Earnhardt's Hendrick status now uncomfortably numb

You would think with Jimmie Johnson well on his way to a fourth straight Sprint Cup title all would be well in the Hendrick Motorsports world.

Well that's not the case.

While Johnson rolls along on another patented Chase performance with Hendrick and teammates Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon riding along in the top five of the standings, much of the team's success is being overshadowed by the continued disappointment of Dale Earnhardt Jr.

Rick Hendrick (left) hasn't yet found a way to bring out Junior's best. (Getty Images)

The second year of Earnhardt's tenure at Hendrick has been nothing short of a disaster. Rather than building on the solid start Earnhardt had in the first half of last season, the 88 squad has unraveled into a sticky mess.

Things looked to be on track only a few weeks ago when Earnhardt notched a pair of top-10 finishes and had several stints when he ran at the front of the pack. New crew chief Lance McGrew finally seemed to be making inroads on turning the team's fortunes around after taking over for the beleaguered Tony Eury Jr. in May.

But since finishing ninth at Bristol at the end of August, Earnhardt's best performance has been 17th at Atlanta. Runs of 35th, 36th and 38th have been more the norm for Earnhardt, and last week in Charlotte he reached a boiling point.

"I'm about at the end of my rope," Earnhardt said. "I feel like I don't have any control, you know? Rick Hendrick put me in a great position but I haven't made the most of it. For whatever reason we're just not getting it done."

Earnhardt, airing his frustration, began speculation about what Hendrick would do this time to right the 88 ship. That includes whether McGrew is the right fit to call the shots on top of the pit box, or if things would be better served with yet another crew chief in 2010.

"My philosophy has always been if you can fix something rather than start all over, then I'd rather fix it," Hendrick said. "When I see the car as the best car out there in my group in two or three races and have crappy luck, it's almost like, 'Hey, let's focus on the little things that can make us better.'"

However it seems there's much more wrong with Earnhardt's situation than what a few minor tweaks or adjustments will cure. Watching Earnhardt's body language during his media conference in Charlotte last weekend was to see a man who visibly looks like he's given up.

Listening to in-car communication between Earnhardt and McGrew doesn't provide any indication the two are on the same page with several discussions of whether planned strategies or adjustments to the car were right or wrong.

Clearly, Hendrick needs to find someone who Earnhardt trusts, and will take advice from and whom he will listen to when the inevitable move to replace McGrew takes place.

The $1 million question of course is just who fits that bill? Earnhardt had someone perfect for the job in Tony Eury Sr. back when he was winning then-Busch Series races and championships as well as notching Sprint Cup victories while at DEI.

But "Pops" isn't interested in signing back up for the Cup schedule grind and is perfectly satisfied at his current Nationwide role with Hendrick and JR Motorsports.

That leaves the pickings pretty slim and one can only wonder how this whole sorry mess would have played out if Earnhardt hadn't insisted on bringing Eury Jr. with him as crew chief when he joined Hendrick.

Had Hendrick been able to align one of his own team members with Earnhardt, someone familiar with the team's culture, background and vast resources (someone like say Darian Grubb), the learning curve for Junior would have been shortened in a big way.

Grubb has since been scooped up by Tony Stewart, a combination that has paid immediate dividends. Quite frankly Rick Hendrick's bench is a bit thin for a new replacement.

Whoever comes in will have their work cut out for them to be sure. And as Earnhardt quickly races toward what could be his third and final year at Hendrick he has his career and legacy pretty much on the line.

Will he be remembered as one of the sport's top drivers who can still challenge for wins and a possible championship or simply the son of a NASCAR legend who had a middle-of-the-road career highlighted by unfulfilled promise?

If Earnhardt can't make it with the powerhouse that is Hendrick Motorsports, where can he flourish?

Some believe he will eventually turn his JR Motorsports Nationwide Series operation into a full-fledged Cup team and end his career there as an owner-driver. He will certainly have the ability to call his own shots in that situation and perhaps that's how Junior is most comfortable.

It's evident he's anything but comfortable right now. The question is can Rick Hendrick do anything to change that before it's too late?