And here is a huge part of the problem with NASCAR...
Having the wealthy rich kids of the guys involved with the sport driving in it...
Now I understand that even before Dale Earnhardt Jr we had Kyle Petty and Davey Allison, Larry Pearson etc etc...
And before anyone jumps up and down about Dale Earnhardt Jr... Remember this... His father WAS NOT a part of a well to do family involved in NASCAR... Yes his father Ralph drove in local races... But Ralph was not driving and competing for a lot of wins or championships against Richard Petty, Cale Yarborough or Need Jarrett etc etc...
He was not. Dale Earnhardt Sr earned the right to drive for a good team by him showing a lot of potential. Dale Earnhardt Sr made his empire by his driving ability, having very good owners, and having a good crew around him. Maybe not a total self made man... But not all that far from that either...
There are too many drivers in NASCAR now that are only there because of who they are related to that have a lot of money... Not based upon talent... Go back and watch say the 1980, 1981 etc Daytona 500 races... How much more talent was on the track back then... I just watched the Richmond 400 from 1982... Same could be said in that race has well.. .
Anyone remember when Rusty Wallace's son tried driving in the Nationwide series ?? Yeah Stephen Wallace just couldn't cut it... And his father gave up on him.... And Rusty pulled the plug on him racing. We have other guys since then that have not had that happen... And it should have. Say like Austin Dillion... He ain't got it... Plus others obviously.
Very different times now... And it has been that way for awhile. And not for the better either. Guys like Dale Earnhardt Sr, Rusty Wallace, Mark Martin, Dale Jarrett, Allan Kulwicki had to EARN the privilege to drive for a good car/team...
And remember this... The #4 Kodac team with Morgan Mc Clure gave a guy named Ernie Irvan a trial ride in that car... At Atlanta. Other drivers before had their chance to drive that car... Ernie drove from like a 36 or 37th starting spot all the way to the lead... He earned that seat that day... Later after Davey Allison's death in a helicopter accident at Talladega... Other drivers had their chance driving the #28 car... When given the same opportunity... Ernie Irvan did a much better job with much better results... Like Buddy Baker said during a commercial break off live air during this time with the #28 situation, " people say the driver does not matter... That's not true at all. The driver really does matter."
I think that this guy Matt... May very well be a actually talented driver... I think he has earned this seat. This circumstance is similar to how NASCAR used to be... I wish this guy all the luck... I think he is in a proverbial " throw back" circumstance. Which is actually a good thing.
Too many scrubs behind the wheel in NASCAR only there because of x y and z.