For Earnhardt Jr., The Future is Now

Dale Earnhardt Jr. finally made his long awaited future plans known and to some degree, it was a surprise.

Earnhardt Jr. will drive for Hendrick Motorsports in 2008 and replace Kyle Busch in the 5 car. This decision was contrary to the chatter around the sport that said there was no room for Earnhardt Jr. at the Hendrick stable. Team owner Rick Hendrick played it as a cool as can be when confronted with questions about whether Earnhardt Jr. would be driving for his team. Little did Hendrick know, he just pulled off a move that would make his already formidable team that much better.

Secondly, Earnhardt Jr. will now be teamed with two of the top drivers in the sport in Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson. Pairing an Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon together on the same team would seem to be sacrilegious to the most die hard of NASCAR fans. Fans of Earnhardt Sr. hated Gordon, who was the then new kid on the block, and that hatred carried over with fans of Earnhardt Jr. There never has been a true rivalry between the two today, but have been fierce competitors on the track and good friends off of it.

Leaving his father's company, Dale Earnhardt Incorporated, was a long time coming. Issues between Earnhardt Jr. and his stepmother, Teresa Earnhardt, forced him to set out on a search for a new team. He was denied majority ownership of the company was disappointed with the declining quality of equipment at DEI. The move to Hendrick Motorsports will be like going from driving a Pinto to driving a Lamborghini.

Earnhardt Jr. is already the most popular driver in the Nextel Cup series; however he has not had the best tools at his disposal in the past few seasons. Driving for Hendrick next season, there will be no doubt that he will have his best chance at a championship.

It was long believed that Earnhardt Jr. would drive for Richard Childress Racing, his father's former team, and drive the black number three that his father made famous. However, it would appear that no matter how nice it would have been for Earnhardt Jr. to continue his father's legacy, he wants to make his own.

There will be virtually no excuses for him not making the most of this situation. He is apart of the strongest team on paper in the field. In racing, the only result that really counts is finishing first. Some might say Earnhardt Jr. has gotten a free pass over the years for not performing up to the lofty expectations that follow his family name. That hypothetical free pass may very well run out when he runs his first laps in a Hendrick prepared car next season.