Junior Settles in After Hendrick Signing    

[June 16, 2007]  BROOKLYN, Mich. (AP) Dale Earnhardt Jr. walked briskly through the garage Friday, heading directly toward a throng of fans waiting along the fence outside Michigan International Speedway.

"Welcome to Hendrick Motorsports," one called out as he handed Earnhardt a picture to sign.

Earnhardt offered a heartfelt smile, then quietly set about signing hundreds of autographs as the crowd surged toward NASCAR's most popular driver. He was drained, worn out from the frenzied five weeks he spent searching for a new home.

It ended on Wednesday, when he announced a five-year deal to drive for Rick Hendrick. He was giddy during the hour-long news conference, a stark contrast to the emotionally draining May 10 event where he announced he was leaving his late father's company at the end of this season.

"I've been trying to get a couple hours off here and there where I can sit at home and take a breath," he said after qualifying 23rd for Sunday's race.

"I was so tired. Both of them press conferences, I couldn't believe how exhausted I was afterward. There's so much going on in your head. You get so mentally exhausted. But after both of them I passed out for four or five hours on the couch."

There was a peace about him Friday when he returned to work for DEI, where he will finish the year in the No. 8 Chevrolet. As he focused on his car, and tried to spend some times with his legion of fans, the garage buzzed about his signing with Hendrick.

Earnhardt spurned several car owners in choosing Hendrick, where he'll join an already stout lineup of drivers. Hendrick has won six championships since 1995, and his drivers have won 10 of 14 races this season.

So few were surprised that Earnhardt, who is searching for championships, chose the best team in the industry.

"Junior did what most drivers in the garage would have done," Jeff Burton said. "Rick Hendrick runs a great program with great people and they've had a lot of success. From the outside looking in, he made a good decision."

Even Richard Childress, who fielded cars for six of the late Dale Earnhardt's seven championships, was OK with Junior's decision. Childress made a run at signing Earnhardt, but never pressured him and was gracious in losing the race to Hendrick.

"I think we could have won races and we could have won championships," Childress said. "You're not going to make everybody happy when you make a decision, and the main thing is to make yourself happy. He made his decision, all I can say is, I'm happy that he's happy.

"I said at the end of the day, `I want you to make the decision that's the best for Dale Jr. Don't do what the fans want or what everybody thinks is right. Do what's right for Dale Jr.'"

Earnhardt thinks he did that in choosing Hendrick, and if there was any concern about how his future teammates will embrace him, it was alleviated Friday when Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Casey Mears all appeared genuinely excited to work with Junior.

"I spoke to him before the final decisions were made and just told him that we'd love to have him and how our organization works and that I think that could be a very good move for him," said Gordon, a four-time series champion. "He was like a nervous little kid. It was really strange to see him in that situation because you've got all these teams and sponsors and everything else wanted him to sign with them, and it seemed like he was the one that was kind of shy and standoffish about the whole thing.

"That's why he's going to fit in so well because he's very humble and appreciative and excited. He's not this guy who's got this big ego and that just feels like he's going to come in and take over the place. He wants to come in and fit."

Johnson, the defending Nextel Cup champion, said Earnhardt sounded "like a kid in a candy store" when the two spoke, and that enthusiasm had spread to the existing Hendrick drivers.

"I said, 'Congrats, welcome to the team, teammate,'" Johnson said. "You could hear him giggling and he was excited. Once we get into next season there's a lot to learn and a whole new company for him to learn, but I think it's a real exciting opportunity."

Mears might be the most affected by Junior's arrival, as it's not been determined what car Earnhardt will drive. He could take over Busch's No. 5 team, or end up swapping with Mears and taking over the No. 25.

Regardless of how it unfolds, Mears thinks all four will get along just fine and there won't be any conflicting egos between Earnhardt, Gordon and Johnson to massage.

"I think they are superstars on the outside, but all really good quality people on the inside," Mears said. "When you get back to the truck and you are just talking, it's just people. We've all hung out together. I think the conversation is going to be easy."

[Associated Press]