Dale Jr Is Hendrick Bound

Well the worst kept secret was revealed at a press conference today, as Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced he will join Hendrick Motor Sports for the 2008 NASCAR Nextel Cup season. I guess it was not to hard for Rick Hendrick to cast aside Kyle Busch in favor of the biggest name in the sport. Even though Busch has a world of talent, it's evident it will take several more years for him to harness it and show the maturity that is required to be a champion. So enter Dale Jr into the strongest organization in Nextel Cup.

Many people believe as I do that this move gives Jr the best chance to win a championship. With Toyota needing a few more years to find their way and Ford and Dodge having trouble keeping up, the Chevy teams will be favored for several years to come. But it won't be easy winning a championship just because he is in the Hendrick stable, especially if Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson have something to say about it. Also, don't forget Casey Mears is a talented young driver who will come into his own and have just as good a shot at the championship as the other three.

My hope is that Hendrick can work a deal with DEI and Budweiser to bring the sponsorship over with Jr. so it makes it easier for the fans to recognize him. It usually takes most of the first half of a season to get to know who is driving what car when sponsorship changes hand. It would be cool to see Jr driving the old #25 car with Bud on the door panels just like in the late 80's when Tim Richmond was wining races for Hendrick. Who knows, maybe Jr. and Busch will switch seats this year and they both start a new chapter in their racing lives. Stranger things have happened before, but as a big Dale Jr. fan I am anxiously awaiting the start of his association with the best team in NASCAR.