As this is being written, we are only 38 days away from the Daytona 500, and the news has come fast and furious leading up to the beginning of the season. It doesn’t surprise me somehow that it began with the number three.
Many great drivers have piloted a car adorned with the number three over the years. Notables include Al Unser (in 1968), Bobby Isaac (75), Hall of Famer Buck Baker (64), Buddy Baker (68), Hall of Famer Cale Yarborough (71 & 72), Hall of Famer David Pearson (62), Fred Lorenzen (70), Hall of Famer Junior Johnson, Richard Childress (81), and Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt. That’s the rub. Dale Earnhardt was such a huge figure, especially in the 1980’s and 1990’s; many fans refuse to accept anyone other than The Intimidator in a car with the stylized numeral. The fact that the number is owned, or at least leased to car owner Childress doesn’t matter. The debate rages on and probably will for some time to come.
Among some fans, however, hope rises. Unfortunately, many think that young Austin Dillon, the driver of the No. 3 for 2014 will resurrect that car to the lofty heights that they watched years ago. The theory is that, just like Matt Kenseth, who left Roush-Fenway Racing in 2012 to almost dominate the season (almost is a big word), the chemistry and the good karma that surrounded Earnhardt while in that car will happen for Dillon. Don’t count on it. Remember Ricky Stenhouse, Jr. in 2013?
Stenhouse was fresh off two consecutive NASCAR Nationwide championships, was in a car with a history of winning, and it just didn’t work out. The future is bright for Mr. Stenhouse, and will be for Dillon, but I don’t think it will be in 2014 for Austin. Despite his fast laps at Daytona earlier this month, it’s going to take time, just like Stenhouse, for his talent to become what No. 3 fans want the performance to be. The Sprint Cup Series is ten times tougher than the Nationwide or Camping World Truck Series. My only hope is fans will give the young man a chance to mature in that famous car. Of course I could be totally wrong, but history tells me that’s not going to be the case. Seeing Jeff Burton, Paul Menard, and at times Kevin Harvick struggle in RCR cars over that last few seasons, and considering the domination of the series by Joe Gibbs Racing and Hendrick Motorsports, it’s not going to be as easy as many think.
Now that we have that numerology out of the way, think about this for a moment. Last season, we had 36 races and two teams won 58 percent of the races. Chevrolet drivers won 16 times, Toyota won 14 times, and Ford Drivers won six. Hendrick Motorsports drivers won nine races and Joe Gibbs Racing drivers won 12 times. Maybe that’s the competition problem in NASCAR, and not any number of changes the sanctioning body is considering. We will tackle that and other issues next.
The car number really doesn’t matter, it’s who drives it and what they do with it. Richard Petty will be remembered driving #43 & Mark Martin the #6; no matter how many people drive those numbers afterwards. The #9 is debatable whether it’s Bill Elliott’s or Kasey Kahne’s number. But fans of Kasey will remember the #9 and Tony Stewart driving #20. With drivers changing teams as much as they do now, it is confusing from year to year who’s driving what; it’s too bad at least the promising drivers can’t take car numbers with them when they do go to a different team.