Jess
Well the writing was on the wall, I guess, but it's still upsetting to me as a fan when one of my drivers gets fired (not to mention before his contract is up). Today it was announced that Casey will not be back at Hendrick Motorsports in 2009.
Rick Hendrick stated, "We've put a ton of emphasis on the No. 5 program," something that I don't quite believe. I'm sorry, but as much as I love Dale Jr., I'm not stupid. The emphasis has been on the #88, not the #5...at least not for Casey. If Hendrick truly cared about bringing Casey's performance up he would have made changes like any other team would have. He didn't. No surprise. There is a fine line between making changes and not...but did he really expect a driver who hasn't had any consistency in his crew chief in five years to immediately gel with someone new? Again? Alan Gustafson was good with Kyle Busch, but from what I've read on Casey's message board he doesn't listen to Casey's comments about the car. Meanwhile, look at Kyle Busch, who is off winning more races with JGR than he did at HMS last year. Is Gustafson the exalted crew chief he looked like he was with Kyle last year, or was it Kyle?
Then there's Darian Grubb. At the end of 2007 they were working very well together and Casey's performance was the best it had been. Then he's taken away from Casey to be a team engineer for both the #5 and the #88. Yeah...that means the #88. In an article written as recently as June 8th, it's interesting to read his title and then it's all Eury Eury Earnhardt Earnhardt...okay, what about Casey? Why couldn't Darian have gone back to Casey before firing him? "Whatever Mr. Hendrick asks me to do, I'll do it," he says. So I guess Hendrick didn't ask him to be Casey's crew chief.
The NASCAR.com article also states: "It didn't help that, other than the driver, the No. 5 team remained exactly the same unit that finished fourth in points last season with Kyle Busch. It didn't help that Earnhardt found such quick success with what had been Mears' old team last year."
That's not quite true, either. Why was Rick Pigeon so angry at Kyle Busch at Richmond this year? Because he crashed Dale Jr. and Dale Jr. is his driver now, that's why! The following is from Jayski's pit crew charts:
2007
Casey's #25 team: Chris Fasulka, Jason Hunt, Tony Hamm, Ben Fischbeck, Chuck Efaw, Matt Myers, Chris Hamilton
Kyle Busch's #5 team: Brad Pickens, Rick Pigeon, D.J. Richardson, J.D. Holcomb, Josh Kirk, Jason Jones, Jason Dalrymple
2008
Casey's #5 team: Brad Pickens, Jason Hunt, Kip Wolfmeier, J.D. Holcomb, Josh Kirk, Jason Jones, Scott Radel
Dale Jr.'s #88 team: Chris Fasulka, Rick Pigeon, Adam Emmert, Ben Fischbeck, D.J. Richardson, Matt Myers, Jason Dalrymple
So obviously the units are different than they were last year. Junior got three of who were "supposed" to be on Casey's team, and who knows how many of the behind-the-scenes mechanics that helped make Kyle's cars so good last season are on the #88 now. Last year, when Junior signed with HMS, Hendrick admitted he was under a lot of pressure to give Junior competitive equipment. "He (Dale Jr.) made the decision to come with us based on our ability to give him what he needs to reach those goals," he said. "So that's the competitive side of me that adds pressure, because I want to deliver what he's expecting. And because of the magnitude of his space and position in the sport, with his fan base and so forth, the feeling is that everyone is going to anticipate it.
"The pressure is because I want to deliver, and I'm going to do everything I can to make that happen - because there are going to be a whole lot of people watching."
Mmm-hmm...what a coincidence that Casey's team hasn't performed well. Even if you look at Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, they sure aren't even close to what they both were last year (a combined 16 wins, 41 top 5s and 54 top 10s, plus the championship and runner-up!!). Sure, you could say it's the acclimation to the new car, but I'm not so sure. It just seems such a coincidence.
I'm not knocking Dale Jr. - I adore him with all my heart. It's just so frustrating when people treat him like he's more special than anyone else, and when other drivers get gypped because of what the owners want to placate his rabid, selfish fans. It's also frustrating to see Casey's fans loathe Junior's name and body and soul because they think he has something to do with the decision to fire Casey.
I fully expect that Brad Keselowski will eventually be the driver of the #5 (which also fuels the Dale Jr.-gets-what-he-wants conspiracy theory, unfortunately), no matter who drives the car next season (rumor has Mark Martin, full-time, part-time, who cares).
Uhg.
But what's done is done. Now I can only hope that Casey will land at an organization that wants him; that won't move him around so someone else can be more successful. He's dealt with that at Ganassi and Hendrick. Maybe Team Red Bull? But I don't want AJ Allmendinger to get fired, nor do I want him in a third team that won't have owner points. RCR's fourth team? Great organization, but there's the owner points situation again. Penske if Ryan Newman leaves? It would be cool to have another pair of my boys as teammates but will they get a replacement sponsor for Alltel? DEI if Martin leaves? DEI...ergh. 
I shouldn't be so picky, though, because having a ride with even a decent team is better than nothing at all.
Thankfully the recent ex-Hendrick drivers aren't doing too bad. Brian Vickers has hit his stride with TRB and Kyle Busch...well, no explanation needed.
