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Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr.Head2Head: Which team signed the better driver?
By NASCAR.COM
August 15, 2007
04:16 PM EDT
August 15, 2007
04:16 PM EDT
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This week's hot-button topic focuses on Kyle Busch and Dale Earnhardt Jr. More specifically, which team will get the most bang for the buck with its Silly Season signing.
Read both sides of the argument and then weigh in with your take.
Which team signed the better driver: Gibbs or Hendrick?
| GIBBS | HENDRICK |
|---|---|
It's not about hatin'; it's about having a perspective that isn't hued by popularity. Yes, I believe Kyle Busch is a better driver than Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- but that isn't to say I do not appreciate the talent of Little E. Quite the contrary; I'd sign him tomorrow and reap the rewards of the Junior Nation. In this case -- Busch vs. Earnhardt -- Joe Gibbs Racing gets the nod for its Silly Season signing, even if the folks at Motorsports Authentics have more Junior swag on order than Busch. Competing in the Cup Series is not solely driven by marketing and sales, at least for the foreseeable future. For the time being the primary benchmark is on-track performance -- and Kyle has shown during the past two-plus seasons that he can wheel it: In 94 Cup Series starts since 2005: • Wins: Busch, 4; Earnhardt, 2 • Runner-up: Busch, 8; Earnhardt, 2 • Top-5s: Busch, 24; Earnhardt, 21 • Top-10s: Busch, 43; Earnhardt, 38 Sure, there are extenuating circumstances. DEI has been in a state of flux almost as long as Busch has been driving the No. 5 car, which hasn't helped Earnhardt's cause. But the flip side of that argument is this (and we know fans subscribe to the pecking order theory): Kyle has been driving the Hendrick stable's third-most important car, behind Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, which stands to reason that Busch hasn't been given the "best" equipment. And still he's excelled. Meanwhile, Junior has been the face of DEI and has been given first dibs on the cream of the crop. Or so the theory goes. Either way, results are what matter -- and Kyle's have been better, if only slightly. And considering that drivers generally don't light the world on fire their first few seasons, the numbers are more impressive. These are his stats through his first three seasons, compared to seasons six, seven and eight for Earnhardt. Clearly the talent is there; now comes the maturation -- and the sky's the limit for this 22-year-old. Gibbs' '08 lineup -- Tony Stewart, Denny Hamlin and Busch -- is now as enviable as any in the garage. It wasn't before Tuesday -- and Busch made it so. He will prove to be a difference-maker for Gibbs. • Duane Cross, NASCAR.COM |
With all due respect for Kyle Busch's talents, which are substantial, and Joe Gibbs Racing, proven winners in their own right, Dale Earnhardt Jr. made the better career move this summer. Yeah, Gibbs has 58 Cup victories and three NASCAR championships. But Rick Hendrick's organization has 159 wins and six NASCAR titles. Certainly, Busch has tremendous potential. He's won four races before his 22nd birthday. But he's the No. 3 driver on the best team in NASCAR -- and he's basically taking the same role with Gibbs, in a car that hasn't won a race since 2003. Junior? He's been in the spotlight the last eight seasons as the No. 1 driver at DEI, an operation that bears his late father's name -- no pressure there -- in the intense scrutiny of a relentless firestorm of attention, both from the media and the fans. Oh, and with 17 career victories, he's 39th on the all-time wins list. Junior has 73 career top-five finishes, 117 top-10s and he won't be 33 until October. He's currently battling to keep alive a streak of winning at least one race each season since 2000. But with Hendrick -- read, the experience of Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson -- Little E won't be required to carry the entire weight of the team on his shoulders. Imagine the relief he'll feel without that pressure every week. In addition, he'll now have a virtual encyclopedia of information to tap into, just by questioning one of his teammates, both familiar with what it takes to win a championship. But the best thing for Junior? He's moving to an operation that has manhandled the competition in 2007: 10 wins, 34 top-fives, 41 top-10s and six poles. Hendrick will easily have three drivers in the Chase this season -- and the way Casey Mears is going, he could quite possibly wind up the best of the rest. Junior should fit right in. Its Car of Tomorrow program also is top of the line, so there shouldn't be any drop off in the foreseeable future. Little E has to be salivating at the idea of driving for Hendrick in 2008. It's like having a restrictor-plate advantage every week. • Mark Aumann, NASCAR.COM |
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