When NASCAR’s most popular driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. addressed the media on Friday morning at Daytona International Speedway, the persona from the 19-time Sprint Cup Series winner was somber at best.
At the conclusion of the 2014 season, Earnhardt Jr.’s crew chief Steve Letarte will vacate his role atop of the pit box as crew chief for the Hendrick Motorsports driver, in lieu of a career change to broadcaster and analyst for NBC Sports for the final 20 events of the 2015 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season.
NBC confirmed Thursday of Letarte’s addition, joining Rick Allen and NSCS driver Jeff Burton as the three color commentators for the network’s return to NASCAR since 2006.
While the career change seems abrupt, both Letarte and Earnhardt Jr. admitted that conversations about the two separating have been ongoing since Charlotte Motor Speedway last fall.
Still, while many short-term and immediate futures are often unknown in the NASCAR garage, Letarte and Jr. know exactly what’s ahead.
“It’s definitely a unique situation,” said Jr. “He actually included me in on the discussion before the end of last year, and I had a pretty good understanding, whether he knew or not, what he was going to do. I had a pretty good understanding what his decision was going to be when I left Homestead.”
And while Earnhardt Jr. has been extremely supportive to his friend’s new opportunity, the face of uncertainty has been anything but obvious. Replacing Letarte who’s been a Hendrick Motorsports employee since the age of 16 will be a challenge to say the least.
“I think the one thing that I fear is just trying to get a guy in there that’s equally as talented. Steve is a great cheerleader and definitely built up my confidence and changed me as a race car driver and as a person. Working with him has really helped me grow.”
No doubt that Thursday afternoon’s surprising announcement could have the potential to have some sort of impact on the No. 88 team this year. But, both Letarte and Earnhardt Jr. say it will be business as usual and the team is focused on winning races and getting into the (championship) chase.
“I feel almost lucky in that regard that I get the opportunity to work with him for one more season. He’s not going to work for another driver or another team, so it’s kind of his last hurrah, and hopefully he never has to come back to that job again and his broadcasting career takes him on into the rest of his life. And I think it will. I think he’s going to be fantastic.”
Time will tell on both fronts.
Oddly enough, NASCAR’s most popular driver doesn’t want a say in who his next team leader will be. Instead, he’ll leave that up to the higher ranks at Hendrick Motorsports, including team owner Rick Hendrick. However, Jr., also said that he would like to have the input from six-time championship crew chief Chad Knaus.
“I won’t make any suggestions at all,” he said. “I will leave that up to Rick (Hendrick) Doug (Duchardt, general manager). I would love to have input from Chad Knaus and Steve.I think that Steve knows what makes this team work. Steve knows how I can be successful and how the individuals within the team can be successful. I think he’d be a good guy to sort of pick at hope that Doug and Rick would include him in that conversation at times.
“I think it’s important that Chad has got a lot influence, because he knows how well the shop works together and what the culture is in the shop and how a guy, a particular guy may mesh in that environment.
“I just wanted to trust their judgment and that’s what I’m going to do.”
Life will go on. Dale Earnhardt Jr. will race and Steve Letarte will watch him race from a new prospective and probably be his biggest supporter.
But, what remains to be seen is whether or not the impending future is strong enough to play a Jedi-mind trick on one of the most powerful drivers in NASCAR and damper a season that everyone’s expecting to be one of his best years yet.
I hope not.
Follow Chris Knight on Twitter @Knighter01.
