarely used his bumper or spun another driver to take the lead or win a race.
That has to be frustrating, and maybe even a little embarrassing, for fans who grew up pulling for the “Man In Black,” the most aggressive, relentless and ruthless driver who ever lived.
How they must wish that Earnhardt Jr. were more like his father.
How they must wish that Earnhardt Jr. would do exactly what Kyle Busch did at Richmond.
If he did, would they turn on him and blast Junior the way they ripped Busch? Would he suddenly be a bad guy and a dirty driver?
Would they sympathize with poor Kyle and claim that it was he who got a raw deal? Would he suddenly become a fan favorite, the way perennial bad guy Darrell Waltrip did when Rusty Wallace wrecked him in the 1989 all-star race?
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I doubt it.
Junior typically doesn’t race that way, and there’s nothing wrong with that. He is more like mild-mannered drivers such as Jeff Burton and Mark Martin than aggressive, hard-chargers such as Busch and Carl Edwards.
That’s admirable and has earned Junior a lot of respect, both in the garage and in the grandstands. He’s a genuinely good guy who shows deep respect for his peers, and that has helped him grow the sport’s largest fan base.
Yet, there are probably a lot of Earnhardt fans that would like to see Junior be a bit more like Senior.
Or maybe a bit more like Kyle Busch.

nah, lol. kyle's a great driver, but i love jrs style!!! :) although, while i loved seeing jr and kyle go at it at richmond, i couldnt handle seeing him race aggressive every week. my heart would be pounding every second of the race! i can just imagine what all you kyle busch fans go through. seems the boy is always sideways going through turns. but then again, thats what makes kyle such a good driver. so i have to say, i love my boy the way he is.

omg girl...u have no idea! I pace, I smoke 2 or 3 cigs at a time, I turn my back b/c I can't watch! Almost every lap....& it gets worse if he is near the front at the end of the race! I so meant what i said when i made that blog......my driver keeps me on my toes!!!!!!!!! I'm going to have gray hairs by the time this season is over with! :pale:

patty