Associated Press

File August Dale Earnhardt Jr., left, shown talking with crew chief Lance McGrew, finished a career-worst 25th in the points this season with five top-10 finishes in 36 races.

With Jimmie Johnson's record fourth consecutive championship only a few days old, car owner Rick Hendrick said he's focused on next year and Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s team.

"My priority right now is [Earnhardt's] team,'' Hendrick said Tuesday in a conference call with reporters.

Earnhardt finished a career-worst 25th in the points this season with five top-10 finishes in 36 races. He also failed to finish five races and led only seven races for 146 laps (out of 10,625 run this season).

"We know we can make the team better,'' Hendrick said of Earnhardt's team. "It's frustrating. The driver begins to think that no matter what he does that something is going to happen.

"We've just got to be better all the way around. I think when we do that, when Dale sees that we've stepped up in a lot of areas, it will give him the confidence he needs.''

Earnhardt said last weekend that he's fought his confidence this season.

"I feel better than I did earlier this year,'' he said at Homestead-Miami Speedway. "I've got a long ways to go to get back my confidence.''

Court fight

NASCAR's attorneys are fighting a deposition Jeremy Mayfield's lawyers are seeking to have with NASCAR Chairman Brian France's ex-wife next week.

This is part of Mayfield's case against NASCAR. Mayfield is fighting NASCAR in U.S. District Court about his suspension for failing a drug test. NASCAR officials state Mayfield tested positive for methamphetamine. Mayfield claims his positive test was the result of two medicines he was taking at the time of the drug test in May.

NASCAR's attorneys want the date of the deposition moved, noting Mayfield's side scheduled it for Dec. 4 when France and other NASCAR representatives will be at the Sprint Cup banquet in Las Vegas.

NASCAR's attorneys also question the motivation of Mayfield's lawyers wanting to talk to Megan France. She and France divorced April 29, 2008.

"It is apparent that Plaintiffs seek to obtain testimony on subject matters and records that are under seal in an unrelated litigation between Brian France and Megan France concerning certain domestic issues,'' NASCAR noted in its motion to change the date.

"Plaintiffs undoubtedly are seeking to harass, embarrass and annoy Mr. France by making private domestic issues that are not relevant to the claims and defenses in this case public.''

Mayfield's attorneys also are requesting various records from Megan France -- which NASCAR is fighting. Those records are:

n Any civil complaint filed against her by France.

n Any mail in her possession that is addressed to France at any North Carolina address.

n Tax returns from the tax years 2007 and/or 2008 in which she was a joint filer with France.

n Any documents under her possession, custody or control or that of her attorneys related to any lawsuit France has filed in the past two years, whether such lawsuits are against her or not.

More court news

Two teams and three tracks have filed claims against the former General Motors, which was restructured this summer during bankruptcy.

Dale Earnhardt Inc. has filed a claim for $3.2 million based on a written contract DEI had with General Motors. JR Motorsports has filed a claim for $198,000 based on a sponsorship contract.

Three tracks also have filed claims based on hospitality agreements. Daytona International Speedway seeks $651,018.75; Richmond International Raceway seeks $65,700 and Auto Club Speedway in Fontana, Calif., seeks $45,500.

Pit stops

Roush Fenway Racing announced Tuesday that Donnie Wingo will replace Jimmy Fennig as David Ragan's crew chief. Wingo had been with Jamie McMurray's team, which was shut down to meet NASCAR's four-team limit. Fennig remains and will head organization's testing operations.