Earnhardt happy at Hendrick team

A year ago Earnhardt was making headlines due to his strained relationship with his stepmother and Dale Earnhardt Inc team owner Teresa Earnhardt, but twelve months later he can be fully focused on driving for the current champion team.

Earnhardt is still in his early days at Hendrick Motorsports but he is already fitting in well with his crew and especially with his new boss.

Rick Hendrick has known Earnhardt since he was a child, but this season is the first time that they have worked together, and Dale Jr says he is feeling Hendrick's full support.

"It's been pretty nice to be able to concentrate on the things that are important right now and testing and working and getting to know the guys," said Earnhardt at Daytona on Tuesday. "There's a little bit less pressure in certain areas and more pressure in other areas.

"I didn't have to worry about job security when I was over at my other job, but I've got to worry about that now. I think if I do what I've been doing, I should be fine. But with being the son of the guy who built the place, you can get away with a few more things than most guys could.

"You know, I've got a really good owner that makes me feel comfortable, and so that eases a lot of other pressures, talking to him and hearing from him and listening to his thoughts on what we're doing. It takes away some pressure from that side of it."

His switch to Hendrick Motorsports has started on the right foot as Earnhardt took his No. 88 Chevrolet Impala SS to the top of the timesheets at Daytona, setting on Tuesday morning what will stand as the fastest single-car run of the week, and probably the month.

All eyes will be on him this year when Earnhardt embarks on his ninth full season of Cup racing, taking on the biggest challenge of his career after eight years of many wins but no championships while driving for the team his father built.

The 33-year-old says he feels ready to cope with the pressure that comes with being NASCAR's most popular driver and competing for the best team in the business.

"Right now I'm pretty much set on what I know I need to do," Earnhardt added. "Although this is a high-profile race team and I'm a high-profile driver, I can handle it.

"With how I've grown up in the sport, I think I'm as prepared as anybody could be for this certain situation."

Earnhardt speaks of being at peace with himself for over the decision that has put him on the spotlight once again by joining Hendrick; a decision that he feels is putting all his credibility and his career on the line.

"I think the peace of mind comes from just knowing that I'm taking the risk and it took a lot of guts to do it, so I'm pretty proud of being able to just do it, just to do that," Earnhardt says.

"I could have popped out or went another direction, but I went in the best direction and I took the risk to put my career and my credibility on the line to work with a company that has won a lot of races. So that should - hopefully if we win some races, it'll all work out."

Earnhardt Jr will make his race debut with Hendrick Motorsports on February 9 at Daytona, when he competes in the non-points Budweiser Shootout as a preview of what will be the season-opening Daytona 500.