The First Decade of the 21st Century in NASCAR in Retrospect

Another Season is here… and it always makes me pensive. 2009 thankfully came and ended a long arduous decade full of many changes to a sport that a fan base, whose roots go back over 50 years, probably never thought they'd ever see.

As the first decade of the 21st century wound down, it was continually highlighted by one story that overrode everyone's minds still nine years later: Dale Earnhardt's death in 2001. How could we forget? We can’t. (I hear those non- Dale fans saying: “the Dale fans won’t let us!” That’s the way fanship goes.) On the cusp of a new decade, post Y2K, post-millennial fears, scares, and apocalyptic speculations and the 2000 domination of the Ford freight train races of Daytona and Talladega, February 2001 brought us our worst nightmare: the loss of the sports’ greatest star and driver. Don McLean's old song "American Pie" sings of all the changes in music and the world, and the "day the music died"... I'd venture to say, February 18, 2001 is the day NASCAR died. And then it spent pretty much the rest of the decade trying to resuscitate itself.

As I read headline after headline for they year-end stories, it was obvious: nine years later, Dale Earnhardt is still the number one story of the decade despite the multiple accomplishments of many others. Jimmie Johnson and the entire Hendrick Motorsports organization has done a fine job of keeping the sport alive beginning with Jeff Gordon's championship in 2001, unfortunately his last before the Chase would take over and seemingly seal his fate for anymore.

The heart of the sport stopped that day. The impact is undeniable. Kevin Harvick came out of the gate with the fire the sport needed to revive it, but the powers-that-be squashed that really quick, denying him the chance to champion Richard Childress Racing early on in his career as he should have. The results have been obviously detrimental to that organization both in personnel morale and media/fan perception. Then, seasons later after many others showed they had personality and fire, too AND that fans really do like that, NASCAR encouraged the drivers to become more themselves again... but once burned, very wary.

As the decade progressed, the Chase droned on, TV ratings dropped, fans walked away and new fans (markets) walked up, the sport was accused of being too vanilla (including by this writer, who still thinks it's quite "vanilla"), sponsorship woes began and NASCAR came up with the Car of Tomorrow. Away went any semblance of something the average person could recognize from a showroom floor but in came a very safe car as noted by horrific crashes like Michael McDowell’s at Texas in 2008.

However, out went most of the control to the team for adjustability and change. NASCAR can have some great ideas but still shoot its own foot. Still a work in progress the COT is killing some teams while others have it figured out, namely the Hendricks organization.

Then the biggest and in my opinion, saddest story of the decade happened (outside of his father's death): Dale Earnhardt Jr leaving Dale Earnhardt Inc. Debates raged all around in the media and through Junior Nation over Dale Jr.’s future and he probably learned a lot of hard lessons but most likely taught others more. Still, the time at Hendrick Motorsports is drawing close to his 5 years end and I personally believe the 8 car is waiting for him and him alone. I realize the Dale Jr. fans will write to tell me I've lost my mind but that car is his. If he and Teresa and Chip could all get past their differences, and then Kelly and his mother would simply step back and leave Dale Jr. alone, his life could become his again. He could reunite with Taylor and Teresa and go back to DEI/Ganassi at the end of his contract, bring that 8 car out with one heck of a fanfare and be in victory lane in no time flat. Juan Pablo Montoya is learning fast but Dale Jr. would be able to show him faster. And I cannot believe I'm going to say this but yes, with his cousin, Tony Eury Jr. for his crew chief, I believe they've both matured enough to have learned how to take direction and give the right feedback to be champions where they belong: in his daddy's company. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the 8 car belong together. Nothing else fits. DEI and Dale Jr with Teresa need to celebrate victory again. And then I believe, she would do as she’d intended all along, hand over her portion of the company to her stepson to run it accordingly. With Chip Ganassi, DEI/Ganassi would be the formidable racing team we have been expecting all along.

Now THAT would resuscitate the sport! All the multiple championships and domination in the world wouldn’t put the sport on the map like a comeback from Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Dale Earnhardt Inc. I realize there’s another Earnhardt being groomed for DEI, but still if he’s put in the 8 car, it’ll never be his like it’s Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s. Of course, some fans may say, if Teresa had just given Dale his number he’d be ok, but I would disagree. The number belongs to DEI and it all belongs together- DEI, Dale Jr and the #8 car. I can only hope for something special to prevail and perhaps one day, we’ll see such a glorious moment. In the meantime, may this next decade bear only great moments and great growth for the sport. It’s time to bring it back to the fans, back to affordability and back to its roots again. NASCAR is working hard to meet all markets. One day it’ll realize it only needs to meet the market that cares about it. Everyone else will come to it.




Photo Credits:
Jimmie Johnson Four Time Champion: Rusty Jarrett/Getty Images
Kevin Harvick over Jeff Gordon Atlanta Motorspeedway
Michael McDowell  SpeedTV
Dale Earnhardt Jr victorious  Dave Martin/AP