Dale Jr's taken a lot of heat since Sunday from just about every corner of the racing world and blogsophere. But he didn't let the brutal week end before doing the right thing. He called Brian Vickers and apologized for the wreck heard 'round the world.
Whether Vickersgate was intentional or not is a moot point. What matters to Junior Nation, is that once again, their driver "manned up" and took the hard road--because it was the right thing to do.
There are tons of reasons why folks initally pick Junior as their favorite driver. But the reason so many fans stay loyal to him come hell or highwater is because of Junior himself--not his father, not his track record, and not his marketing.
He may not be the smoothest talker or have multiple championships under his belt, but Junior is who he is and he makes no apology for that. There are folks who likely think Junior's every move, and even his apology to Brian Vickers, are all part of a public relations ploy to further ingratiate himself with race fans. But if that's the case, the man deserves an Oscar. You can fake smarts and you can fake professionalism, but you can't fake real. And that's what Junior is.
Dale Jr is like your Uncle Ervin, your brother Clint and your buddy Jimmy all rolled into one. He's the type of guy you might find in the stands at the I-20 Dirt Track, fishing on Smith Lake or gettin' loud and knockin' back a few at the Stumble Inn Bar and Grill. He reminds you of someone who can change your oil, build a deerstand, and make you laugh at the same time. He looks comfortable in camo, at ease in a pick-up and dressed up in blue jeans.
In short, Junior is good people. And that goes a long way with folks who know good people when they see them.
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