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The Hendrick boys were all smiles before the season started. (Gregg Ellman/MCT)
It must be tough being on a team with a four-time NASCAR champion, the reigning two-time champion and Mr. Popularity.
Casey Mears lives deep in the shadows of Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr. at Hendrick Motorsports.
Now it seems like Mears’ spot with the team isn’t very secure.
Rick Hendrick was asked today about Mears’ future and he said, “I’m committed to him right now. I’m committed to him making that car run better right now.”
Those multiple “right nows” are enough to make anyone a little nervous about their job security.
The AP is speculating that Mark Martin and Brad Keselowski could split time in the No. 5 next season with DEI giving the No. 8 full-time to Aric Almirola.
Side note: Mark Martin sure races a lot for a “retired” driver.
So I guess being Jimmie Johnson’s BFF only secured Mears’ spot at Hendrick for so long. This year he only has two top-10 finished and is 27th in points.
I know Kyle Busch’s attitude had a lot to do with why Hendrick let him go but every now and then he has to wonder what it would have been like if he had dumped Mears last year instead of Busch.
Mears should just go back to open-wheel racing. With his name and that pretty little face he could be a star in the IRL.
He’s outa there, and maybe sooner than we think. If MM gets the HMS gig and retires from there won’t this have been his 3rd gold watch?
Rick couldn’t stand Kyle’s attitude and big mouth.
Steve L has got to go as well. Sonoma is a track that Jeff has always excelled at and his team brought a car to the track whose camber wasn’t setup correctly. Amazing. He got the finish he did because Kevin H wrecked most of the contenders. I couldn’t believe Jeff had nothing for Gilliand or whatever his name is. Jeff got really lucky on this one.
mark martin, and brad keso-who ? surley you jest. ponder this, how bout smoke coming over to the hms camp ? we all know what the deal is, he wants out of a toyota and into a chevy again. and hms can provide the ride. rick would get much more bang for his buck with tony in the car. imagine the powerhouse then !! i will be heading out for loudon fri mornin’ hoping to see superg get revenge for the loss to hamlin last year.
drive for 5 is still alive !!!!
The rumor, and it’s only a rumor, is that instead of MM in the #5, Smoke is going to HMS and Casey M or Keslowski(?)or Martin Truex will be in the HAASCNC #66 & #70 in 2009.
In any event, Smoke will be sort of beholden to HMS because even if he takes a HAAS ride or buys into it, it’ll still be a HMS satelite.
I don’t know how I feel about these Tony Stewart to Hendrick rumors. It is possible to have too many superstars on one team and three is already pushing it. They are so close to being Yankees-esque already and if it gets any worse I’ll have to start hating them. (Yeah, that’s probably not going to happen. Jeff and Jimmie have special places in my heart.)
i’de like to hear revjims input on this one. do you all think smoke fans will act the same way that boomhauer fans did when he announced his alliance with hms ? only time will tell.
He’s outa there, and maybe sooner than we think. If MM gets the HMS gig and retires from there won’t this have been his 3rd gold watch?
Rick couldn’t stand Kyle’s attitude and big mouth.
Steve L has got to go as well. Sonoma is a track that Jeff has always excelled at and his team brought a car to the track whose camber wasn’t setup correctly. Amazing. He got the finish he did because Kevin H wrecked most of the contenders. I couldn’t believe Jeff had nothing for Gilliand or whatever his name is. Jeff got really lucky on this one.
— Jon 06/23/2008 06:37 AM #
Yeah, watching Jeff struggle at a track where he used to be king was about as much as I could handle. That team needs big changes.
— Jaynelle 06/23/2008 12:20 PM #
Bye Casey.
— Robert 06/24/2008 02:57 PM #
mark martin, and brad keso-who ? surley you jest. ponder this, how bout smoke coming over to the hms camp ? we all know what the deal is, he wants out of a toyota and into a chevy again. and hms can provide the ride. rick would get much more bang for his buck with tony in the car. imagine the powerhouse then !! i will be heading out for loudon fri mornin’ hoping to see superg get revenge for the loss to hamlin last year.
drive for 5 is still alive !!!!
— no124fanwkr 06/25/2008 12:05 PM #
The rumor, and it’s only a rumor, is that instead of MM in the #5, Smoke is going to HMS and Casey M or Keslowski(?)or Martin Truex will be in the HAAS CNC #66 & #70 in 2009.
In any event, Smoke will be sort of beholden to HMS because even if he takes a HAAS ride or buys into it, it’ll still be a HMS satelite.
I love it.
— Jon 06/25/2008 12:43 PM #
I don’t know how I feel about these Tony Stewart to Hendrick rumors. It is possible to have too many superstars on one team and three is already pushing it. They are so close to being Yankees-esque already and if it gets any worse I’ll have to start hating them. (Yeah, that’s probably not going to happen. Jeff and Jimmie have special places in my heart.)
— Jaynelle 06/25/2008 04:15 PM #
i’de like to hear revjims input on this one. do you all think smoke fans will act the same way that boomhauer fans did when he announced his alliance with hms ? only time will tell.
— no124fanwkr 06/26/2008 06:10 AM #