2010 Team Reviews: Hendrick Motorsports Leads Way

Just days after Jimmie Johnson secured his record-extending fifth NASCAR Sprint Cup title, Hendrick Motorsports experienced quite possibly the largest shift within its organization, ever.

With the exception of Johnson and crew chief Chad Knaus, crew chiefs changed teams and drivers switched shops. All of it, goofy enough, in a bid to become as good or better than Johnson & Knaus in 2011.

But before they get there, it's worth noting what Hendrick Motorsports did in 2010 that earned them the distinction of FanHouse's top NASCAR team of the past season:


1st - Jimmie Johnson [6 wins, 17 Top-5s, 23 Top-10s, 4 DNFs, 12.2 Avg Finish]

Johnson obviously carried the Hendrick load most impressively this season by the sheer fact that he won, yet again, the Sprint Cup title. However, it was Johnson's first season in which he looked terrifically vulnerable down the stretch -- even needed to outrace Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick in the season finale to lay claim to his fifth title.

Despite the seemingly sluggish points in the season, however, Johnson's improbable run to an improbable fifth title leaves us with no other choice than to allow his trump card to be used team-wide in determining Hendrick to be 2010's most impressive organization. After all, Johnson is showing no real signs of slowing down and -- in fact -- may be strengthened by the challenge he felt in 2010.


9th - Jeff Gordon [0 wins, 11 Top-5s, 17 Top-10s, 6 DNFs, 13.4 Avg Finish]

While Johnson is suddenly NASCAR's most-crowned active driver, another shock hits in the fact that Jeff Gordon recorded his second winless season since his first title in 1995. What's even more surprising is how Gordon did it -- as a bona fide championship contender for much of the season.

The winless streak stretches to April of 2009 at Texas and makes the early season misses Gordon had at Texas, Phoenix and Martinsville seem even more gnawing for the storied driver. In what was his last season with longtime crew chief Steve Letarte, Gordon's Chase finish hardly mirrored his early season consistency. Still, Gordon's showing in 2010 was one that many drivers long for -- despite the wins.


13th - Mark Martin [0 wins, 7 Top-5s, 11 Top-10s, 3 DNFs, 15.3 Avg Finish]

After a runner-up, career-rejuvenating finish to the 2009 season, Mark Martin's sophomore season in Hendrick's No. 5 appeared poised and ready for the driver and crew chief Alan Gustafson to firmly battle for the 50-year-old's first NASCAR title. It may have been derailed, however, when Hendrick opted to switch several of the employees and components from Martin's team with Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s just before the 2010 campaign.

Whatever the issue, the results showed, as Martin began a snowballing slide of mediocrity a few races into the season. By the start of the Chase, Martin showed 17th in points. There was no give up in the team, however, as Martin put together an inspired 10-race run that featured four top-10s and a worst finish of 16th.


21st - Dale Earnhardt Jr. [0 wins, 3 Top-5s, 8 Top-10s, 0 DNFs, 18.6 Avg Finish]

In what may be the must puzzling question in all of sports, neither Dale Earnhardt Jr. or Hendrick Motorsports found the answer for why they simply can't be consistently competitive together. While there was improvement -- 2009 was slightly worse statistically for Earnhardt -- it was marginal and far often still mediocre.

The North Carolina driver did record his first career season in which he finished every race, but just 24 of those 36 finishes came on the lead lap. Next season, Earnhardt Jr. gets Jeff Gordon's old crew chief in Steve Letarte -- a guy that hopefully will bridge the communication gap enough between Earnhardt's desires and what Hendrick's engineers are putting on the track to get Earnhardt back towards the front.


Hendrick's Best of 2010: Jimmie Johnson's inspired drive to a fifth championship.

Hendrick's Worst of 2010: Getting just two of its drivers in the Chase, and one being competitive.

What to Watch in 2011: The team experienced the hefty changes just after the season, leaving questions on how each driver will gel. Also: can anyone beat Jimmie Johnson? (Quick guess: probably not.)