A Hendrick Motorsports executive said Wednesday there is no timetable – or concern – for finding Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s replacement in the No. 88 Chevrolet.
“Obviously it’s an important decision for us, and one we’re going to take our time, and we’re going to find the right person, the right fit for all the factors that go into that,” Hendrick Motorsports general manager Doug Duchardt said during “The Morning Drive” on the SiriusXM NASCAR channel. “We really don’t have a timeline on that. I feel real fortunate in the talent we have around us, and so I feel like we’re going to be in a good spot no matter where we land. We’re going to take our time and make the right decision for that car, the sponsors and the fans.’'
In the release announcing Earnhardt’s retirement after the 2017 season, Hendrick said it would “announce plans for 2018 team alignment at a later date.” Asked to elaborate on those plans Tuesday, Hendrick said, “we’ve got a lot of people to consider, meaning (sponsors), and we’ve just been talking to them. Priority one is to get everything prepared, get the day over with, and then we’ll take time to decide what we do there.”
There would seem to be a short list of internal and external candidates depending on the direction that the team chooses with the ride. There also are the options of weighing a long-term deal vs. a one-year stopgap.
It appears that a new driver might have to be accompanied by a new sponsorship deal. Nationwide said it’s re-evaluating its contract with the No. 88 beyond the 2017 season at Hendrick (though it plans to continue the business relationship with Earnhardt), but Duchart said the plan is to run four cars next season regardless.
“I haven’t heard any conversation like that at all,” he said of cutting back to three cars next year. “On the sponsor search side, we’re really happy with the partners we have, and we think they’re happy with us. We’re going to sit down with them and work thought the transition so we’re optimistic about that. I haven’t heard any sort of dialogue like that.”
