Hendrick, with six total championships on NASCAR's premier series, fits with Earnhardt's desires to drive for a contender and to continue to pilot Chevrolets. The Hendrick team also had ties to Earnhardt's late father, who shook down the first car the organization ever built, and was behind the wheel when team owner Rick Hendrick recorded his first NASCAR victory in a Busch race at Charlotte in 1983.
When Jr. made his announcement in May that he was leaving DEI, there were three possible locations given his self-restriction to Chevrolet: Childress, Gibbs & Hendrick. Childress was always the sentimental favorite, since Dale Sr won 6 championships in the RCR 3 car. But the pressure Dale Jr would face there would be intense, something it seemed he was not ready for. Gibbs refusal to have a sponsor such as Budweiser all but ruled him out, even though Dale Jr would have fit very well with Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin. Hendrick had a full stable to NASCAR's 4 team limit, but would seem to be the best fit for Jr.'s career development.
I don't have to like Jeff Gordon or Hendrick as a person, but my guess is I will mellow over time, much like once JG broke the 76 barrier, what does it matter to me how many more he wins? I think the dislike had more to do with the Sr-Gordon rivalry of the mid-90s, even knowing the two were friends off the track.
Enter today, and the leak of information that Jr will announce tomorrow he is indeed moving to Hendrick, and the rampant speculation he will supplant Kyle Busch in the 5, much like he did earlier in the year at Texas, after Busch had wrecked Jr, and left the track thinking his car was done. Jr was asked to get in the car as a favor to a friend on the 5 crew, so he did. Speculation ensued that Jr might be going to Hendrick then, well before his May announcement he was leaving DEI.
(EDIT - I saw this ESPN article by Terry Blount Wednesday morning, with some thought similar to mine, but perhaps better said)
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