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Will you be buying all new 88 gear?
Junior Nation. Earnhardt Nation. The Red Army. Whatever your calling, you know who you are. You have worn the Red and Number 8 proudly for all these years. Many of you also have a 3 somewhere in your closet and perhaps side by side the 8 decal on your rear window. You own the diecast, the can coolers, hats, shirts, a flag or two and perhaps even bedding or jammies. You may even have an 8 tattoo. Let’s face it, you drank the kool-aid and went back for more. |
You hate the 24, always have always will. The only driver you ever thought you would call a “teammate” to Junior was Tony Stewart, even though Waltrip was right there. Or at least so you thought.
Now, your beloved heads to the enemy and has called them brother. Gordon looks not only like a teammate, but quite possibly a mentor on how to have a happy life and turn it into a season to remember.
But with all that, the biggest question remains – will you turn in your Red for green? Will you turn in the hallowed 8 for an 88?
Dale Sr. made black and the 3 famous when it mattered the most. He turned it into a marketing empire.
But how will Sister Kelly and the vast machine at Hendrick convince you to turn your back on the Budweiser Chevy, the 8 and most importantly, the Red.
Anywhere Junior took the lead, the Red Faithful rose in unison to cheer their Favorite Son. At times, he did not even have to take the lead, but just challenge for it. That is what made drinking the kool-aid worthwhile.
Now I wonder what scene we will see next season at Daytona – a sea of Red or a smattering of the green. Will the 8 still carry the same fire as the 3 does? Or will you succumb and carry the 88 as proudly as you did the Red 8? Will Talladega be the same ever again?
What will happen when the Red Budweiser crowd jumps to its collective feet next year and the Uninitiated and Fan Nouveau thinks that you are all cheering for Kasey Kahne? How embarrassing will that be? Isn’t that thought not un-American?
Everyone knows who you are cheering for in NASCAR – we all know that if you honor the 6 car, that you are really an old Mark Martin fan and not a David Ragan fan.
Rarely has a number and a color meant so much to so many. I just wonder how long it will take to change. And if it ever really will.
Let me know your thoughts on this or any other racing topic.
Drive fast, turn left and keep the shiny side up.
Feel free to send Chuck your thoughts on this and other race topics at chucka@turnleftracing.com.
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Good job, Charlie. Keep up the good work.
RM
I’m more of a Junior fan than an 8 or Bud fan. Junior could drive a pink Cadillac with the number 1054 on it for all I care. I’m a Junior fan. Even though I already have my GREEN shirt and have already shifted my focus to next year and the new 88, I’m a Junior fan. I’ll be scrapin’ my 8 sticker and replacing’ my red Igloo and umbrella with green ones! When the green 88 MD Amp car hits the track, I’ll be yelling! From now on, that red Bud car can make a hard left into the garage every week and I don’t care. Why? Because I’m a Junior fan.
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“From now on, that red Bud car can make a hard left into the garage every week and I don’t care.” Comment by Mark
Poor Kasey! What did he do to you?
Jr will be two colors in 08. Some of us red blooded Americans will be wearing the blue colors. We support Jr but we also support our National Guard troops. Go Guard!
i am a junior fan! i will miss his signature red 8 and my collection will be moved to the back of the shelves to make room for the new. look out gordon and johnson
Great article! However, my daughter, loves Dale Jr and has supported the number 8 for awhile now and she already has plans to follow him to the number 88. I know we will always love the #8 as Dale Jr just like we love the #3 as Dale Sr. But it is the driver not the car that we follow. Many followed Mark Martin and added his new number next to the all the #6 articles.
I’m a Dale Jr. fan and I’ll go where he goes. I’m actually looking forward to 2008 and Dale Jr. will be able to concentrate on racing and winning and he’ll have all the support he needs. Go green and blue 88, the real fans are with you all the way.
Yep thanks to Mrs. DEI. the Jane Fonda of NASCAR. I see even Bud dumped DEI. I’m retired Military but all my red 8 stuff is going to the fire pit. I replace with Hendrick cars.
Dale Jr. is our DRIVER, we follow the driver not the BRAND. No matter where he goes even to HMS his TRUE fans will follow. Many fair weather fans have said they won’t follow Jr. to his new team and that is their choice, but my loyalty is to the MAN not the sponsor.
Dale Jr is my driver. After this season is over, the red #8 will be only a memory of the history of Dale Jr, nothing more. DEI is a vague memory and who in the world are Mark Martin and Aric Whatshisname? BTW, we are the JR NATION, Army of millions.
