For the first time in four years...

[ajwest92]

...I didn't tape a Cup race. But first, hear me out.

I think that everyone here knows that I work 2nd shift at a restaurant here in Sidney and that I work weekends as well. I might be lucky to watch two to three races a year live. I have used my trusty VCR for the last four years (yes, VCR...I don't have DVR) to tape my races. Most of the time, I would watch the Reader's Digest version of them to get the highlights, etc., and to see how Jr. did. Even the tracks that Jr. doesn't do well at (Pocono, Indy, Sonoma for examples), I taped. But this weekend...I skipped taping the race.

Why, Alex, Why?

Because I thought that Jr. would do no better than 20th this week after seeing him qualify 26th. And I was right...27th, four laps down. UGH!!!

Now yes, I saw the spin and the tire going down, but this isn't what I've wanted to see almost every week for this year...especially since all the other six HMS and HMS-equipped cars finish in the top seven. (Congrats to all of them.) But this year had been a disappointment for me as a Jr. fan. Four finishes out of the top 25, including at tracks he does well at like Richmond and Daytona, and Phoenix.

I know that the expectations are huge for him from Jr. Nation but I don't expect to win 10 races every year. But i do expect him to competitive, consistently getting top 5s and top 10s every other week. But I can't even get that anymore from him. This is not what I've expected from him when he went to Hendrick. I don't know what he needs to do, but he needs to get in gear to get into the top 12 by September.

I think that everyone here knows that I am passionate about Jr...look at my bucket. I wouldn't put up this post unless that I felt that something was needed IMO to be spoken about his performance this year. And while I know that he had his share of trouble this year, he has not rallied back from it like him teammates have this year when they had bad races.

I don't have the solution for his team, but i hope that someone does. If he doesn't make the Chase this year, HECK WILL BE RAISED THE FOLLOWING MONDAY...mark my words.

Just venting, Alex

[race crazy]

its ok man-you can vent about Jr-im just as passionate about my guy Carl-and hes having an off year too and its killin me just as its killin you-Jr is under a lot of pressure to perform-especially when his teammates are out there killin it-idk-i still think a change needs to be made somewhere-i can understand your frustration though definitely-just ask the guys in chat about my venting rampages about Edwards pit crew this year haha.

[Ripken8fan55]

First thing he needs to do is rid of cousin Tony in my opinion. And fire the pit crew, I`ve never seen anyone have as much trouble in the pits as Jr. is this year. Pull an RCR and trade teams with someone else to shake things up. That ain`t gonna happen though. His pit crew is one of the problems I think, crew chief included.

Tom

[GO-6-GO]

Might help if they bring Tony SR back. Stephen.......