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Earnhardt Eager, Confident With His New Team

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By TONY FABRIZIO, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 16, 2008

Updated: 01/16/2008 12:14 am

DAYTONA BEACH - When it comes to nerves or jitters, Dale Earnhardt Jr. says it is all relative.

He isn't anywhere near as anxious about starting his new NASCAR ride with Hendrick Motorsports as he was about making his first Cup-level qualifying attempt at Charlotte in 1999.

"I was so scared I wanted to get out of the car," he recalled Tuesday in his first media appearance representing his new team. "But it was too late. I already told them I'd drive it."

Now, Earnhardt says he understands "what's around the next corner" and what he took on when he left the company his late father founded and signed with the organization that has ruled NASCAR the past two years.

What he took on is the expectation that he will win races and contend for a championship immediately in the No. 88 Chevy. He accepts the pressure and relishes the challenge of not having the job security he enjoyed because he was "the son of the guy who built the place."

"Me and cousin/crew chief Tony Eury Jr. both experienced a little bit of growth or maturity about just going from one door to the other overnight," Earnhardt said. "I've always talked about trying to get credibility and people to respect you and whatnot, and by putting yourself out on a limb here, it's hopefully going to get me some of that."

So far, so good. Earnhardt ranked near the top of the speed charts in Daytona testing Monday and Tuesday. On Tuesday, he had the fastest speed in the morning single-car session (185.820 mph) and was 10th-fastest in the afternoon drafting session.

Testing speeds are of limited value, but Earnhardt's quick times show he's already adapting to his new cars.

"We had Casey Mears' car from last year, and a new car we built this year, and we're real happy with both of them," Earnhardt said.

Well-liked by his peers, NASCAR's most popular driver even has some of his rivals pulling for him.

"Well, for him personally, I hope he does well," Kevin Harvick said. "I think everybody in the garage area is kind of rooting in that direction. ... I think he made a decision that was personally right for him, and that's the most important thing. When you go to work in the morning, if you're not happy, it's not a fun job."

Earnhardt qualified eighth for that first Cup race in 1999, and he finished 16th. He won two races in 2000, finished third in the points in 2003 and won a career-high six races in 2004.

But during the last three seasons, Earnhardt has won two races and he failed to make the Chase twice. Last year, six engine failures and three other DNFs doomed him to a 16th-place finish.

Even NASCAR chairman Brian France has acknowledged a possible connection between Earnhardt's struggles and the fact NASCAR's TV ratings have dipped.

"It would be nice to think you had that kind of influence, but at the same time, I don't want to be the downfall or the reason for it," Earnhardt said. "If I can get back into Victory Lane, I know my fans will be excited about that, and if they're not tuning in, they'll be turning up personally to see it."

Even before testing, Earnhardt was rated as one of the favorites for the 50th Daytona 500 on Feb. 17. He and former teammate Michael Waltrip ruled sister tracks Daytona and Talladega from 2001-2004, when Dale Earnhardt Inc. had the sport's best restrictor-plate program. Hendrick Motorsports has ruled the two restrictor-plate tracks since then, and now Earnhardt has a Hendrick car and engine.

Earnhardt showed his eagerness to get going when he reported for testing a week early last week, and he is excited about his prospects for getting a second 500 victory.

"It's a special race, and it carries a lot of weight with me and how I feel about the event," he said. "I feel very dedicated to winning it every time I show up. ... If I have a car that's merely capable, I think I should have a shot to win every time I show up."

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