Are Supporters Jaded About Dale Earnhardt Jr., Despite Good Start to Season?

I realize that we are still quite early in the 2013 Sprint Cup period, but I have noticed something that's quite strikinga'and I am wondering exactly how many others have noticed the same thing. When Jimmie Johnson became the points chief after winning the season-opening Daytona 500 a month ago, his fans quickly began touting Johnson as kicking off a work which will end in November with his sixth Sprint Cup title. When Brad Keselowski opened the growing season with two third-place finishes and two other fourth-place finishes in the very first four racesa'an incredible display of consistency, not forgetting overtaking the factors lead after last Sunday's race at Bristola'fans were doing some selling of the own. With this kind of strong start, it seems fairly clear that Keselowski has found where he left off after winning the Sprint Cup championship last season. But where is all the talk been concerning Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his start to this season? Earnhardt has been just like effective as Johnson and Keselowski, accomplished runner-up to Johnson at Daytona, fifth at Phoenix, seventh at Las Vegas and sixth at Bristol. Following three of the initial four events, Junior was ranked 2nd in the general Cup standings. And another time, he was ranked third (after Vegas). Even when Kasey Kahne won at Bristol, talk-radio callers and blog writers were hypothesizing that the success will be just the thing to begin Kahne on his way to his first job Cup champion and his surprising career-best fourth-place finish in last season's rankings was just an indication of even better things to come. So, I will ask again, considering that Junior is back second devote the rankings planning into Sunday's race at Fontana, just a mere seven details behind Keselowski, why aren't more individuals talking about Earnhardt and the remarkable time start he is had? Is Junior becoming the Rodney Dangerfield of NASCAR, where no matter what he does, he gets little if any respect for his accomplishments. Around I hate to say it, can it be that Junior fans have become so cynical or pessimistic within the span of his profession that they've seen this movie way too many timesa'and feel the outcome can yet again end up like the old Led Zeppelin tune: "The Song Remains The Same?" Let us confront it, Junior's legion of fans is neither as large or as beneficial as it once was. If this was 2004 as opposed to 2013 and Earnhardt was still at the business his father established (Dale Earnhardt, Inc.) and he was still sponsored by Budweiser, the fan reaction could be somewhat differenta'and markedly louder, for certain. But that's no more the casea'and hasn't been for perhaps the final six seasons. One need only look back once again to last year to see the most recent example. Earnhardt even sat atop the details after the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis, used the first 25 days mostly in the top three positions in the standings (and never below the top five) and jumped out to the best start of his Cup job. Just what exactly happens? He was reseeded seventh once the Chase for the Sprint Cup started, was knocked out of the fourth race of the Chase at Talladega and missed the ensuing two contests, recovering from a concussion. When that happened, therefore went arguably Earnhardt's most useful bid for a Cup title currently. Here is yet another example: In 2004, Earnhardt had a highly skilled begin to the growing season, winning the Daytona 500 en route to a career-best six wins general. Where did he complete in the final standings? Sixth. And then there's the switch side: Earnhardt started off the 2003 season miserably, with finishes of 33rd and 36th in the initial two events, simply to change things around with a vengeance and quickly. By the time the fifth race of the season was over, he was back around last in the standings, slipped back to fifth the following week and then remained in either 2nd or third invest the regular standings for the remainder of the season. He eventually finished third in the ultimate year ahead of the execution of the Chase format in 2004. But as time has gone on, not to mention all the challenges Earnhardt has hada'particularly in the victories categorya'maybe it is actually not that big of a surprise that his supporters aren't as optimistic about his overall odds as Johnson's, Keselowski's or Kahne's. Having won just two races in the last five seasons and a total of five wins in the last seven seasons (from 2005 to the present), it's understandable if supporters are cautious, if perhaps not jaded, by Earnhardt's background, no pun intended. Perhaps, the only path the Junior Army can finally get excited and think he may finally win his first Cup tournament is if he makes the last battle of the season at Homestead having an almost impossible 42-point lead. And even then, they might still maybe not be fully convinced till he was standing atop the post-race stage, holding the championship trophy. Because as it pertains to Earnhardt, even though he is working his most useful, there is usually that hesitation and doubt that the bottom is due to drop out at any timea'and still another possible champion quote will drop by the wayside once again. But who knows, maybe in 2010 will find yourself differently. We can only hope. Follow me on Twitter @JerryBonkowski

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