Although I completely agree with Charlie, this just proves that you can write anything about Jr. and get a big response.
RM
RM, I was noticing the same thing… but I am THANKFUL for the site traffic none the less.
Now, if y’all would just CLICK on some of the clickin’ stuff…
i’ll stick with Jr!! no matter where he goes. it’s green i’ll wear i have got my green shirt and will buy more when things with the #88 come out.still will not cheer for the “other” two think they will treat Jr like they did kyle at daytona leave him out to dry what a pair you seen what sis babe did to Jr last wk. is that a sign of things to come?
Since the design of the numbers is different, adding an ‘8′ to those tattoos is gonna make some hillbillies look even dumber.
Jr. should have stayed out of Jeff’s way, Gordon was MUCH faster in the lower lane. BTW, isns’t that the move Sr. fans loved? Hmmm……….
I’m with Junior not matter what! If he changes to a pink, # 6.7 pinto, I’ll still love him!!
I meant No matter what!!
We are not hillbillies…Silicon Valley retirees…we have been JR and JEFF GORDON fans since both started racing. Anyone that roots for a color or a sponsor would be a tad nuts to us. Glad JR is going to Hendrick and will be rooting for both guys next cheer.
Never thought I would root for a Hendrick car to do bad, but since the 88 will be driven by Jr, the over rated loser, I probably won’t have to…LOL
Now Jr. can either prove himself to be a great driver or not! Lets not put all the blame of this on Teresa, I have no love lost for her either, but if Jr. and the rest of the siblings had meant so much to Sr. he would have split his empire equally between them all. This was the type of selfish man he was. Also, I do not beleive for a minute that he would have supported MM driving one of his cars. I like Mark alot but can remember many times that him and Dale Sr. did not see eye to eye.
It’s TEALE not green. TEALE. All you men are gonna be wearing TEALE! LOL Just teasing. But yes, it is TEALE! LOL.
For all the ones who say ‘I’m a Jr. fan’ or ‘It’s Jr. I root for not the number, brand or color’ or what ever. Did any of you buy a ‘Free the 8′ shirt? Or write terrible horrible posts about Theresa? Or felt that Budweiser should have gone to HMS? I think you did, and now you’ll wear teale and the number 88, change the tats and say ‘It doesn’t really matter’ but it does. Now, I am inconvienced by having to take off my Dale Jarrett 88 off my back window where it has been there proudly for years. Well, thats what I get for buying a sticker with only a number instead of my rule of only buying things with just the name. Won’t do that again. My bad.
Oh, gotta go and Click on some of the Clickin’ stuff! I want Mike to stay!
Teal or green what ever I will still be a jr. fan. but who the hell laid out that paint job? It’s the uglest car in NASCAR.
Many thanks, Becki.
I goofed, because I am not supposed to encourage any visitors to click on anything in particular… but since you can’t take those clicks back, ah well.
I already got my new Tags, JR DE 88, in the state of VA.
Have ordered the decals for my Truck, plan on using the same mudflaps since they together make an 88 and all they have on them is his signature.
This jr fan didn’t waste her money on any thing that said free the 8 andt his hillbillie already knew we wouldn’t keep the #.So yes i have plenty of bud and 8 related items but that isn’t the reason i cheer every Sunday, it is the man himself(example: what other driver ask for scores to a football game during a race?)He is the only thing that i root for every weekend and he is the only reason i’ll wear anything that has a Hendrick logo on it.It took alot of guts to walk away from a family business,so i guess i’ll swallow alot of my proud and move on with my man!!
Yes I have been a devoted member of the #8 Red Army. But starting next year at Daytona I will stand proud in #88 green! I am first and foremost a Junior fan through and through and if he is gonna be in green then so am I!
I think that all true dale junior fans should call juniors new car number double 8. he still has the number 8, however it has bouble for the better.
I’ve been a Jr fan since he started racing in the Bush Series, great driver, cool head and matures real fast, not affraid to fess up to mistakes and tries to learn form them, Takes advise from other drivers no mater the experience in Nascar…
I got a bunch of #8 stuff and I’ll keep it all, It has been a great time but as all things we must move on, I’ve already replaced the decals on my car and motorhome, time to buy new jackets, flags and hats!
I’ll still booooooooooooo Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. LOL!
I”m a jr fan and always will be no matter what he drives or who he drives for. I got alot of Jr #8 stuff but i will not put it to the back of the shelf or burn it like someone said.He proudly drove that car that his Dad Dale Sr put him in.I will not buy no more tho I will be buying his new 88 stuff and it will be displayed proudly along with all his 8 stuff.
