What is Wrong with Dale Jr.?

After a race which dropped Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the NEXTEL Cup standings from 11th to 15th, and he wrecked both his and his teammate Michael Waltrip's cars, DEJ fired his Crew Chief and took a parting shot at his critics, who also happen to be his relatives...

Earnhardt maintained the wreck was not intentional and bristled at the criticism from his family members.

"I know some of the guys on Michael's team are probably upset, but don't really know," he said. "If you're not in the race car, you don't know what the hell is going on out there. I can't expect anybody to understand exactly what was going on at that moment at that time."

I have no doubt that DEJ is a fantastic driver, but his actions both on and off the track scream the disposition of a petulant teenager. In the face of mounting adversity, instead of an optimistic approach, or simply offering pert answers to media questions, DEJ has engaged in a verbal joust of "I know you are but what am I?" with all criticisms.

Everyone is familiar with DEJs background, and while it often becomes a burden to bear, that same background has afforded him the opportunity to do whatever he pleases in racing. He needs to take responsibility for his irrational actions on the track and create a long-term plan (with milestones and race goals) for qualifiying for the 10 person "playoff".

To equate the situation to with what I am familiar, if a project was initiated with no coherent long-term plan, no change management, and wholly subordinate to the whims of a few ironclad stakeholders (which performing poorly), it would not advance past concept phase. DEJ needs to stabilize the DEI enterprise, for which he is the heart, before any improvement in his racing occur. Failure to rectify in the short-term will simply magnify gaps between DEI and other (Rousch, Joe Gibbs) racing teams. To win races, you must incorporate technology and skill, infighting will screw you.

I feel for Michael Waltrip. He's on the shortest leash imaginable at DEI, but must balance sponsorship/racing with the ever-growing urge to call DEJ out for being a whiny brat. I am impressed.