[vincesanity82]

Fame and fortune have yet to change Dale Earnhardt Jr., and he doesn't believe new boss Rick Hendrick will try to do it, either. Push aside for now the blueprint on how to massage three superstars on the same team. The most pressing issue surrounding Earnhardt is how he'll adapt to Hendrick's spit-polished organization when he officially joins the team next season. Earnhardt agreed to a five-year contract Wednesday."Rick said he's not going to ask me to change too much, (I) may not be able to wear jeans and T-shirts quite as often," Earnhardt said. "It's going to be a great experience for me, and I think my fans are going to still have the same Dale Jr. that they have always had and the one they like to cheer for."
Earnhardt has created a brand out of his carefree, aw-shucks image, and fans have overwhelmingly embraced him by voting him NASCAR's most popular driver the past four years.But it's not a great fit at Hendrick Motorsports, where the drivers are consummate corporate pitchmen who work hard walking the company line:
It's a dream crew for Hendrick, who outfits his drivers in black slacks and starched white shirts. They're clean-shaven, punctual and rarely say the wrong thing in public.
Earnhardt is the exact opposite on every level.
He drinks Budweiser and plays video games, often forgets to shave and hates wearing suits. He sleeps late, grabs the first wrinkled T-shirt he can find on the floor and was once fined $25,000 for cursing on national TV.
Resisting the urge to polish him comes with the risk of letting Earnhardt become the oddball relative of the Hendrick crew, but the boss thinks that's just fine.
"He asked me, 'Rick, I dress this way, what do you want me to do?' I said it depends on what the sponsor is and what they want you to do," Hendrick said. "He is a brand, Jeff is a brand and Jimmie is a certain way, and I don't try to change them. I want to create multiple brands. I don't want to have four cookie-cutter kind of guys."
But the Hendrick touches were evident Wednesday, when a beaming Earnhardt announced his partnership with Hendrick. The news conference was held at his race shop, JR Motorsports, same site of his May 10 announcement that he was leaving DEI at the end of this season.
Junior arrived at the first one with a full beard, wearing an unbuttoned shirt over his standard white T-shirt. It wasn't scripted and he spoke from the heart as he detailed his decision.
Wednesday's news conference had been spit-shined, with black curtains flanking the stage, a Hendrick banner punctuating the moment, and a professional moderator pacing the event.
And Earnhardt, who took ribbing on ESPN's "Pardon The Interruption" for his appearance five weeks earlier, spiffed himself up with a dark dress shirt (albeit it untucked) with his clean blue jeans. He'd even shaved - sort of - with just a bit of stubble on his chin.
He said it's important for him to remain true to himself and never stray too far from the quiet kid from Mooresville.
"I've always said that I've done more in this sport than I've ever anticipated - I just wanted to be able to pay my bills and once I got past that, everything else was a bonus," Earnhardt said.
"It seems like to me, three years ago, I was three months behind on my fire bill and living in a doublewide with (brother) Kerry, and his kids jumping over the couch back and forth, and I would have to lock myself in the room just to get some peace and quiet. Those days don't seem like that far or that long ago."

FOX Sports on MSN - NASCAR - Hendrick vows to leave Earnhardt image alone

[Souporscotty]

Originally Posted by vincesanity82

It's a dream crew for Hendrick, who outfits his drivers in black slacks and starched white shirts. They're clean-shaven, punctual and rarely say the wrong thing in public.
Earnhardt is the exact opposite on every level.

This could end up being one of the most interesting things in NA$CAR since Smokey Unick.

[jks812]

Originally Posted by vincesanity82

It's a dream crew for Hendrick, who outfits his drivers in black slacks and starched white shirts.
I don't want to have four cookie-cutter kind of guys."

Nope, don't sound to me like he wants four cookie-cutter guys, dressing them in black slacks and starched white shirts. Sounds like he believes in letting each one dress himself and have his own personality.

[Souporscotty]

Originally Posted by jks812

Nope, don't sound to me like he wants four cookie-cutter guys, dressing them in black slacks and starched white shirts. Sounds like he believes in letting each one dress himself and have his own personality.

But it's like RH said, it's up to the sponsors. If they're smart, they won't mess with his image either.