Who will break their winless streak first?

Running out of gas in a green-white-checkered while leading. Running out of gas 500 feet from your first checkered flag in over 100 races. Everyone hates having a winless streak. Several drivers have them. Some drivers haven’t won in years, and some haven’t won at all. Some of the more notable drivers in that winless streak group are fan favorite Dale Earnhardt Jr., Kasey Kahne, Jeff Burton, and Martin Truex Jr.

Dale Earnhardt Jr., who drives the Number 88 National Guard Chevy for Hendrick Motorsports, has been winless since 2008 when he won a single race in that season at Michigan in June. The next two seasons were not stellar for the 36-year-old. 2011 has been a big turn-around for the driver. Sitting fourth in points, Dale Earnhardt Jr. has been there to contend for wins.

Kasey Kahne, who drives the number 4 Red Bull Toyota for Red Bull Racing, has been winless since 2009 when won twice in the Cup series, the most recent coming at Atlanta in September. The 2010 season wasn’t a great one, despite a streak of 3 out of 4 races with a top 5 in the summer months. He finished his worst in the points standings last season, 20^th. Kasey signed with Hendrick Motorsports for the 2012 season, leaving 2011 undetermined. 2011 has been a sort of slow start for Kahne, though he’s had some almost wins.

Jeff Burton, the driver of the Number 31 CATERPILLER Chevy for Richard Childress Racing, has been winless since 2008, winning the Bank of America 500. With the success of his teammates, Clint Bowyer and Kevin Harvick and his new teammate Paul Menard, Jeff has been trying to keep up to par with the likes of them, but 2011 has been liking Burton this year.

Martin Truex Jr., the driver of the 56 Napa Know How Toyota for Michael Waltrip Racing, has been winless since 2007 when he won at what he considers his home track, Dover, which propelled him to his first and only chase seed. For the 2010 season, Martin made the move to Michael Waltrip Racing. In 2011, Martin has had some bad luck, wrecking at Martinsville, Texas; had pit problems several times, even fired his whole crew during a race.

The big question right now, with 13 races to go before the chase, is when are these four drivers going to break their winless streak, if at all. After 116 votes from my Facebook fan page, 62 people voted that Dale Earnhardt Jr. would go to Victory Lane before the others. 46 people said that Kasey Kahne would. Only one said Martin Truex Jr., and seven said Jeff Burton.

I picked Kasey Kahne. Why you may ask? It’s not because I’m a huge fan of his. It’s because there are so many tracks that are coming up that Kasey is really good at and has won at. Kasey has won at Pocono (where they are running this weekend), he’s won at Michigan (next week’s track), Sonoma, Atlanta, Richmond, Charlotte. There are some tracks that Kasey’s not very good at, but he always makes it up by running good at another track.

Whether you’re a Kasey Kahne fan or a Kyle Busch fan, you hate seeing your driver in a winless slump. It happens and there’s nothing you can really do about it. If the driver is good enough, that winless steak will end and a winning streak will start.

Why Driver/crew chief relationships are important

In NASCAR, you have to have a good relationship with your crew chief in order to be successful. We've all seen what Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knuas can do together. Steve LeTarte and Jeff Gordon, Joey Logano and Greg Zipadelli, Denny Hamlin and Mike Ford, Kasey Kahne and Kenny Francis. These are some of the more well known driver/crew chief in NASCAR. Most of the time, they get along, but some times, it doesn't go over so well. Rick Hendrick almost split Jimmie and Chad up because they kept fighting. What makes now so different than a few years ago. Jimmie and Chad still yell at each other. As a driver, you HAVE to have faith and trust in your crew chief. How are you two going to work if you don't have either of those? Everybody can say that Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knuas are the best driver/crew chief combo in NASCAR, but they are not. I know they have the 50+ wins and the 5 championships, but they don't quite mesh together as well as a certain driver/crew chief combo. Here's a hint for you. These to have ten wins together, but have recently been separated due to the fact that the driver was release early from his contract. Give up? It's Kasey Kahne and Kenny Francis. These two may not be as successful as Jimmie and Chad, but they have something they don't. Respect for each other. I'm not saying that they don't, I'm saying is that they don't that the relationship that Kasey and Kenny have. When Kasey gets angry, Kenny doesn't yell back. He tries to calm his driver down. You never seen them angry at each other. One driver/crew chief relationship that doesn't work is Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Lance McGrew. Going back to what Kyle Busch said back in 2008 about Rick making Lance Dale's crew chief, "It's always the crew chief, never the driver." In this case, it is the crew chief. From what I have heard, Lance doesn't listen to Dale. They are not meshing. What I think should happen is when Kasey goes to Hendrick Motorsports in 2012 is Kasey should bring Kenny with him as his crew chief of the 5, Alan goes to the 88, and Rick gets rid of Lance completely. Lance is not helping the situation at ALL. You see, driver/crew chief relationships are very important in this sport. (Note: I think Kenny Francis should get a twitter account.)

Dale Earnhardt Jr.: NASCAR's hobo

What the fuck is up with Dale Earnhardt Jr. and that damn beard? It makes him look like a hobo. Hey, Junior! Maybe the reason why you can't win a race is because of that god aweful beard of yours. Or maybe it's because you're not very good. Have you ever thought that maybe for a second you are as good as everyone else. I mean really? Is your life-long dream is to become in sport's hobo? Come on, your dad was Dale Earnhardt Sr. for god sakes! Just because you work for the so-called best team in the sport doesn't mean that you can do what ever the hell you like! You know, what ever problem you have, it's not your crew chief's fault, it's yours. You are not doing what you are suppose to be doing. You know what? That beard is probably messing with your head. You just can't grow a beard in NASCAR like that! WTF were you thinking? Really? I mean, come on! I got to say, anyone with a full-grown beard looks like a hobo. I don't care who you are, it just not good! I mean, why do people think that a full-grown beard looks good? I think it just looks weird. Hey, Junior! You can't drive well anymore and the only way you can get better is to first know that you are not good anymore right now. Then. you gotta relize that you are at fault for the bad finishes. Your crew is at fault for a small part, but you are at fualt the most. Next, get rid of that damn beard, you look like a hobo. If you don't start getting better finishes more often, you will be the odd man out at Hendrick and Kasey is going to take your spot. Hey, I don't mind ir Kasey take your spot because i like him a hell of a lot more than I like you. it's the truth and you gotta face it sooner or later or it is going to hit you hard in the face like a soccer ball to the nuts. I just don't understand why you keep running shitty. Do you like being passed by the guys that should be worse than you? Do you like be lapped three or four times in a race because you can't get the handling of your car right? Come on, you are 34 years old! Hell, Joey Logano is going better than you and he is only 20 years old. Can you count? 15 years separate the two of you in age and last year and this year he is running better than you.