I can only hope Casey will be as successful as I know he can be.
And I sure am glad I didn't buy any of his gear in the past two years.
Rick Hendrick stated, "We've put a ton of emphasis on the No. 5 program," something that I don't quite believe. I'm sorry, but as much as I love Dale Jr., I'm not stupid. The emphasis has been on the #88, not the #5...at least not for Casey. If Hendrick truly cared about bringing Casey's performance up he would have made changes like any other team would have. He didn't. No surprise. There is a fine line between making changes and not...but did he really expect a driver who hasn't had any consistency in his crew chief in five years to immediately gel with someone new? Again? Alan Gustafson was good with Kyle Busch, but from what I've read on Casey's message board he doesn't listen to Casey's comments about the car. Meanwhile, look at Kyle Busch, who is off winning more races with JGR than he did at HMS last year. Is Gustafson the exalted crew chief he looked like he was with Kyle last year, or was it Kyle?
Then there's Darian Grubb. At the end of 2007 they were working very well together and Casey's performance was the best it had been. Then he's taken away from Casey to be a team engineer for both the #5 and the #88. Yeah...that means the #88. In an article written as recently as June 8th, it's interesting to read his title and then it's all Eury Eury Earnhardt Earnhardt...okay, what about Casey? Why couldn't Darian have gone back to Casey before firing him? "Whatever Mr. Hendrick asks me to do, I'll do it," he says. So I guess Hendrick didn't ask him to be Casey's crew chief.
The NASCAR.com article also states: "It didn't help that, other than the driver, the No. 5 team remained exactly the same unit that finished fourth in points last season with Kyle Busch. It didn't help that Earnhardt found such quick success with what had been Mears' old team last year."
That's not quite true, either. Why was Rick Pigeon so angry at Kyle Busch at Richmond this year? Because he crashed Dale Jr. and Dale Jr. is his driver now, that's why! The following is from Jayski's pit crew charts:
2007
Casey's #25 team: Chris Fasulka, Jason Hunt, Tony Hamm, Ben Fischbeck, Chuck Efaw, Matt Myers, Chris Hamilton
Kyle Busch's #5 team: Brad Pickens, Rick Pigeon, D.J. Richardson, J.D. Holcomb, Josh Kirk, Jason Jones, Jason Dalrymple
2008
Casey's #5 team: Brad Pickens, Jason Hunt, Kip Wolfmeier, J.D. Holcomb, Josh Kirk, Jason Jones, Scott Radel
Dale Jr.'s #88 team: Chris Fasulka, Rick Pigeon, Adam Emmert, Ben Fischbeck, D.J. Richardson, Matt Myers, Jason Dalrymple
So obviously the units are different than they were last year. Junior got three of who were "supposed" to be on Casey's team, and who knows how many of the behind-the-scenes mechanics that helped make Kyle's cars so good last season are on the #88 now. Last year, when Junior signed with HMS, Hendrick admitted he was under a lot of pressure to give Junior competitive equipment. "He (Dale Jr.) made the decision to come with us based on our ability to give him what he needs to reach those goals," he said. "So that's the competitive side of me that adds pressure, because I want to deliver what he's expecting. And because of the magnitude of his space and position in the sport, with his fan base and so forth, the feeling is that everyone is going to anticipate it.
"The pressure is because I want to deliver, and I'm going to do everything I can to make that happen - because there are going to be a whole lot of people watching."
Mmm-hmm...what a coincidence that Casey's team hasn't performed well. Even if you look at Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, they sure aren't even close to what they both were last year (a combined 16 wins, 41 top 5s and 54 top 10s, plus the championship and runner-up!!). Sure, you could say it's the acclimation to the new car, but I'm not so sure. It just seems such a coincidence.
I'm not knocking Dale Jr. - I adore him with all my heart. It's just so frustrating when people treat him like he's more special than anyone else, and when other drivers get gypped because of what the owners want to placate his rabid, selfish fans. It's also frustrating to see Casey's fans loathe Junior's name and body and soul because they think he has something to do with the decision to fire Casey.
I fully expect that Brad Keselowski will eventually be the driver of the #5 (which also fuels the Dale Jr.-gets-what-he-wants conspiracy theory, unfortunately), no matter who drives the car next season (rumor has Mark Martin, full-time, part-time, who cares).
Uhg.
But what's done is done. Now I can only hope that Casey will land at an organization that wants him; that won't move him around so someone else can be more successful. He's dealt with that at Ganassi and Hendrick. Maybe Team Red Bull? But I don't want AJ Allmendinger to get fired, nor do I want him in a third team that won't have owner points. RCR's fourth team? Great organization, but there's the owner points situation again. Penske if Ryan Newman leaves? It would be cool to have another pair of my boys as teammates but will they get a replacement sponsor for Alltel? DEI if Martin leaves? DEI...ergh. I shouldn't be so picky, though, because having a ride with even a decent team is better than nothing at all.Thankfully the recent ex-Hendrick drivers aren't doing too bad. Brian Vickers has hit his stride with TRB and Kyle Busch...well, no explanation needed.
I can only hope Casey will be as successful as I know he can be.And I sure am glad I didn't buy any of his gear in the past two years.