[tkj24]

What does everyone think?

[SpaceCadet]

I think that's a lot of ego on one team. Poor Casey Mears has been mentioned about twice as being a member of the team. Gordon will be able to hold his own amidst all the uproar. I often describe Johnson as "vanilla". He doesn't seem to have a real stand out personality, he just kind of "is". That's not necessarily a bad thing, but I think he's going to find himself at the bottom of the food chain with Casey. Jr. and Gordon are two of the biggest names in NASCAR, and I can't help but think there will be some resentment there, whether it's admitted to or not.

[jks812]

Originally Posted by SpaceCadet

I often describe Johnson as "vanilla". He doesn't seem to have a real stand out personality, he just kind of "is". That's not necessarily a bad thing, but I think he's going to find himself at the bottom of the food chain with Casey. Jr. and Gordon are two of the biggest names in NASCAR, and I can't help but think there will be some resentment there, whether it's admitted to or not.

I think so too and I believe the resentment will come from Jimmy. Like it or not, at least for the first year Gordon and Jr will be the top dogs there. Remember when Brian said he was getting the mediocre equipment while Gordon and Johnson got the best? Well Jimmy might feel that way next year. But I hope not. Oh wait, it's Jimmy, let him feel that way.

[Team Yates]

There are several threads that I could put this in, but I chose to use this one! Rick Hendrick's Dream Team?!? What?!? It hasn't already been a "dream team". Anybody who has ever read my posts knows that I'm NOT a Gordon fan, but I'm definitely NOT a Rick Hendrick fan!!
I also wasn't an Earnhardt fan!! I really didn't care for him!! Sad but true!! I like Jr, but now I'm having my 2nd thoughts. I understand the monetary issues, etc., I'm 40+ years. but............................................... ..........
This has changed my opinion of Jr., to a point, as said I'm 40+, female, I understand that he has to do what is right for him!! But, oh my God, is that what is right?!?
My real question, at this point is, who owns who?
Hendricks owns Nascar!!
Nascar owns Hendricks!!

Guess we found out today, who owns Nascar!!

[casa]

Originally Posted by Team Yates

There are several threads that I could put this in, but I chose to use this one! Rick Hendrick's Dream Team?!? What?!? It hasn't already been a "dream team". Anybody who has ever read my posts knows that I'm NOT a Gordon fan, but I'm definitely NOT a Rick Hendrick fan!!
I also wasn't an Earnhardt fan!! I really didn't care for him!! Sad but true!! I like Jr, but now I'm having my 2nd thoughts. I understand the monetary issues, etc., I'm 40+ years. but............................................... ..........
This has changed my opinion of Jr., to a point, as said I'm 40+, female, I understand that he has to do what is right for him!! But, oh my God, is that what is right?!?
My real question, at this point is, who owns who?
Hendricks owns Nascar!!
Nascar owns Hendricks!!

Guess we found out today, who owns Nascar!!

You said it, Jr has to do what is right for him. He wants to have good equipment and win championships. If that is what he wants then Hendricks is where he needs to be. Doesn't matter if you like Hendricks or not but they are kicking butt. We have no right to question what is right for Jr. or any other driver. That is their choice. Like I stated before if Teresa had been taking care of business as she should this would not even be happening. I wish Jr. well and will be there behind him every step of the way.

To answer your question Nascar does not own anyone and Hendricks or any other team does not own Nascar. It is absolutely ridicoulas for anyone to turn against Jr. because he chose to drive for Hendricks who by the way has deep ties to him and his family. If you saw the news conference you could see the happiness and excitement on Jr's face. This is where he needs to be. Leave the poor boy alone.

[Quality88]

I've said before the only driver I have ever like out of the Hendrick organization is Terry Labonte... Now I can add Dale Jr.

[Bob Tanner]

It's a "Dream Team," OK. However, will it be a bad dream or a good dream?

I've seen these "Dream Teams" before but rather do they live up to expectations. Hendrick's team of G. Bodine, Schrader and DW in 1988 was going to be impossible to beat. I don't recall exactly but I seem to remember they came up with less than five wins but no championship. Not much better in 1989.

The only dream teams I can remember making a big dent in NASCAR were Karl Kiekhaeffer's 1956 and 57 teams (Tim and Fonty Flock, Speedy Thompson and Buck Baker) which won 22 out of 42 and 30 out of 48 respectively. Junior Johnson's team of DW and Niel Bonnett was potent, also.

One thing is for absolutely sure, IF Junior falls flat it'll be on his shoulders.

First, I think Junior should reflect on what Teresa said in her interview about him deciding whether he wants to be a race driver of a personality. I keep remembering Jack Nicholson in A Few Good Men, "The Truth!? You can't handle the truth!!

Look at Jeff Gordon: He runs no Cup Lite races, he owns no Cup Lite team, he has no weekly TV and/or radio shows, his advertising time is at a minimum. Junior, OTOH, runs Cup Lite several time a season, has two Cup Lite teams, has a radio show and I believe a TV show, plus his has a ton of Bud, Wrangler and Menard's advertising commitments.

Gordon has 4 championships, 79 wins and is a proven success, which only the blind deny.
Junior has no championships, 17 wins and many question his success, up to now. (In all fairness, this record probably has more to do with the family dynamics of DEI, more than anything else)

Bottom line: Junior, if you want that championship, do what the champions do, NOT what the media and the personalities want you to do. Capish?

Just my random thoughts on the matter.

