Nascar – Steve Letarte will leave Hendrick at the end of the year

Dale Earnhardt Jr will no longer work with Steve Letarte next year. The crew chief of the No. 88 Chevrolet has decided to hang up his duties to become a consultant alongside Jeff Burton at NBC. He is an important figure in Hendrick Motorsports who is on the verge of leaving after joining Rick Hendrick's team at the age of 16. Letarte also worked for Jeff Gordon when the latter finished runner-up in 2007. “You never want a talent like Steve to leave, but we understand that this is an exciting opportunity for him and his family.”, commented Rick Hendrick. “He has all the qualities to become an excellent commentator. We are looking forward to a successful year in 2014 with Steve and Dale. »

For his part, Dale Earnhardt Jr does not want to think about the future replacement, preferring to leave this responsibility to his team and concentrate on the first winter tests which will be held this week at Daytona. “It was Rick and the team management who chose to put me with Steve. I didn't really know him. I just followed their judgment and that’s what I will continue to do”, declared the driver of the No. 88 in the Daytona paddock.