I guess I was wrong. You are all in it for the right reasons. But, for those who hate Gordon because you are Earnhardt fans, I do want to say: You put money in Jeffies pocket too! Wasn’t he partners with Senior in a clothing line? Champions? No wait, what was the name of it? Someone knows. Anyway…keep collecting. Rock on! And I think Susan is right. Don’t burn anything. You’ll just end up buying it again at a more expensive price.
I have another question tho…Isn’t GREEN bad luck in racing?
Yep, all the Red 8’s will become Green 88’s, or will they be blue 88’s? oh heck just get turqouis and you’ll be safe. Jr and Tony Jr vault from being the #1 team at DEI to become the #4 team at HMS. Is this another Brian Vickers in the making?
Yep, the Red 8 crew will become the green 88 crew, or will that be the blue 88 crew, better yet, just get everything turqouis and you will cover whatever the color of the week is. Meanwhile, Jr and tony Jr jump ship for greener pastures. After all who would not be overjoyed to swap being the #1 team at DEI to become the #4 team at HMS. Can you see visions of another Brian Vickers in the making?
We personally would have loved to have seen him stay in the red 8, whether at DEI or anywhere else, but we are Jr. fans through and through. My 8 year old son has many drivers he follows (and he was tickled as heck to meet Tony for the first time last night, to add to other drivers he has met, Clint Bowyer, Paul Menard, Matt Crofton, and a young kid named Bryan Silas), but when you ask him who his favorite is, he will tell you without hesitation, it is Jr. He has stopped hating Gordon over the past couple of years, and he has finally matured enough to respect him, and he is looking forward to next year when they are teammates. My personal opinion on the move is that I am hoping Jr. will blast out and have a terrific season to show Theresa that she was wrong when she made her statement in the media about him needing to decide if he wanted to be a driver or a rock star. If not for the numerous engine troubles this year, he would have probably at least made it into the chase, and with the DNFs as of late, he looks like a really mediocre driver. It is only through the big picture that it is seen that he is at least a good driver, and most certainly above average. Is he great? Only time will tell, but he is not subpar as some would like to believe.
And BTW, we will get the new 88 gear as soon as more comes out. My son complained last night he needs a new coat, and some shiny new die-casts for his collection to go along with his older red ones. I was disappointed that it looks as though they will come out too late for Christmas, but my pocketbook will be much lighter soon.
I am a Jeff Gordon Fan!! BUT, I think Jr. has gotten the most horrible treatment at DEI. That is why I will BOO at the top of my lungs when the 8 car with whomever the driver is; is announced next season.
I am going to BOO Mark Martin/Aric this year at Phoenix just to get practice for the races I attend next year. Dale (and there is only one) got the Number 8 for HIS SON. It should have gone with him when the evil-wicked-step-mother chased him away.
Some people say she is a great business person. Ask Jr., Tony Sr., Tony Jr. and now Steve Hmiel. The eight is no longer worth anything. Just like the 1 and the 15.
Please feel free to BOO the U.S. Army and MM or AA whomever next year!!
Yes, I have contacted the Army to express my feelings about thousands of TRUE NASCAR FANS Booing their car. They drank the teresa Kool-aid also(just like Mark Martin), Too bad.
IF JR.CAN JUST KEEP HIS HANDS OFF HIS HEAD AND STOP PLAYING WITH HIS CAP AND STOP MUMBLING INTO THE MIKE WE MIGHT UNDERSTAND A LITTLE MORE OF WHAT’S GOING ON DURING ONE INTERVIEW.I THINK IF WE SEE MRS.DEI WE CAN REMEMBER WHAT SHE LOOKS LIKE??TONY HIS CREW CHIEF OR IS HE A SPOTTER??
WHAT A COMPLETE FAMILY MESS!!!IS GORDON GOING TO TONY STEWARTS WAYS NEXT YEAR AND BUMP HIM OR WRECK HIM TO GET A WIN??MAYBE HENDRICK CAN MAKE SOMETHING OUT OF THIS KID,YOU KNOW JR.,JR.,JR.,JR.,JR….I THINK DALE WILL DO ALRIGHT IN DALE JARETS OLD NUMBER.BUT I WILL TELL YOU THIS.YOU WILL SEE A BETTER DRIVER WHEN HE MOVES TO THE NEW TEAM WITH SOME WINS AND BACK TO HIS OLE JR.SELF!!!