NASCAR: Dale Jr. Stealing Media Attention From New Teammates

(from autosport)


Jeff Gordon says he is coping with the hype surrounding Hendrick Motorsports, but more specifically his new teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr, who seems to be stealing all the attention of the media from his teammates.

The four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup champion has been used to being the most popular driver with the media among the Hendrick line-up, but since the arrival of Dale Earnhardt Jr he admits he is being left in his shadow.

"Come on, man, it's Dale Earnhardt Jr," Gordon said. "Let's be honest that if you're not realistic about the fact that he's the most popular guy and the guy who gets the most media attention and that would be the case whether he's on your team or on any other team, but you treat him as if he's just one of us.

"We don't treat him like he's this hierarchy or anything. He's a race car driver. He's been very humble and appreciative about working with us and he's the same way and it's gone very well."

Gordon says he and his teammates have to accept the fact that Earnhardt Jr is the most popular driver in NASCAR, even if he has not achieved as much in his career as either him or Jimmie Johnson. He admits there is more than just hype coming with Earnhardt to the Hendrick stable.

"It's no secret that on media day last week at Hendrick Motorsports who had the biggest crowd? And that's just part of it," Gordon added. "That's part of it for Casey (Mears) and Jimmie (Johnson) and me. Jimmie is a two-time, back-to-back champion, and he has to accept that as well.

"But as long as we focus on doing our jobs behind the wheel and working as best as we can as teammates and as individuals, we're going to get the benefits he brings and also hopefully make our team rise to the occasion.

"To me, it's even more incentive to go out there and be competitive."

During pre-season testing Earnhardt has been among the fastest drivers in every session at Daytona and this week at Las Vegas. Gordon claims to be impressed by what he has seen and praises what his new teammate and his crew chief bring to the table.

"He's doing very well. I'm extremely impressed," Gordon said. "We know he's going to be good, but he was fast today and I feel like he and Tony Eury Jr. are a great asset to our organization. I've had a lot of fun working with him so far. He's fit right in."