Dale Earnhardt Jr, not a top 3 driver ...

[Todd McCreary]

at Hendrick Motorsports?

so i was talking to one of my Jr fan friends the other day and he made the comment "I'm not sure Junior is a top 5 driver in NASCAR." this was followed a few minutes later by "Holy crap, Junior might not be a top 3 driver in his own team!"

so, race fans, what's your opinion? do you think he's even in the top 5 at Hendrick, what with Stewart and Newman being 'unofficial' Hendrick team cars?

[Todd McCreary]

as for me, my sentimental favorite is Martin. and i think there's a good chance that Hendrick is going to throw everything he's got behind Mark this year. last year was supposed to be Junior's year. so, while on a purely past performance basis, you'd have to give the nod to Johnson and Gordon i like Mark's chances.

i expect Stewart and Newman to be hampered by new team/organization issues. i also expect that they're not going to get quite the best stuff Hendrick has to offer.

but i still rank Junior in front of Newman because i don't think Newman is near as good of a racer as he is a qualifier.

[Todd McCreary]

wow, Sunday's exhibition has done wonders for Junior's rep.

[ronabneysr]

wow jr has bad day

and you are ready to throw him under the bus ---- check the stats and look at the money he has grossed --- yea ever body loves mark martin but do you think he will ever win another race ... when kyle bush gets his bell rung he will quit doing them wild man moves and he will be just another 20 th place car

[Todd McCreary]

and you are ready to throw him under the bus

check the date Ron. i posted this before the Daytona weekend. my first post and poll ordering are just going off of last years performances.

and, i've never been a Jr fan so i don't see how i'm throwing him under the bus.

as for Martin, he almost made the Chase last year while running a partial schedule. and he's already had one championship stolen from him by NASCAR.