Step aside Kyle Busch. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is coming to town.

Earnhardt made it official Wednesday morning and signed a five-year contract with Hendrick Motorsports that will start in 2008, once he’s done with Dale Earnhardt, Inc.

Hendrick currently fields four drivers that include Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson, the lone Cup drivers to notch more than one win apiece this season with four each. Casey Mears and Busch also drive for the top-ranked team that has notched 10 victories out of this year’s 14 Cup races, including five of the six Car of Tomorrow races. The COT’s next stop is at Sonoma’s Infineon Raceway on June 24.

With Busch’s latest rambles about wanting to leave despite being in a contract through 2008, Rick Hendrick knew he could allow Busch to seek out another team, which would give him room for the 32-year old Earnhardt.

Once Earnhardt broke the news that he was leaving his current team — which was once-owned by his late father and is now operated by his stepmother, Teresa Earnhardt — NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver became the biggest free agent in Cup history.

Earnhardt has recorded 17 Cup wins since 2000, after he won the Busch Series title in 1998 and 1999. Only three current drivers have more wins in that span, with Gordon (30), Johnson (27) and Tony Stewart (26) rounding out the Top 3. The biggest difference between those three veterans and Earnhardt is Earnhardt is still without a Cup championship.

He finished third in 2003, fifth the following season, and 19th and fifth in his last two years. He hasn’t made the trip down victory lane since Richmond in 2006, but he’s confident Hendrick is the place that will help him get back there — and more often.

And Johnson agrees.

“It’s an exciting time,” Johnson said in a recent teleconference. “I’m very excited about the opportunity for Dale Jr. in coming to Hendrick Motorsports. I think it says a lot for Mr. Hendrick and the organization and what we’ve done together as a company to have Junior think his future is best served at Hendrick Motorsports.”

Johnson isn’t worried about another superstar joining the crew and said he, Gordon and Mears will welcome their new teammate with open arms.

“I think he’s going to fit in well,” Johnson said. “I think it’s really important to make sure all four teammates are pulling in the same direction and that we are all working for the same goals.

“I think Junior has made that commitment to the team. It’s something he’s looking forward to. He wants that team camaraderie. He wants the opportunity to win races and championships. I think it’s going to be a good experience. We welcome him. We look forward to ’08.”

Despite the anxiety and excitement for 2008, Johnson is quick to point out that he and HMS have a lot more racing to do this year and that needs to be the ultimate focus for the five months.

Johnson admitted he learned much about the finalization of the Earnhardt deal — and the release of Busch — while watching Wednesday morning. At the time, Johnson didn’t think he was being asked for much input by HMS, but reflecting back he realized some of the questions he was asked had different meanings. He understood the discreetness of the situation because of its sensitivity.

“I’ve known that there has been interest there,” Johnson said. “I’ve known that we were pursuing and felt like we were in a good position to acquire Junior. There was a lot that needed to happen and a lot that needed to take place and that stuff has all been going on behind closed doors. But I was at least aware of the situation. I’m excited to have him. I think he’s going to be a great teammate and a great asset for us.

Johnson said he hadn’t had a chance to talk to Busch yet.

“A lot of stuff has gone on behind closed doors,” he said. “It’s amazing how inside boardroom conversations find their way out in a hurry. So it’s really been quiet in conversations between myself and Rick and the teams. I’m learning as I go.

“I think the thing I saw today in the press conference and in Kyle’s heart (was) he wants to do the best job that he can. He wants to win races this year. He wants to be in the Chase and fight for a championship. That’s the biggest thing I’d be looking at. I certainly know that’s something that’s going to be important to Kyle. I’m not sure what’s gone into his thought process. He’s made a big decision and I certainly wish him well. I look forward to catching up with him at the track.”

Johnson said it was “a little surprising” that Busch wanted out of his contract with HMS, but that he understands that just because he’s happy with his team doesn’t mean other drivers will be.

“There are other drivers that, for whatever reason, things didn’t mesh at Hendrick and they wanted to pursue other opportunities,” Johnson said. “Kyle is a great talent. As a group, we’ve been learning more and jelling more and more as time has gone on. I wish him all the best. I think he’s going to be an extremely hot commodity and has a great opportunity. It think the best place for him would be at Hendrick. But I wish him well and I know that we’re going to be racing against him for years to come. He’s going to be a serious threat week in and week out.”

Johnson and Earnhardt have been buddies for several years and Johnson credits his pal for some of his early success in North Carolina before he was driving stock cars. They roomed together at the 1998 Daytona 500 and Johnson laughably admitted the two got into their fair share of trouble together.

Earnhardt was someone Johnson got advice from and but now he doesn’t see the tables turning much.

“I don’t know if I’d have a lot of advice for him,” Johnson said. “He’s done an amazing job working through his decision and handling things at DEI and working out his program with Hendrick Motorsports. He’s been racing for a long time and knows the deal. He’s got to come into a new company, but he still has quite a few months before we’re in that position. So I think he’s been doing a great job thinking through it all. He’s carrying himself in a great manner.”

Johnson said that though Earnhardt has been running strong at different tracks, the key to a good team is the meshing of personalities.

“In my heart, I feel it’s about people. I think Rick Hendrick does an amazing job of bringing the right people together,” he said. “That doesn’t just mean at the race track, but also behind the scenes. There is a long list of people who play a part in what we do. People are what make the difference. I think that’s where our strength shows up year to year.

“Sometimes luck falls in our direction and we go on a tear, and sometimes it goes the other way and we’re not where we want to be. We have a solid group of people. As Junior gets into Hendrick and gets some experience with us, he’ll be able to see that. Maybe it’s almost a floor when you can only fall so far when you have such a great foundation. That’s what we really have at Hendrick.”

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Junior joins juggernaut, June 14

Burton dialed in for Sonoma, June 13