Dale Earnhardt Jr. feeling his way around

Dale Earnhardt Jr. said he was nervous being around his new team during testing at Daytona International Speedway. One of the things he said that he is concerned about is whether the crew members on his team with Hendrick Motorsports like him and the kind of driver he is.
That seems a little hard to believe considering he is the perennial most popular driver in NASCAR, as voted by the fans.

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"But I don't know the guys that well, so I'm just nervous in getting to know them and hoping that they like me and like the kind of driver I am and they're happy that they have me as their driver," said Earnhardt Jr., driver of the No. 88 Chevrolet for Hendrick Motorsports. "That's what you want from the guys working on your cars is for them to be glad you're there and that you're the one that's driving it."
If having to wonder if his crew likes him is Earnhardt Jr.'s biggest worry, he should have no problem concentrating on racing this year. Unlike last year, when the drama surrounding his move from Dale Earnhardt Inc. to Hendrick Motorsports was bigger news than the actual races, there should fewer distractions despite driving for a new team.
"Yeah, 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," Earnhardt Jr. said. "It's definitely ‑‑ 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."
He probably doesn't have to worry too much about job security though. Even though he didn't win a race last year, he was still a fan favorite. And it is unlikely he will have another winless season with Hendrick Motorsports, which won 18 Cup races last year.
"I think if I do what I've been doing, I should be fine," Earnhardt Jr. said. "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."
His new owner, Rick Hendrick, treats his drivers well. Then again, with Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson winning races and championships on a regular basis, it's hard to complain.
"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," Earnhardt Jr. said. "It takes away some pressure from that side of it.
"So it's kind of neat. It's really fun to be going through this for me, and I'm enjoying those parts, and even the difficult things or the challenging parts are fun because of the atmosphere and because of the attitude that everybody there has. Everybody at Hendrick is really pumped up and giving me a good vote of confidence going into the test and going into the season, so it really makes it exciting to face all the challenges we're going to face."