NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards Luncheon Notebook

NASCAR NMPA Myers Brothers Awards Luncheon Notebook

Notebook Items:

·         Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins prestigious Myers Brothers Award

·         Gordon explains Homestead pit strategy

·         Logano puts disappointment behind him

·         Harvick claims seven awards

·         Notable quotes from the Myers Brothers Luncheon

Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins prestigious Myers Brothers Award

Dec. 4, 2014

  

By Reid Spencer

NASCAR Wire Service

LAS VEGAS—Dale Earnhardt Jr. said he almost fell apart on the stage in the Encore Ballroom after receiving the prestigious Myers Brothers Award, an honor his father, seven-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Dale Earnhardt Sr., received posthumously in 2001.

“I felt like I was going to fall apart up there, talking about it,” Earnhardt said after Thursday’s Myers Brothers Awards Luncheon. “I couldn’t figure out if I was nervous or excited. Once I got up there, I was like running a hundred miles an hour, I was so excited and happy.

“I had as much fun delivering and giving that speech as I’ve had with any other speech. I really enjoyed conveying my appreciation, because it’s so genuine.”

At the suggestion that his father would have been proud to see Earnhardt Jr. recognized for his work in developing young drivers through JR Motorsports and for the contributions of his Dale Jr. Foundation, Earnhardt quipped: “He probably would have derailed the whole thing.

“’He don’t deserve that, don’t give that to him—not yet. He’s only 40,’” Earnhardt added, mimicking his father.

Yet few owners have done more than Earnhardt Jr. in recent years to recognize and develop new talent. Brad Keselowski, the 2012 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion, and Chase Elliott, the reigning NASCAR Nationwide Series champion, both are JR Motorsports products, as is Greg Ives, who succeeds NBC-bound Steve Letarte as Earnhardt’s crew chief at Hendrick Motorsports in 2015.

“It’s a different award, unlike anything else, really, in the sport,” Earnhardt said. “It’s a feeling of being an asset to something and being important, feeling like someone values what you are and who you are.

“It’s a great honor, and just looking back at all the people that have won it, it’s a long, long list of who’s who and people that built this sport one brick at a time… It’s really emotional.”

GORDON EXPLAINS PIT STRATEGY

Jeff Gordon appeared to have a race-winning car in the season finale at Homestead-Miami Speedway, but a decision to pit for four tires late in the race dropped him far back in the running order and relegated the driver of the No. 24 Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet to a 10th-place finish.

In tying up that loose end from Homestead, Gordon explained that his decision was dictated by a choice made earlier in the race.

“I think the question really needs to be about, before that, why we didn’t pit,” Gordon told the NASCAR Wire Service after the Myers Brothers Luncheon. “You take all the information you have from past history of long green-flag runs to the end of the race, track position, who’s coming, who’s not…

“We dominated that race, had a car that I think could have and should have won that race. But we all came in and got four tires, they throw the green, and caution comes out in three or four laps. We stay out, and I think we went one more round of green-flag run, four or five laps, and caution comes out again.

“At that point, that’s where the race changed for us and really took us out of contention, because we decided to stay out, and all those other guys decided to come in, and there were just too many cautions at the end.”

Gordon scoffed at the suggestion that he might not have wanted to restart up front on old tires at the end of the race, with the potential to effect the outcome of the championship battle.

“Heck, no, that had nothing to do with it,” Gordon said. “It was all about winning the race, and knowing that those guys behind us had fresh tires, because they elected to pit—and that place eats tires up…

“What’s really interesting is, when you look at (Sprint Cup champion) Kevin Harvick’s position, he came down pit road and took four (tires) where some other guys took two, and he saw his championship chances completely go out the window. If you listened to his radio communication, it was ‘We’re done, we’re done.’

“But enough cautions fell after that to bring them back into it, and he did a great job, obviously, moving up through there. And that exact same thing that helped win him the championship is what cost us the win for that race.”

LOGANO PUTS DISAPPOINTMENT BEHIND HIM

Joey Logano came to Homestead as one of four drivers eligible for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series championship.

He also came to the season finale with the best average finish through the first nine races of the Chase.

But a mistake on pit road, when his No. 22 Ford fell of the jack as his crew was changing left-side tires, relegated Logano to fourth in the final standings.

Logano has little patience with the maxim that you have to lose a championship before you can win one.

“Who said that the first time?” Logano asked. “That’s the worst quote ever. It is a heartbreak not to win it, but I’m a silver linings person. I look at the positives. We won five races. We scored a ton of points throughout the Chase.

“We had a lot of top fives. The teams worked well together. We kept growing throughout the whole season, and it makes me excited for next year. Yeah, we didn’t accomplish our ultimate goal this year, but we came really, really close, and for that reason, I like our shot for next year.”

TO THE VICTOR GO THE SPOILS

Kevin Harvick’s domination of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season was never more evident than at the Myers Brothers Awards Luncheon, where the reigning champion was recognized with seven important awards.

Harvick took home the American Ethanol Green Flag Restart Award, the 3M Lap Leader Award, the Duralast Brakes Brake in the Race Award, the Mobil 1 Driver of the Year Award, the Freescale Wide Open Award and the Sunoco Diamond Performance Award.

In addition, Harvick claimed the Goodyear Gold Car, a spectacular 1:12 scale model of his No. 4 Stewart-Haas Chevrolet, a trophy that goes to the series champion each year.

Billy Davis of Hendrick Engines was recognized as the Mahle Engine Builder of the Year for his work with Harvick’s team. The Sprint Champion Crew Chief Award went to Rodney Childers, Harvick’s pit boss, and the Sprint Cup Champion Sponsor Award went to Budweiser, Harvick’s sponsor.

THEY SAID IT

Notable quotes from the Myers Brothers Luncheon:

“It don’t even seem real,” Dale Earnhardt Jr., in accepting the Myers Brothers Award.

“It’s hard to believe they’ve been together three years longer than I’ve been alive,” Sunoco Rookie of the Year Kyle Larson on Chip Ganassi Racing’s 25-year relationship with sponsor Target.

“I want to thank everybody at Sherwin Williams for this award—and for making me feel a little bit less like a loser today,” Matt Kenseth, winless in 2014 after seven victories a year earlier, in accepting the Sherwin Williams Fastest Lap Award.

“This format and this style is really something I’ve taken a liking to,” Brad Keselowski on the knockout qualifying system, after winning the Coors Light Pole Award.