![]() ![]() ![]() Plus his smooth, patient driving style does not match the aggressive, bump cars out of the way, drive every lap like it’s the last lap style that Earnhardt possessed during his career Some of the fans see Johnson as too much of a nice guy and not “a good old’ boy”, as he comes from California and not the South. Though the media have recognized Johnson for his accomplishments, the majority of the NASCAR fans have not embraced the five-time series champion. Johnson has won a record five Sprint Cup championships in a row and won 35 races dating back to the start of the 2006 season. While Earnhardt Jr has become the sport’s biggest star, Jimmie Johnson has become the sports best driver. Junior’s downfall has been seen by some experts as one of the reasons while attendance and television ratings have declined in the last few years. What appeared to be a match made in heaven has turned into a nightmare for Junior and his fans as the driver was only one race in his three seasons at Hendrick, and has finished outside the top 20 in points the past two seasons. when a rift developed between him and his stepmother, Teresa, who took over as owner of her late husband’s operation, forcing Junior to leave after the 2007 season and join Hendrick Motorsports, the premier team in NASCAR. Junior had some success from 2001 through 2006 as Junior won 15 races in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, including the 2004 Daytona 500, and finished in the top ten of the points standings four times, with his best finish being third in 2003.īut things took a turn for Earnhardt Jr. While Earnhardt Jr has matched the popularity of his father, he has not able to match the success of his legendary father.ĭale Earnhardt Junior has struggled to live up to the legacy of his father. ![]() Since the 2003 season, Junior, as he more commonly known as, has been named the sport’s most popular driver every year and has crossed into the world of entertainment by appearing in music videos and in movies, which included a cameo in the Will Ferrell 2006 comedy Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby and a voice role in the Disney/PIXAR film Cars. The most logical choice was Earnhardt’s son, Dale Earnhardt Jr., who drove for his father’s racing team, Dale Earnhardt Inc. With their beloved icon no longer on the race track, the many fans of the “Man in Black” had to find a new favorite driver to root for. While they have been numerous safety advances in the decade since his death, there has been no driver that has captured the imagination of NASCAR fans throughout the world like the way Earnhardt and his famous #3 black Goodwrench Service Chevrolet did. “The Intimidator” is considered by many as the greatest NASCAR driver of all time as won 76 races and seven season championships, a record he shares with “The King” (Richard Petty), in his illustrious career.Įarnhardt’s death sent shockwaves throughout the sports world as the biggest star of the nation’s fastest growing sport was suddenly gone. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the darkest day in NASCAR history, the death of Dale Earnhardt in a crash on the last lap of the Daytona 500. ![]() Ten years after his death, Dale Earnhardt is still casting a shadow over NASCAR. ![]()
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