The Backlash from Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s decision to join Hendrick Motorsports has already begun. Tuesday, it was announced that Dale Jr would reveal his future plans in a Wednesday press conference. Many Media outlets already had Junior pegged for Hendrick Motorsports. Today it was made a official.
Joining Hendrick arguably is the best possible move professionally Earnhardt could have made-- Joining a team of proven winners and an owner that has six Nextel Cup championships to his name.
Popularity wise, was it the best move he could have made? Ever since the rumors started swirling about the Dale Jr.-Hendrick merger, I heard nothing but grumblings from the Junior fan base…”How could he do this? Of all the teams to join, why Hendrick? I don’t know if I can pull for him anymore.”
I really don’t understand why everyone is in such an uproar. Wouldn’t you want your favorite driver to have the best equipment, the best research program and the best teammates going today? This only enhances Earnhardt’s chances of winning.
You could argue that this is like any other sport with free agency. And to a degree it is, but teams in the other sports have a following regardless of who is on the team. NASCAR is not the same, most fans, and there are some exceptions, but most fans of racing like individual drivers, not the team itself.
It’s almost certain that today’s announcement will help propel Dale Earnhardt Jr. into the elite driver everyone thought he could be.
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