Dale Earnhardt Jr. had a tough year in 2009. He couldn’t win any races and had only two top-five finishes the entire season. So, during the 2009 Kobalt Tools 500 in Atlanta, as he battled through wheel issues, the NASCAR icon delivered a humorous but stern message to his pit crew.
The Time Dale Earnhardt Jr. Kept His Pit Crew in Line With a Savage Threat
Earnhardt never recovered from his Daytona 500 heartbreak and went on to have the worst year of his career. While attempting to regain a lap on Lap 124, he got caught in a collision with Brian Vickers as both drivers fought for the free pass. The incident sparked a 10-car pileup, and Earnhardt finished 27th when the race was prematurely called due to rain. He later apologized, stating he did not intend to wreck Vickers.
The two-time NASCAR Busch Series champion’s fortunes did not improve in the following race. Earnhardt blew his engine in Fontana and finished 10th in Las Vegas. Unsurprisingly, he was desperate for a win at the Kobalt Tools 500, but Atlanta Motor Speedway proved to be another grueling experience.
Earnhardt’s wheels came loose multiple times, and during one pit stop, he was caught saying this to his crew over the radio.
“If a wheel comes off and I hit the fence real hard, I get to whack every damn one of you with a hammer. Is that a deal? Y’all need some incentive to keep my tires on, obviously.”
Earnhardt couldn’t snap his winless streak in Atlanta and finished the year without a victory. He ended the season with a less-than-stellar 23.3 average finish. The Hendrick Motorsports driver ended the 2009 season 25th in the standings, his all-time lowest finish.
“We are doing about as miserable as we can do without being too upset about it,” Earnhardt had said after the race. “We struggled all day; we just can’t struggle. I look at my teammates, and they are running better. We should run the way they run. It is frustrating for me and the team.
“The only thing you can do is keep working and show up next week with a new attitude. This weekend off will be good for everybody. We are repairing some damage we did early in the season, the first couple of races with these finishes, but running 11th and struggling all day doesn’t really do much for your confidence.”
