Can a driver run his entire career in NASCAR without winning a championship and still be considered a success?

May be...

of course. mark martin has done exactly that

of course there are always going to be people like t-bone with double standards. junior hasn't earned his paycheck because he hasn't won a championship he says. but i'll bet ya a steak dinner he wouldn't make the same statement about mark martin or kyle busch.

Robby Gordon will probably never win a Nascar championship; but he is a success in nascar and all the other motor sports he races in.

Jr. He is still young and has a whole life of racing ahead of him. He will win a championship at sometime. But if he does not; he will still be considered a success. He is a success already in my book.

Mark Martin comes immediately to mind. Junior Johnson, Ricky Rudd, heck, even Jeff Burton--those are some other guys who are successes without championships. I'm sure there are several more I don't know about from farther back.

It would be hard to call Mark Martin unsuccessful and he has never won a championship and even though I don't like Jr. , He probably sells 10 times his contract in merchandise

There can't be two number ones!!!

That would be 11!!!

I personally think so. Jay Busbee wrote an article on Dale Jr. saying that it was time for him to "earn his paycheck"......What do you think about that?? I know there are a lot of Dale Jr. haters but if you look at his career numbers, they are not too shabby. I will be the first to say that he is not one of the TOP drivers but I think this guy is WAYYYY off base. Dale Jr. earns his paycheck by bringing in TONS AND TONS of revenue for Hendricks.................I dare to say he sells more stuff than either of the other guys in the stable and I am absolutely not taking anything away from Jimmie or Jeff.

Thanks!!

Yeah I think so. If you can race at the cup level for several years and stay in the top 25 you have succeeded. Championship or not. You making it to the cup level is a success.

Mark Martin. Enough said.

And Busbee is correct.

Yes, Mark Martin is a prime example of that! 2nd in points 4 times, 35 Cup wins, and 48 Nationwide series wins. He owned IROC for awhile and holds many records that may never be broken. I consider him a success. Dale Jr. is already a success even if he never wins another race.
Peace!

Yes. Mark Martin as an example.

tony n Said it all he got to it before i did .They were the best of the best I THINK !!

yes it is possible. Mark Martin had a very successfull career and odds are he will never get a championship.

yes and I think Dale Jr. is a success. Jay Busbee is a idiot if he doesn't think that Jr. earns his paycheck.

Junior Johnson, Ricky Rudd, Mark Martin, Fred Lorenzen, and Buddy Baker are the living embodiment of bridesmaids. They were huge names without even needing a title (however I still believed Mark Martin got screwed in 1990).

Yes. It happens in every sport.. Dan Marino in football, John Stockton and Karl Malone in basketball, Ted Williams in baseball.
Why would NASCAR be any different? There are always great athletes in professional sports who will be celebrated for their greatness who people will always say "if only he had a championship"..

Just my opinion.

Jr needs to earn his paycheck. Last year was put up or shut up and this year its sink or swim. Jay didn't say he was not successful. JAy merely stated its time for better results.

I read that article last night and knew it was a matter of time before being misconstrued by JR nation. Jay was spot on Lenny. Like an arrow on a bullseye.

That would just depend totally on one's definition of "success" I doubt any of the drivers out there who have had nice careers and won some races but no championships consider themselves to be losers.

Yes a driver can be a success without winning a Championship. Our fellow members of NASCAR Nation have provided us with several examples. But you see that doesn't matter to the folks that feel the need to drag Junior threw the coals at every opportunity they get. Junior has a lot of fans and folks dislike him for that.

Let's take a little looky-poo at Junior's career stats.


Sprint Cup - Races-327 Wins-18 Top 5-86 Top 10-136 Poles-8

Nationwide - 22 wins and 2 Championships

Winner of the All-Star race XVI

2004 Daytona 500 winner.

Hmmmm....it's not to shabby huh?

Junior IS a success in my book. The only folks complaining are the the ones that have nothing better to do than b**ch. No offense to anyone. I don't hear Junior's team, team-mates, owners or sponsors complaining about Junior's accomplishments so I can't even give a thought to this dude's article.

Yep. Jr will get his one day.

JB doesn't know jack. DJ has more than earned his pay check. If he had never led a lap, won a race, or made the top ten, his name alone has paid for his career. Look how long it took his dad to win Daytona. It is all relative. DJ may never win a championship, but he is already a champion.

Yes they can...there are a lot of greats that never won a championship. Anyone who makes it in NASCAR and sticks around is a success.gremmy winners