As a Dale Earnhardt Jr. fan I would love to see him win another race and would love to see him win the Sprint Cup Series Championship. If asked which I would like to see more I would say a championship and that is precisely what it looks like Dale Jr. is focused on.
In a story on NASCAR.com it actually talks about how Earnhardt Jr. is more focused on consistency than he is with breaking his winless streak which now stands at 139 races. This type of approach in racing is often rewarded with higher finishes and a better overall chance at the championship. When looking at the story it is clear to see that Dale Jr. does still want to win, but he has the bigger picture in mind first.
Excited for Other Tracks
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is always discussed when it comes time to talk about winning at the superspeedways of Daytona and Talladega. This might be because of his tremendous track record at these types of places that have seen him win a combined seven times between the two tracks. However, in the story Dale Jr. says that he is excited about all the tracks this year because his team is running so well and even cited Darlington, the next stop of the season, as a place he can't wait to get back to.
Driving Smart for Better Finishes
As far as driving goes there is no question that Dale Jr. can drive well, but he might not always drive smart. However, while at Talladega he drove in the back of the pack for a good deal of the race as he was playing it safe and trying to save his car for the end run. While he only finished ninth in the race that was his eighth top ten finish of the year out of only ten races. In contrast, for the 2011 season he had 12 top ten finishes all year and finished seventh in the point standings as a result. So, with not even a third of the 2012 season gone, he is on pace to have one of his best seasons ever.
Consistency Breeds Wins
I've watched racing my entire life and have been involved with the sport on lower levels as well. If there is one rule that almost always applies with any level of racing it's that consistency breeds winning. So, while Dale Jr. no doubt wants to snap his now 139 race winless streak he is likely more concerned with being consistent as he knows the wins will come if he just stays up front. If he keeps driving the way he has thus far then it is hard to imagine a scenario that doesn't see him racing at season's end with a chance at the title and hopefully with a win or two to go with his drive.
Jimmy Collins has been a loyal fan of NASCAR since he was a child attending races watching Dale Earnhardt run the famous number 3. He still attends numerous races each season and enjoys writing about NASCAR, particularly in regards to Dale Earnhardt as well as Dale Earnhardt Jr.
More from this contributor:
Five Reasons Dale Earnhardt Jr. Probably Doesn't Care About Critics: Fan's View
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Must Feel He is the Best Driver: Fan Opinion
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Influential to Drivers as Well as Fans: A Fan's Perspective
