What a difference a year makes. Going into Atlanta this time last year, Hendrick Motorsports had three of its five drivers in the top-12 in points – Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson and now departed teammate Kyle Busch. Johnson had won the week before at Las Vegas and Hendrick drivers would go on to win eight of the next nine races.

Just three races in Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the lone Hendrick Motorsports driver in the top-10 in the standings.

Defending champion Jimmie Johnson is fourteenth, Gordon is 23rd and Casey Mears is feeling the pressure of being 35th. With the addition of Earnhardt Jr., many expected the Hendrick stable to storm out of the box in 2008 and straight to victory lane.

Speedweeks at Daytona International Speedway seemed to back this up when Dale Jr. stole the show at the Budweiser Shootout, Johnson captured the Coors Light Pole for the Daytona 500 and Dale Jr. was the man to beat in his Gatorade Duel.

Yet, that momentum has not lasted very long. Between its four drivers the team has only two top-5s, four top-10s and three DNFs; compared to 2007, when the team already had one win (Johnson at Las Vegas), four top-5s, seven top-10s and only one DNF.

Don’t expect Mr. Hendrick’s drivers to let this ‘slump’ have any effect on the way they drive. Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. proved that Friday night when the pair swept the front row for today’s Kobalt Tools 500.

“We don’t pay attention to that,” Gordon argued. “We know what we are capable of doing and we’re three races in. I think it’s kind of silly to even think about [what’s wrong with Hendrick Motorsports]. When there is a lot of hype and expectations, those things happen.”

Earnhardt Jr., who is still awaiting his first points paying win for his new team pointed out, “We need to get to victory circle a.s.a.p. I think every team in the garage feels the exact same way. But we would really benefit quite a bit from that kind of boost in our confidence and our ability.”

During the off-season, many expected Hendrick Motorsports to be the team to beat once again. However, throughout the first three weekends, it has been Roush Fenway Racing that has stolen the spotlight. Winning two Sprint Cup races in a row, pacing yesterday’s final Cup practice and capturing the Nicorette 300 Nationwide race at Atlanta, Roush has proved to be the man to beat.

Jeff Gordon is not ready to bow down just yet, “Other than the Roush cars outrunning us, I feel like we’ve been the best car. The 99 and the 17 last week and the 16; those guys have been really strong. Other than them, I feel like we’ve been the best,” the four-time champ explained. “I think if we keep running the way we’re running and if we can get to the finish line, we’re going to get our share of wins.”

Returning to a track where Hendrick Motorsports has a proven track record, today just might be the day the team is able to turn the corner.