Update:
Dale Earnhardt Jr. headed to Hendrick MotorsportsJune 12, 2007
By PA SportsTicker
Dale Earnhardt Jr. apparently will join forces with NASCAR's most successful team.
Earnhardt is set to announce his intention to join Hendrick Motorsports in 2008, PA SportsTicker learned Tuesday from an anonymous source with knowledge of the negotiations.
NASCAR's most popular driver, Earnhardt has scheduled a news conference for Wednesday at 11 a.m. EDT, when he will officially announce his intentions for next season.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the source said that Earnhardt will drive the Hendrick Motorsports No. 25 Chevrolet, which is currently piloted by Casey Mears. Consequently, Mears will replace Kyle Busch as the driver of the No. 5 Chevrolet.
Busch is under contract with Hendrick through the end of the 2008 season, but the source said that the 22-year-old will not be with the team next year.
Jeff Dickerson, Busch's attorney, told ESPN.com that he is uncertain about the young driver's future but declined to comment further on the situation.
"Out of respect for Hendrick Motorsports, we're not really sure what's going on yet," Dickerson told the web site. "But we're trying. I don't think anything's changed yet. I cannot tell you that Kyle is out of the No. 5 for 2008."
Earnhardt's highly anticipated announcement Wednesday will come just 34 days after the racing icon cut ties with Dale Earnhardt Inc., the team founded by his late, great father and run by his stepmother, Teresa Earnhardt.
Now he is headed to Hendrick Motorsports, which has completely dominated the Nextel Cup Series this season and already boasts a loaded team which features four-time series champion Jeff Gordon and reigning champion Jimmie Johnson.
Gordon captured his fourth victory of the season Sunday at Pocono Raceway and increased his overwhelming cushion in the series standings to 242 points. Johnson also has four checkered flags this season and is fourth in the standings, 305 points behind Gordon.
Busch has struggled of late but still is 10th in the standings. He captured his only victory of the season at Bristol in March and has seven top-10 finishes this season.
Gordon, Johnson, Busch and Mears - who won the Coca-Cola 600 - have combined to win 10 of the first 14 races on the circuit this season, easily making Hendrick Motorsports the most dominant team in the series.
But the addition of Earnhardt would bring Hendrick Motorsports unparalleled success off the track - if not on it.
Although his popularity dwarfs his achievements, Earnhardt has widespread appeal reaching far beyond NASCAR's die-hard fans. Merchandise bearing his name, likeness and familiar No. 8 accounted for nearly 25 percent of all NASCAR driver-licensed products.
But Earnhardt currently is mired in a winless drought and has not visited Victory Lane since winning at Richmond in May 2006, a span of 40 consecutive races without a checkered flag. He is 14th in the standings and has only one top-five finish this season.
Earnhardt enjoyed his best season in 2003, when he registered 13 top-five finishes en route to placing third in the series standings. He recorded a career-high six victories the following campaign.
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