Dale Earnhardt Jr. reveals Rick Hendrick’s major decision that changed his NASCAR career’s trajectory

Dale Earnhardt Jr., the popular NASCAR figure, recently revealed a decision by Rick Hendrick that saved his career after a tumultuous time in the highest level of stock car racing. He said that changing teams was a big factor in his winning more races in the Cup Series.

At the start of his full-time Cup career with Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI), which was led by his family, Earnhardt Jr. began to show real promise, but hadn't yet reached his potential. This period came with challenges that included pressure to uphold the legacy of his father, Dale Earnhardt. His first Cup win came early in 2000 at Texas Motor Speedway, but at DEI, consistency and performance would never make big gains.

Then came Earnhardt Jr.'s major career rejuvenation in 2008 when he made the announcement that he would be joining Hendrick Motorsports at the urging of team owner Rick Hendrick. Hendrick appointed Steve Letarte as Earnhardt Jr.'s crew chief.

Letarte was able to apply pro-coaching prowess, and with Hendrick managing it and the better equipment, Dale Jr. began to build back up his performance. In his recent Dale Jr. Download podcast, the 50-year-old driver revealed that Hendrick's decision to appoint Letarte changed his career. He said:

"I'd had some tough, tough years and we were trying to figure it out and I was thankful that Rick was gonna keep trying to figure it out and not fire me. He was like, I'm gonna swap you and Mark."

He further added:

"We're going to bust our ass. I'm going to ask you to do all kinds of, you're going to do it. He was one of the first crew chiefs to tell me he needed to give me a better car. I love that everything wasn't hanging on my shoulders in like a year and a half. We became a top five team. If we hadn't made that change, man, I don't think I would have ever won another race."

This new partnership led to multiple wins, including his second Daytona 500 victory in 2014, and made Dale Earnhardt Jr. a consistent top contender in the Cup Series. Hendrick’s commitment to backing Earnhardt Jr. during difficult stretches, such as long winless periods, was crucial for his career resurgence.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. on the NASCAR Chase format

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has publicly expressed his preference for NASCAR's original Chase playoff format amid ongoing debates about the sport’s championship structure. Engaging with fans on social media, he endorsed simpler versions of the playoff system featuring a limited number of top drivers competing over a series of races culminating in a final round.

Reacting to a fan's question on X, Dale Earnhardt Jr. wrote:

"Sure. 10 drivers 10 races. Or 6 drivers and 6 races. Or 5 and 5, or 4 and 4. All those sound good. Just a regular season and a final round."

Earnhardt Earnhardt Jr.'s comments come at a time when criticism of NASCAR’s current playoff system, which includes a 16-driver, four-round elimination format, has been mounting from both fans and prominent drivers like Chase Elliott.

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Edited by Sumeet Kavthale