Earnhardt? Gordon? Teammates??
Posted: Jun 14, 2007It’s a difficult image for many NASCAR fans to see. Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Jeff Gordon sitting around the Daytona garage sharing race information as they both prepare to run ‘The Great American Race’ for Hendrick Motorsports. That image will become a reality in 2008 when Earnhardt joins the 4-time Champ Gordon and current Cup Champion Jimmie Johnson in the Hendrick stable. While Junior may believe this move is his best option towards achieving his goal of becoming a champion, it is also a move that will not sit well with his legions of fans. Their favorite driver has left his father’s company to join their most hated team- Hendrick - and clearly their most hated driver - Gordon.
Obviously many, if not most, of Dale Jr.’s fans came directly from the tons of supporters his legendary father had built up over his amazing career. You get the feeling this is the first tangible thing that shows the difference between Little E and his Dad to their numerous fans. It will be interesting to see how many of those stay loyal to Junior with his conversion to the Hendrick crew. It’s very hard to imagine that Dale. Sr. would have ever made a move like this. Earnhardt built his huge fan base with his aggressive driving, his ‘win at all costs’ attitude, and his renegade style. I just can’t see him taking a backseat to Gordon and Johnson like Junior seems to be doing. His desire to ‘earn it on his own’ seems much different than his 7-time Champion father. In a sport that has gone mega-corporate, Little E seems to have joined the new school, buttoned-up Hendrick crew; the exact type of organization that his fans – and definitely his dad’s old-school fans – tend to loathe.
NASCAR – like other sports- needs rivalries. The Earnhardt/Gordon rivalry was the biggest in racing. While they’ll still be competing against each other for the checkered flag, it won’t be the same since they will both be under the Hendrick umbrella. Can you see Dale Sr. joining Darrell Waltrip’s team in the ‘80s? How about David Pearson and Richard Petty teaming up in the late ‘60s? Those unfathomable moves would have made the sport much less fun and much less interesting.
While he ‘blows the doors off’ other drivers at the merchandising tent, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is not viewed as Top 5 driver by many fans and analysts of the sport. If he doesn’t win more races over the next few years, there will be no more excuses for Junior as Hendrick is clearly seen as the best team in NASCAR. That possibility coupled with less fan support could be very dangerous to the legacy of ‘Little E’. It looks like Junior will take over the #5 ride of Kyle Busch. The results in that car and how many of his father’s fans Earnhardt can keep will be huge selling points for NASCAR.
Remember, “8” minus “3” equals “5”.
- Patrick Snow
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