Did Rick Hendrick make a mistake?

[FS Myron]

As I stated in the newsletter today, Rick Hendrick chose to let Kyle Busch go and keep Casey Mears. Kyle is leading the points for JGR while Casey is six spots ahead of having to qualify on speed. Did Hendrick make a mistake by choosing team harmony over talent? Let me know what you think.

[Busch Babe 899]

Sure, he screwed up, and he knows it. But unlike Jack Roush, when one of his "team members" doesn't just sit back and do what he says, but is vocal about what he thinks he's not getting as compared to the others, rather than address the issues, he just cuts bait and runs...and I bet he's regretting it now. Jack, he sits his boys down and says "You don't have to be best friends, but you have to get along and work together, or else!" and each driver KNOWS he's getting the same equipment etc. as the other...how they utilize it is the only thing that differs, and that's much less different now with the institution by jack of team meetings including all the crew chiefs and drivers each week. It's showing...

I think he screwed up letting Brian Vickers go, too...who is now in the top 10 in points. His loss. 

[Chris]

Nice post BB... You 100% right on the mark

[Skig]

I thought it was a mistake getting rid of Kyle Busch for Dale Jr.  (No offense intended to Jr. or his fans) 

When you look at it as a Mears or Busch pick, it makes the mistake that much larger.  Although Casey didn't get into the Top 35 last year until 11 races in, he was almost up to 15th when the Chase started.  Not bad, but no Kyle Busch.

[KurtBuschFan]

Sure he made a mistake, but it's obvious that Kyle fits in a bit better with JGR than he ever did at HMS.  His attitude didn't fit into what Hendrick wanted his drivers to be.

[FS Kurt]

We're only four races in. Don't be so quick. Kyle may be tearing it up now, and I love watching the guy race, but he is a somewhat volatile personality, at a shop where the other two drivers already don't get along so great all of the time. There is potential for an explosion there, no doubt.

The difference between Hendrick and Gibbs is that while Gibbs seems to thrive on having talented but temperamental drivers on his team...and he knows exactly how to handle them...Hendrick seems to be a believer in hiring non-troublemakers in the first place.

You have to look at the whole picture. From a business standpoint, if you have an opportunity to get a sponsorship gold mine like Dale Jr., you have to take it. Maybe Mears isn't the talent that Kyle is, but he did show some improvement in the second half of last year. And he isn't making enemies of other drivers. Mears is more sponsor-friendly than Busch is, except for that he doesn't win. If he does start to win, and Junior starts winning, Hendrick will look like a genius.

[Blu]

Sure, he screwed up, and he knows it. But unlike Jack Roush, when one of his "team members" doesn't just sit back and do what he says, but is vocal about what he thinks he's not getting as compared to the others, rather than address the issues, he just cuts bait and runs...and I bet he's regretting it now. Jack, he sits his boys down and says "You don't have to be best friends, but you have to get along and work together, or else!" and each driver KNOWS he's getting the same equipment etc. as the other...how they utilize it is the only thing that differs, and that's much less different now with the institution by jack of team meetings including all the crew chiefs and drivers each week. It's showing...

I think he screwed up letting Brian Vickers go, too...who is now in the top 10 in points. His loss. 

Right on BB!! I couldnt have said it better my own self.

 Except I prolly woulda added that maybe somehting like...ahh....anyone ol "Mr." cant assimilate he gets rid of. But..you basically said the same thing...just nicer LOLOL