It's Make It or Break It Time for Kerry Earnhardt

by Bruce Simmons:

Every time I've watched Kerry Earnhardt drive, I've always had a quiet hope in the back of my mind that he'll show some of that innate talent that seems to come with the genes.  Most times, I walk away not quite fulfilled in that glimmer of a hope.

This weekend, Kerry will have DEI power under him as he hits the Nationwide series in the No 8 car. at Daytona.  It will be his 9th start in this series, at this track, but his first time starting under the DEI banner.

This is good, and it's not.

As always, I'll be quietly hoping, but keeping it under a conservative blanket of reality so I don't become disappointed, or publicly embarrassed.

It's good because he's going to be in a decent car for the race. 
It's not good because Daytona can eat you up in a split second and it wouldn't even be your fault.  Ask Carl Edwards about restrictor plate racing and becoming a launch ramp for other cars.

So we'll see how Kerry does, but regardless, it's going to work against him because if he does well, they'll say it's a function of restrictor plate racing and I probably won't be able to argue that.  If he doesn't do well, it will be because of restrictor plate racing.  And no matter what, we'll see the same usual front runners at the end.  Which to me, implies there's more to it than just hanging on in the draft if the same set of guys always end up at the front when the race finishes.