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Move to Hendrick has led to driver becoming more mature
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Nerves? What nerves?
Dale Earnhardt Jr. said Tuesday he remembers what it feels like when, as a driver of a racecar about to approach speeds of 200 mph, you're more than a little nervous to get behind the wheel.
"The worst I ever felt was trying to qualify for my first race in Charlotte," Earnhardt said. "I was so scared and wanted to get out of the car, but it was too late. I already told them I'd drive it.
"We were sitting right there [on pit road]. We were like two minutes away from going out to qualify -- and I was so nervous, it was painful. It was actually painful to be that nervous. Somehow, we ended up qualifying in the top 10."
Somehow, despite all the attention, he posted the top single-lap time during the morning session of Preseason Thunder testing at Daytona on Tuesday, making it around the 2.5-mile track at scintillating speed of 185.820 mph (48.434 seconds). He sounded afterward like he wasn't surprised.
"Nowadays, I've been doing this for a while, and I sort of understand what's around the next corner," Earnhardt said. "Right now I'm pretty much set on what I know I need to do. Although this is a high-profile race team and I'm a high-profile driver, I can handle it. With how I've grown up in the sport, I think I'm as prepared as anybody could be for this certain situation."
The situation of which he speaks has been well documented. After spending his entire career -- which began at the Cup level with that first start at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte in May of 1999 -- driving for Dale Earnhardt Inc., Earnhardt is making the jump this season to the Hendrick organization.
He said the decision to leave DEI -- made last May but not executed until the end of last season -- forced him and long-time crew chief Tony Eury Jr. to grow up in a way that might not have occurred had they spent their entire careers with the company founded by his late father.
"There is peace of mind," said Earnhardt, 33. "I think one of the changes has been not being the son of the boss anymore, going somewhere else. Me and Tony Jr. both experienced sort of a little bit of a growth or maturity just going from one door to the other overnight.
"I grew up over the years. But when I first started, you could get away with saying things and being quoted certain ways. I was able to get away with it, working for my daddy. I wouldn't be able to now. My job now is to stay out of [team owner] Rick [Hendrick's] office as much as I can."
Earnhardt said he is well aware of the high expectations of his new team. Eury Jr. said on Monday that he would be disappointed if they don't win "at least four races." Television analyst Darrell Waltrip has said repeatedly that he expects Earnhardt to win the Daytona 500 and "at least six races."
Yet Earnhardt contended Tuesday that in some ways, he is under less pressure heading into this season than he was going into last season -- when his future was up in the air as contract negotiations with DEI were deteriorating.
"It's been pretty nice to be able to concentrate on things that are important right now, like testing and working and getting to know the guys [on the team]," Earnhardt said. "There is a little bit less pressure in certain areas and more pressure in other areas.
"I didn't have to worry about job security when I was over at my other job, but I've got to worry about that now. I think if I do what I've been doing, I should be fine. But it's not like before. Being the son of the guy who built the place, you can get away with a few more things than most guys could."
Not that anyone expects him to encounter any difficulties getting along with the affable Hendrick, including Earnhardt himself. Plus he's armed with a five-year contract, so it's not like his job in on the line every week in the truest sense.
"I've got a really good owner who makes me feel comfortable," Earnhardt said. "Talking to him and hearing from him and listening to his thoughts on what we're doing, it takes away some pressure from that side of it.
"But I don't know the rest of the guys [on the team] that well, so I'm just nervous in getting to know them. I'm hoping that they like me and like the kind of driver I am and that they're happy to have me as their driver. That's what you want from the guys working on your cars -- for them to be glad you're there, that you are 'the one' driving it."
So his nervousness comes these days more from getting to know his new teammates when he's outside of the car, rather than at any time when he's in the car behind the wheel. And that, he added, is a good thing as he is coming off the first winless season of his Cup career.
He also said that the tests this week at Daytona are going a long way to helping him settle nerves all the way around -- his and those of his new teammates. These days mark the first hopeful baby steps toward their ultimate and common goal of getting Earnhardt back to Victory Lane.
"I don't want to sit here and guess how many races we'll win," he said. "We'll win some races, and I expect to win soon. I'm a good driver with a good team -- and if we don't make mistakes on Sunday, we should have great finishes and win some races."
