THANKS RICK
By David Joseph
Staff Writer
Little E is in a green car. The Pettys have left Level Cross. Smoke is driving a Toyota. And Tony Eury Jr. just appeared on television with his shirt tucked in. To make matters worse, I just opened my closet only to find clothing with a Hendrick Motorsports logo emblazoned on the sleeve. It is enough to make you think the world has gone mad. What’s next, rooting for Jeff Gordon? Well, I’ll tell you what. After seeing that picture of Junior laughing with Jeff in the garage at Daytona and hearing Gordon praise Dale Jr.’s commitment and dedication…….I just might.
Whenever it feels as if there is a shift in the universe, it only seems appropriate that someone take responsibility for the axis adjustment. Often it’s about taking the blame, but in this case, I really do think it’s about taking the credit. So who do we have to thank for all this? It has to be Rick Hendrick. So here is a letter I never thought I’d write.
Thanks Rick,
Thanks for bringing Dale Earnhardt Jr. over to Hendrick Motorsports. Thanks for believing in Junior’s talent as a race car driver. Thanks for making him a part of a team. Thanks for making him feel like family even if it took him leaving his own to feel that. And thanks for welcoming his family (The Eurys, Kelley, Brenda, and Grandma Martha) into your own. Thanks for putting him in cars that will be safe and fast and turn well in order to give him the best chance to succeed. Thanks for giving him engines that should stay together for 500 miles. Thanks for merging HMS and JR Motorsports together in the Nationwide series. Thanks for becoming the first owner in history that managed to get Dale Jr. excited about testing. And thanks for being an owner that shows up to testing. Thanks for holding Junior to that contract on the napkin. Thanks for trying to bring the 8 and ending up with two of them. Thanks for fulfilling Ricky’s dream that Junior would one day drive for Hendrick Motorsports. Thanks for keeping the Robert Gee legacy alive and well through Tony Jr. And thanks for letting Dale Jr. have a say in the design of his cars. Thanks for helping Dale Earnhardt Jr. go from the only driver in Nascar (up until a year ago) who didn’t own the rights to his own name to the only one who manages his own licensing deal. Thanks for giving him a “bullet for the fight” at this year’s Daytona 500. Thanks for promising to “have a lot of fun” along the way. And thanks for allowing Dale Jr. to be, well…Dale Jr.
But most of all, thank you for caring about people. Thanks for taking care of your employees. Thanks for caring more about Dale Jr. the person than Dale Jr. the race car driver. And thanks for having the biggest heart imaginable when you have a broken one.
In one sense, Junior Nation is envious of Dale Jr. since he’ll have the opportunity to thank you each and every weekend by how hard he is going to drive on the race track. We don’t have that same luxury. So Rick, on behalf of all of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s fans, I am thanking you here.
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