Rick Hendrick celebrates with Johnson, commiserates with Earnhardt
For parents, it can be a bittersweet feeling while sharing in one child’s joy while the other is obviously miserable. For instance, if one child comes home from school with straight A’s on his report card, and the other child solemnly steps off the bus with failing grades, it can be difficult to fully enjoy the fruits of the one child’s success.
Rick Hendrick must feel like that parent. His metaphorical child Jimmie Johnson is continuing his annual supremacy in the Sprint Cup Series. Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin are also among the top five in the standings. However, someone that he obviously cares for on a personal level is clearly despondent. The frustration is to a point to where Dale Earnhardt Jr is having a hard time holding back the discontentment. That was evident at New Hampshire when he blasted David Reutimann following an accident late in the race.
The disappointment was again manifest at Lowe’s Motor Speedway this weekend.
“I’ve been riding it out, but there comes a point where you don’t want to ride it out no more. You’ve just had enough. It’s been a long year…I’m about to the end of my rope,” said the crestfallen driver on Friday.
Optimism seems to have vanished. Earnhardt Jr has had some solid performances of late, but the promising finishes are interrupted by hard luck. At New Hampshire, he was the victim of another driver’s error. At Kansas, a costly pit road penalty and a mechanical failure ruined any chance at a respectable finish. At California, Earnhardt Jr was yet again the victim of another driver’s error. It is difficult to look forward to the following week when this pattern of misfortune seems to linger. It is especially hard to be happy for a teammate when they are ripping the competition to shreds.
For car owner Rick Hendrick, it is the tale of two seasons. Of course, Hendrick is more than pleased with his organization, as another title seems to be on the horizon. Even in the unlikelihood that Johnson stumbles, Jeff Gordon and Mark Martin are still in the picture. Nevertheless, whenever a team and driver is off the mark as much as Earnhardt Jr and the No. 88 team, there will be a sense of bewilderment and dissatisfaction.
Hendrick has had his share of drivers struggle to find success. I am sure he felt terrible for Ricky Craven, Jerry Nadeau, Joe Nemechek, Brian Vickers, and Casey Mears as they failed to match their teammate’s performances. With Earnhardt Jr, it is a different feeling. Hendrick has a close bond with the son of his former rival. He watched Earnhardt Jr grow up at the track and emerge into a successful racecar driver earlier this decade. Yes, people tend to forget that Earnhardt Jr was a perennial frontrunner from 2001 to 2004, and to certain degree, in 2006 and 2008. Long before signing Earnhardt Jr, Hendrick developed a close personal friendship with Junior.
Do not let his smile in victory lane at Charlotte fool you. He is deeply concerned about the lack of success with the No. 88 group.
“It’s hard for me to enjoy the success of the other three (drivers). I go through the same frustration. It’s the ones that just don’t give up and keep digging,” said Hendrick.
Hendrick has decisions to make regarding the No. 88 team. Earnhardt Jr needs a crew chief for 2010. Do you stick with Lance McGrew? We have seen noticeable improvement in the performance. Do you start over with someone new? Or can you turn back the clock and bring in Tony Eury Sr, who led Earnhardt Jr to 16 of his 18 career wins? My guess is that McGrew stays on as Junior’s crew chief.
This decision could be the turning point for Earnhardt Jr heading into 2010, or it could be another disastrous step in Earnhardt’s demise.
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Rick Hendrick celebrates with Johnson, commiserates with Earnhardt
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