Feud of the Week: No guarantee for Junior? We disagree right away
CBS.SportsLine.com's Brian De Los Santos and Charlie McCarthy provide analysis on three weekly racing topics.
| 1. Will Dale Earnhardt Jr. win a championship with Hendrick Motorsports? | |
| Brian De Los Santos | Charlie McCarthy |
 Not only will Earnhardt Jr. win a title, he'll do it next season. You heard it here first, folks. Many people -- like my colleague here -- like to poo-poo Earnhardt Jr.'s talents and say he's just living off his father's name, but to do so ignores the facts. He has 17 wins during his career. That's two more than former Cup champions Matt Kenseth and Kurt Busch. What Earnhardt Jr. has lacked is consistency because DEI's equipment isn't quite on par with the likes of Hendrick, Gibbs and Roush. I think it's a testament to his skills that he has managed 17 wins at DEI. And don't believe the nonsense that all his victories have come at restrictor-plate tracks. Ten of his victories have come on intermediate or short tracks. The sky is the limit for Earnhardt Jr. with Hendrick. |  Assuming DEI's lack of recent success has more to do with its cars than its drivers, I still don't think an eventual series championship for Junior is a sure thing. He'll still have to compete against teammates (and better drivers?) Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, not to mention people such as Tony Stewart and Matt Kenseth. And although Hendrick clearly rates as the current "team to beat" in Cup, it wasn't too long ago Roush Racing had the same tag and Richard Childress Racing was struggling big time. Still, Hendrick figures to be one of the top teams for a long time, and Junior is a talented driver. Will that equal a championship? Maybe ... but it's not guaranteed. |
| 2. Featuring a lineup of Earnhardt Jr., Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Casey Mears, will Rick Hendrick be able to keep all his drivers happy long term? | |
| Brian De Los Santos | Charlie McCarthy |
| No chance. Just ask Jack Roush about trying to keep everybody in a successful multi-car team happy. One moment he's on top of the world with back-to-back titles, the next he's digging out from ashes and rebuilding. Even with a title in hand, Kurt Busch flew the coop. Now by no means do I expect Gordon or Johnson to bolt, but as great an owner as Hendrick is, I can almost guarantee there will be some bitterness and jealousy down the road. Earnhardt, Gordon and Johnson are three giants of the sport. If I'm Mears, I'm not sure I'm really liking my position. | If anybody can, Hendrick seems to be the guy to do it. Junior goes from being top dog at DEI to third string on Hendrick's All-Star team, at least in terms of driving. Of course, Junior remains No. 1 in the hearts of the NASCAR faithful and the sport's marketing machine. All the Hendrick drivers will be rewarded financially, and each should find track success. Silly jealousies always are possible, but that's where the respected Mr. Hendrick comes in. He seems to have a knack for running a close-knit organization with a family-type atmosphere. |
| 3. With whom should Kyle Busch sign? Will he sink or swim outside of Hendrick Motorsports? | |
| Brian De Los Santos | Charlie McCarthy |
| Rumors are already circulating that his destination will be DEI, but I don't really see that as the best fit. My top choice for Busch would be Evernham Motorsports or Ginn Racing. At Evernham, a tag team of Kasey Kahne and Busch could prove to be quite a formidable force, while at Ginn, he'd be The Man. Something tells me Busch grew tired of being third on the totem at Hendrick -- which would be a strike against him landing at Joe Gibbs Racing, where he'd be third in line behind Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin. Busch will do just fine without Hendrick. Anybody who is anybody says he has all the talent in the world. And let's not forget he's only 22. Wherever he lands he needs to bring an attitude adjustment with him, otherwise the relationship could sour quickly. | Wherever he goes, Busch certainly will swim in green -- and I'm talking cash, not envy. Sure, Busch has that family trait of being a wise-ss. He hasn't won many supporters among fans, media members and, most importantly, his peers. But the kid can drive. And if he matures on and off the track, his level of success will come down to the quality of his equipment and team. DEI could put him in Junior's seat, but don't forget those Toyota teams that have suffered through a terrible 2007. Toyota wants to and will be a player in Cup, and Busch could be the driver who powers the company's drive to Victory Lane. Or, perhaps Penske will entertain a third team, and allow Kyle to drive with his older brother, Kurt. Let's face it: The dominoes are just beginning to fall in regard to 2008. Other positions likely will become available. |
