Dale Earnhardt Jr to Join Hendrick Motorsports in 2008

NASCAR fans were finally let into the loop on Wednesday, June 13, 2007. Dale Earnhardt Junior, the most popular driver in NASCAR, called an 11 a.m. press conference to end the speculation and inform fans of his future in NASCAR Nextel Cup Series for 2008.

Junior, as his fans affectionately call him, announced that he has signed a 5-year deal with Hendrick Motor sports starting in the 2008 series. Team owner Rick Hendrick was by his side during the hour-long press conference and spoke encouraging words about having Dale Jr. on his team.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. will be replacing Kyle Busch, one of the most hated racers in NASCAR. There is still no news if Junior will be able to keep his famed #8 on his car, as he hopes. But in the press conference he expressed excitement about working for Hendrick's Sponsors, so that means that he most likely will be leaving Budweiser, his current sponsor, behind.

May 10, 2007 was when Junior officially announced that he would be leaving DEI, a company started by his NASCAR legend father, the late Dale Earnhardt Sr. For five weeks, Earnhardt was courted by various teams trying to get a contract with the illusive driver. Earnhardt stated many times that he was looking for a place where he could win races and championships, a feat that has proven very hard at DEI.

Hendricks Motorsports is a place where drivers win. Since 2000, Hendricks has won over 63 races. During the 2007 season, Hendrick drivers have won 10 out of the first 14 races. All of the drivers on Hendrick's team have won a race before the halfway mark in the 2007 season.

Now Dale will be driving with NASCAR's next most popular driver and iconic figure, Jeff Gordon, who has 4 championships and over 75 wins throughout his Nextel Cup Career. The current Nextel Cup Champion, Jimmie Johnson, also drives for Hendricks.

Dale Earnhardt Junior has deeper ties with the Hendrick Motorsports Team then most fans realize. He spelled out in the conference why he felt the pull to Hendrick's. The reasons included that Hendrick's helped Junior's father out with a ride in the Bush Series in 1983. Rick Hendrick also has a longstanding relationship to Robert Gee, Junior's grandfather on his mother's side.

In the press conference, Dale expressed how much respect he had for Rick Hendrick and his organization. Junior talked about Rick's compassion for friend's and employees. Stories were told about how Rick would go out of his way to help anybody in the Hendrick's organization. When asked about how his father would feel about his move, Junior mentioned that he probably would be a little jealous.

The press conference ended with many questions unanswered, but Rick Hendrick and Dale Earnhardt Jr. embraced after the press conference, a sign of the good things to come for Dale Earnhardt Jr.