[Team Yates]

Originally Posted by Team Yates

There are several threads that I could put this in, but I chose to use this one! Rick Hendrick's Dream Team?!? What?!? It hasn't already been a "dream team". Anybody who has ever read my posts knows that I'm NOT a Gordon fan, but I'm definitely NOT a Rick Hendrick fan!!
I also wasn't an Earnhardt fan!! I really didn't care for him!! Sad but true!! I like Jr, but now I'm having my 2nd thoughts. I understand the monetary issues, etc., I'm 40+ years. but............................................... ..........
This has changed my opinion of Jr., to a point, as said I'm 40+, female, I understand that he has to do what is right for him!! But, oh my God, is that what is right?!?
My real question, at this point is, who owns who?
Hendricks owns Nascar!!
Nascar owns Hendricks!!

Guess we found out today, who owns Nascar!!

Originally Posted by casa

You said it, Jr has to do what is right for him. He wants to have good equipment and win championships. If that is what he wants then Hendricks is where he needs to be. Doesn't matter if you like Hendricks or not but they are kicking butt. We have no right to question what is right for Jr. or any other driver. That is their choice. Like I stated before if Teresa had been taking care of business as she should this would not even be happening. I wish Jr. well and will be there behind him every step of the way.

To answer your question Nascar does not own anyone and Hendricks or any other team does not own Nascar. It is absolutely ridicoulas for anyone to turn against Jr. because he chose to drive for Hendricks who by the way has deep ties to him and his family. If you saw the news conference you could see the happiness and excitement on Jr's face. This is where he needs to be. Leave the poor boy alone.

You are right, it doesn't matter if I do/don't like Hendricks, but it is my right to state that I don't like him!! Just as it is anybodies right to fall down at his feet, if they so chose!!
Why isn't ok to speculate the question of whether I think he is making the ''right'' decision? I believe that I stated it is his choice to go to Hendricks. That is what drives a threads discussion.
I don't find it ridiculous to say that I have 2nd thoughts about Junior, to a point, I didn't say I turned against him. I simply stated that I like him, I don't follow him. I like that he has always been true to himself by being himself. I just hope that it doesn't change him and he stays true to himself.
Leave the poor boy alone!! Poor boy and Junior in the same sentence doesn't jive, there isn't nothing poor about him. He has never known what it is like to be poor!! And never will, unless he makes bad business decisions.

[Lefty Noob]

Originally Posted by casa

Leave the poor boy alone.

I kind of had to chuckle at this, because as you say throughout your post and as many of us have said, Junior went to the team that has (or at least is said to have) the best people and the best equipment in the sport. Leave him alone? Sorry, but he's going to face more pressure and scruitiny than ever before, starting from day one in 2008. Ever race he doesn't win, people will be all over him, and until he does start winning and earning consistant top 3's, the pressure from media, fans and everyone else is going to be unbearable. The one thing Dale Junior WON'T be is left alone, that I can guarantee.

[wingkey1]

Originally Posted by Lefty Noob

I kind of had to chuckle at this, because as you say throughout your post and as many of us have said, Junior went to the team that has (or at least is said to have) the best people and the best equipment in the sport. Leave him alone? Sorry, but he's going to face more pressure and scruitiny than ever before, starting from day one in 2008. Ever race he doesn't win, people will be all over him, and until he does start winning and earning consistant top 3's, the pressure from media, fans and everyone else is going to be unbearable. The one thing Dale Junior WON'T be is left alone, that I can guarantee.

Yup!!

It's easy to see Jr.'s choice here as consistent with what seems to be his predominant goal - time to start proving oneself (winning, leaving their/his mark).

It (his choice) can also be seen as "gutsy". Could easily have gone many places where he would have stepped right in as the #1 driver in the stable, measured various ways. Places where laying blame for his own performance anywhere but himself could be easily sold (to the media and public). He did not do this.

Going to be fun (personally) to see just how well he steps up to the plate. The skill seems to be there. Dedication to effort through the highs and lows - well that will be the real "watch" area (for me).

Interesting (telling?) communication at Dover (June 2007) between Jr. and crew came after wearing out rear tire while running the high groove. Jr. to team (obviously not the exact words) - we can run with any of them down low, it's just so much easier to run just as fast up top. We (I) just didn't want to work that hard (down low), got lazy and paid for it.

[Farf]

Well it's obvious that the guy, Junior, can win. I mean he's got 17 wins under his belt, which is still considered a lot by some other drivers. I guess it all depends on like what others have already said, if he can gel with the other drivers like Jeff and Casey. Yeah, having the right equipment is an added bonus, but if he's constantly under the microscope and if he's constantly distracted by some things, he's not going to be able to perform, no matter how good his car is.

I hope he does well. But to be honest, he just seems so different from guys like Jeff and Jimmie, that beyond a proffessional friendship, I'm not sure that there's anything going to happen. Dale won't give up his friendships that he's formed at DEI.

The advice that I can give to Junior are two things. Don't get distracted by the little things, the rumors. And for goodness sakes, don't get too bigheaded! We all know you went to Hendrick because you want the wins and contend, but don't expect wins to suddenly fall into your lap just because you have better equipment. (look at Tony and Denny)

Stay ahead of the curve!

[LSC9901]

Poor Jr ?????

Not from my keyboard. I like Jr but if failure is his next venture then he has no one to blame other than Jr. He may sound like a country bumpkin but I don't think he is stupid at all. I do believe he has been driven to distraction though. There is no way he can do a good job at all the jobs he is doing. You can only give 100% for so long before something begins to suffer. Is it possible his driving skills/abilities have suffered from everything else he has undertaken ?? I say yes and the lack of a championship and a greater number of wins will lend itself to verifying that statement. No I cannot prove that is why there is no championship, but no one can prove I'm wrong either. When next year comes failure will be at his hands more so than at HMS. HMS, like it or not, is a proven winner.

As far as questioning his right to make his choice ... I believe we can "question" most anything we want concerning the subject of the thread. Questioning something is merely comparing it to our choice if we were in that persons shoes. Right or wrong we change nothing.