New crew chiefs for Gordon, Martin & Earnhardt Jr

[SMOKEN14]

                           From Jayski

New crew chiefs for Gordon, Martin & Earnhardt Jr.: Hendrick Motorsports has made personnel adjustments in preparation for the 2011 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series season, with drivers Mark Martin, Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. being teamed with new crew chiefs. Below are the driver-crew chief pairings for each Hendrick Motorsports car, effective immediately:
#5 Chevy, driver: Mark Martin, Crew Chief: Lance McGrew
#24 Chevy, driver: Jeff Gordon; Crew Chief: Alan Gustafson
#48 Chevy, driver: Jimmie Johnson; Crew Chief: Chad Knaus
#88 Chevy, driver: Dale Earnhardt Jr.; Crew Chief: Steve Letarte
The cars of Martin and four-time Sprint Cup champion Gordon will be fielded out of the same facility, now known as the 5/24 shop. Earnhardt Jr.'s Chevys will be prepared out of the renamed 48/88 shop alongside those of five-time and defending Cup champion Jimmie Johnson. "This will improve us as an organization, across the board," said Rick Hendrick, owner of Hendrick Motorsports. "We had a championship season (in 2010), but we weren't where we wanted and needed to be with all four teams. We've made the right adjustments, and I'm excited to go racing with this lineup."(Hendrick Motorsports)(11-23-2010)

[SMOKEN14]

LOOKS like Mark Martin got the Raw deal here

[Chris]

thats two years in a row Marks got screwed...
He has a run to win the CUP in 2009...  Then they take away his pit crew and give them to Jr to see if Jr can do any better... (no surprise Jr still sucks)
Martin had just got things lined out with the bunch he had,.. and returned to the form of 2009 for the last 6 or so races in 2010
Then Martin gets screwed again with the change next season.

Poor Hendrick..  I give him credit for being smart;.. but no crew chief changes, crew changes, etc are going to be able to make a poor driver drive better.  Jr is as good as he will be from now on.. and thats is pretty much just mid-pack material. 
Kinda stupid of Hendrick to screw up his other teams that are performing pretty well.. to try and make Jr into something he isn't.

We all listen to Jr on his team radio..  He bitches, whines, moans, and has NO idea how to tell the crew chief what the car needs to make it better/faster.  When Jr learns how to communicate with his team... he MAY be able to improve his results
But no crew chief can fix a car when the driver can't communicate to him what the car needs. 
NO matter how much people want to make excuses for JR,.. his cars come from the same Hendrick organization the other three teams do.  They all run up front, win races, and make the chase and contend for championships.  Jr can't win a race,.. let alone get into the chase.

[SMOKEN14]

thats two years in a row Marks got screwed...
He has a run to win the CUP in 2009...  Then they take away his pit crew and give them to Jr to see if Jr can do any better... (no surprise Jr still sucks)
Martin had just got things lined out with the bunch he had,.. and returned to the form of 2009 for the last 6 or so races in 2010
Then Martin gets screwed again with the change next season.

Poor Hendrick..  I give him credit for being smart;.. but no crew chief changes, crew changes, etc are going to be able to make a poor driver drive better.  Jr is as good as he will be from now on.. and thats is pretty much just mid-pack material. 
Kinda stupid of Hendrick to screw up his other teams that are performing pretty well.. to try and make Jr into something he isn't.

We all listen to Jr on his team radio..  He bitches, whines, moans, and has NO idea how to tell the crew chief what the car needs to make it better/faster.  When Jr learns how to communicate with his team... he MAY be able to improve his results
But no crew chief can fix a car when the driver can't communicate to him what the car needs. 
NO matter how much people want to make excuses for JR,.. his cars come from the same Hendrick organization the other three teams do.  They all run up front, win races, and make the chase and contend for championships.  Jr can't win a race,.. let alone get into the chase.

Well I think Gordon got the best end of this. Putting Lance with Martin makes sense Because in 2012 Khane takes over the 5 and is bringing Kenny France with him so Lance And Martin are One and Done IMO

[just a fan]

Follow the money!

[SMOKEN14]

Also wonder if Jeff Requested the shop move to get away from JJ? Now he can be TOP dog again.And maybe Kasey Khane didn't want JR'S Bad luck rubbing off on him

[Tyyrus]

Mark will make the Best of a Potentially Bad Situation he always does. As for Gordo he is in Marks previous position of trying to reestablish his Career with the best Crew Chief possible . Their not going to put Chad with Jeffy lol . So actually I think keeping Mark and Lance in the Same Shop as Alan and Gordo might actually help both Teams .

Note: I must agree even with Chad Knaus Junior would Struggle . Sorry Jr Followers , wish i felt different , but he has been given very good cars right out of the box and for the reasons offered just does not get the Job Done ! I suppose Martin Detractor's might offer up the same support , at least Mark has made a run at it several times , even as a Silly Old Man !

[smyler]

Many of you will remember me.  I used to be a regular poster here.  I didn't want to be a negative poster and was frustrated by NA$CAR so I have not posted in awhile.  I saw what RH did with his teams today and was flabbergasted and just had to say something today.  He is a lot smarter than any of us is at how to put a team together so I pray these moves work for all the teams.  Anyway, while I may be shocked, I am going to let time tell how it works out. 

I started a thread a long time ago about how I like Jeff Gordon and I still do.  Maybe a new guy on the stand will help him.  Of course chemistry is hard to make work out but Jeff seems amenable to constructive help.  I really look forward to this next season now.

[Tyyrus]

Hey Smyler , Long Time No Hear , Welcome back Dude ! You might be just what the Forum needs some Old Blood to put some Bite back into the Situation. Hows things been ? 

[smyler]

Doing fine, thanks.  So, ya'll think the moving of garages is going to hurt any or everybody?

[Montvale]

 Looks like three good crew chiefs just got themselves new drivers.
 That Rick Hendrick is one smart cookie. Is that the first time three drivers have been fired at once?

[OregonSHRFan]

I think its a good to move Jeff away from Jimmie. Im thinking it will make Jeff stronger this coming year. As for junior, if he can't improve in 2011, he isn't going to no matter who his crew chief is. Maybe this is Mr. Hendricks last ditch move to salvage that investment in Jr.

[SMOKEN14]

Maybe this is Mr. Hendricks last ditch move to salvage that investment in Jr.

Don't kid Your self Mr Hendrick is Banking Big Bucks off The JR Sheeple
He still out sells other drivers 3to1

[20forLogano]

Gotta disagree with the notion Mark got shafted.  Lance is a good CC and mix him with Mark they are going to be fine together.  What hurt Mark last year was RH taking his lead engineers from him and putting them with Junior.  I am not saying Lance is better than Alan but Mark and Lance will do just fine together and continue the nice runs they had at the end of the season.
Lets be honest, Junior is around because he makes RH a ton of money.  That is the ONLY reason he is still around.  I think this move helps Jeff the most and we will see him visit VL very soon in 2011.

[Blu]

I agree 100% 20FL!

I honestly beleive that RH could care less how Jr does and deep down hopes he fails miserably. he knows his fans will never leave and will always buy merchandise. He was jealous of RCR in the DE Sr. years and  deep down would love to see the Earnhardt name go down in flames IMO.
All the while giving lip service to trying everyhting to help Jr. and collecting those payments for souvenir sales. In that respect RH IS smart but he's also a lying, cheating slimeball