Dale Earnhardt Jr., right, and his sister, Kelley Earnhardt Elledge, center, greet team owner Rick Hendrick. Earnhardt announced Wednesday he would join Hendrick's team for the 2008 season.

Relief.

That was the overwhelming emotion Dale Earnhardt Jr. felt after he decided earlier this week to join Hendrick Motorsports in 2008.

It was a tough few weeks for Junior after he announced in May that he would be leaving Dale Earnhardt Inc., the team founded by his late father, to seek a ride with a team that could help him win more races and the NASCAR Nextel Cup championship he covets.

This week, on his XM Satellite radio show, “Dale Jr. Unrestricted,” Earnhardt said, “Everybody knew that my contract was coming up, and I had a hundred people in my ear telling me ‘This is what you ought to do,’ or ‘Would you ever think about leaving (Dale Earnhardt Inc.), think about this.” You know, I had a hundred different people telling me a hundred different things.”

He said one thing that made his decision easier was the way team owner Rick Hendrick treated the situation as Earnhardt agonized over which way to go.

“One of the things I think a lot of people would be surprised by – Rick said, ‘Hey, I just want you to be happy. Whatever decision you make, I want to help you make it.’

“That stood out to me. I already knew that was the kind of guy he was, but he never once tried to persuade me, or tried to sell anything to me, or try to talk me into anything. He basically just left it up to me. He wanted me to make the choice that I wanted to make. And that meant a lot.”

Hendrick, a longtime family friend, also has been a longtime supporter of the younger Earnhardt.

“If I would have decided to do something with another owner, he would have helped me do it,” Earnhardt said. “He told me I will help you wherever I need to help you. I want you, as a person, to be happy.

“He’s known me for so long and that’s the kind of guy he is. It’s rare, not so much in the sport, but it’s rare today in this world, when you have people like that (who) really are genuine.”