Dale Jr. under more pressure this season

Update: Patrick finished sixth in the ARCA race. She will give it a go for Saturday's Nationwide event.

It's a lot of pressure having the last name Earnhardt in NASCAR.

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. has felt the pressure to perform from day one. This season will be the most he's ever felt, but it's more than just to getting back into a winner's circle on a consistent basis. He's also the owner for one Danica Patrick.

Junior has been voted NASCAR's most popular driver for many years running, but will his fans jump if he can't find that winning formula again? Doubt it. Earnhardt fans are as loyal as they come.

And he has that legacy...

The two most marketable drivers in motorsports have merged for this season. Needless to say, the merchandise sales will go through the roof despite the economy. But the pressure to put together a successful season for Patrick and Junior will be high.

Patrick rolls off 12th in today ARCA race. If she does well, there's an outside chance she'll make a go of the Nationwide race later this week. If not, she will make her Nationwide debut in California.

Back to the travails of Junior.

Some time back Junior's Cup team owner Rick Hendrick charged Mark Martin and his crew to fix the #88 team. I shuttered when I read this. I know Martin and Junior are in the same garage at Hendrick Motorsports, but pressure has now been added to Martin and his #5 team, too. But Martin is as professional as they come in any sport. Other drivers can't say enough good things about him, and that includes Junior.

During the '09 season, Hendrick replaced Junior's crew chief. Lance McGrew was given the charge of turning around Junior's fortunes. Didn't exactly work out that way for the most part, but I did see some things that could be taken into this season that were extremely positive. McGrew and Earnhardt, Jr. appeared to be getting on the same page in most events. The chemistry between crew chief and driver is the building block of a great team. Just ask Jimmie Johnson and Chad Knaus. Four Cups in a row.

Most of the luck Junior had last year was bad. You name it, it happened to the #88. But I saw a more patient Junior on '09. When you're back in a pack, sometimes that's the best way to go. Unless you're at Daytona and Talledega and you're waiting for the "big one". Sometimes he's his own worst enemy.

I look for a different Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in 2010. I think the teaming with Patrick will actually spark him on this year. I'm not a Junior fan, but I know many who are. They want the cloud lifted, and I'm all for it.

Patrick will just need to overcome rookie mistakes while Junior will need to overcome immense pressure.

By the way. Junior's in for the Daytona 500. He'll be starting #2 next to Mark Martin.

Maybe the corner has already been turned.