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Nerves? What nerves?
Dale Earnhardt Jr. said Tuesday he remembers what it feels like when, as a driver of a racecar about to approach speeds of 200 mph, you're more than a little nervous to get behind the wheel.
"The worst I ever felt was trying to qualify for my first race in Charlotte," Earnhardt said. "I was so scared and wanted to get out of the car, but it was too late. I already told them I'd drive it.
"We were sitting right there [on pit road]. We were like two minutes away from going out to qualify -- and I was so nervous, it was painful. It was actually painful to be that nervous. Somehow, we ended up qualifying in the top 10."
Somehow, despite all the attention, he posted the top single-lap time during the morning session of Preseason Thunder testing at Daytona on Tuesday, making it around the 2.5-mile track at scintillating speed of 185.820 mph (48.434 seconds). He sounded afterward like he wasn't surprised.
"Nowadays, I've been doing this for a while, and I sort of understand what's around the next corner," Earnhardt said. "Right now I'm pretty much set on what I know I need to do. Although this is a high-profile race team and I'm a high-profile driver, I can handle it. With how I've grown up in the sport, I think I'm as prepared as anybody could be for this certain situation."
The situation of which he speaks has been well documented. After spending his entire career -- which began at the Cup level with that first start at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Charlotte in May of 1999 -- driving for Dale Earnhardt Inc., Earnhardt is making the jump this season to the Hendrick organization.
He said the decision to leave DEI -- made last May but not executed until the end of last season -- forced him and long-time crew chief Tony Eury Jr. to grow up in a way that might not have occurred had they spent their entire careers with the company founded by his late father.
"There is peace of mind," said Earnhardt, 33. "I think one of the changes has been not being the son of the boss anymore, going somewhere else. Me and Tony Jr. both experienced sort of a little bit of a growth or maturity just going from one door to the other overnight.
"I grew up over the years. But when I first started, you could get away with saying things and being quoted certain ways. I was able to get away with it, working for my daddy. I wouldn't be able to now. My job now is to stay out of [team owner] Rick [Hendrick's] office as much as I can."
Earnhardt said he is well aware of the high expectations of his new team. Eury Jr. said on Monday that he would be disappointed if they don't win "at least four races." Television analyst Darrell Waltrip has said repeatedly that he expects Earnhardt to win the Daytona 500 and "at least six races."
Yet Earnhardt contended Tuesday that in some ways, he is under less pressure heading into this season than he was going into last season -- when his future was up in the air as contract negotiations with DEI were deteriorating.
"It's been pretty nice to be able to concentrate on things that are important right now, like testing and working and getting to know the guys [on the team]," Earnhardt said. "There is a little bit less pressure in certain areas and more pressure in other areas.
"I didn't have to worry about job security when I was over at my other job, but I've got to worry about that now. I think if I do what I've been doing, I should be fine. But it's not like before. Being the son of the guy who built the place, you can get away with a few more things than most guys could."
Not that anyone expects him to encounter any difficulties getting along with the affable Hendrick, including Earnhardt himself. Plus he's armed with a five-year contract, so it's not like his job in on the line every week in the truest sense.
"I've got a really good owner who makes me feel comfortable," Earnhardt said. "Talking to him and hearing from him and listening to his thoughts on what we're doing, it takes away some pressure from that side of it.
"But I don't know the rest of the guys [on the team] that well, so I'm just nervous in getting to know them. I'm hoping that they like me and like the kind of driver I am and that they're happy to have me as their driver. That's what you want from the guys working on your cars -- for them to be glad you're there, that you are 'the one' driving it."
So his nervousness comes these days more from getting to know his new teammates when he's outside of the car, rather than at any time when he's in the car behind the wheel. And that, he added, is a good thing as he is coming off the first winless season of his Cup career.
He also said that the tests this week at Daytona are going a long way to helping him settle nerves all the way around -- his and those of his new teammates. These days mark the first hopeful baby steps toward their ultimate and common goal of getting Earnhardt back to Victory Lane.
"I don't want to sit here and guess how many races we'll win," he said. "We'll win some races, and I expect to win soon. I'm a good driver with a good team -- and if we don't make mistakes on Sunday, we should have great finishes and win some races."
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