Jr. Leaving DEI

[Shirley]

Jr. is leaving DEI. He doesn't know where he is going. He does feel like Teresa owns the 8 and she will probly keep it. He also said that he would like to drive for a Chevy Team. So, I am going to start a Poll and ask to what Team do you think Jr. will go to?

[Shirley]

Ok, From Nascar.Com

Earnhardt to leave DEI after '07, unsure of future
By Jenna Fryer, The Associated Press

MOORESVILLE, N.C. -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. will leave the company founded by his late father at the end of the year in a shakeup certain to ignite a bidding war for NASCAR's most popular driver.

He told Dale Earnhardt Inc. on Thursday that he had decided to make the switch to another team when his contract expires.

"We worked really hard, but we were never close," Earnhardt said of negotiations with DEI. "I am a little sad, but I am trying to remind myself to be excited about what's ahead."

Earnhardt had asked for 51 percent ownership of the team now run by his stepmother, Teresa. Negotiations on a contract extension began before the season and have been tense all along. Earnhardt's sister, Kelley Earnhardt Elledge, had set a deadline to get the deal done by the end of the month.

"I'm sad that I have to leave some employees that I got close to, leave some relationships," Earnhardt said. "We're going to finish this year out, and I told my guys we're going to run hard. I don't want any excuses for us not giving our best effort. I plan on giving everything I've got like I always do, and hopefully that's what I'll get in return."

Three-time Cup champion Darrell Waltrip, one of Dale Earnhardt's friendly rivals, traveled from Nashville at Earnhardt's request to join him for Thursday's announcement.

"This was incredibly difficult, a lot of emotion and the hardest thing he's had to deal with up until now," Waltrip said of Earnhardt's decision to leave DEI. "This is a big deal."

Now, Earnhardt must decide which team is the best fit for him.

"I've always thought RCR just because of the Childress-Earnhardt relationship," said Waltrip of Richard Childress Racing, where the elder Earnhardt won six of his seven championships. "I have personally have always thought the racing world would be right if Dale Earnhardt Jr. drove the black No. 3 car."

Earnhardt has made it clear he wants to be in a Chevrolet next season, but that loyalty could limit his options.

It's also possible that Earnhardt will field his own Nextel Cup team from JR Motorsports, where he runs a Busch Series program and several Late Model cars out of a brand-new shop in Mooresville. Earnhardt scheduled his news conference at that facility.

Although he said at last month's grand opening that he'd like to eventually expand JRM into the Cup Series, his sister was taken aback by the remarks. Elledge, who runs JRM and has handled his contract negotiations, later said the duo had no immediate plans for expansion.

At a sponsor appearance Wednesday night, the Atlanta Journal Constitution reported Earnhardt told fans his priority as a team owner is promoting young drivers and mechanics.

"I don't want the company to get too big," he said. "I've got about 70 employees now, and I don't want to get too many more."

There are three Chevrolet teams better than DEI, but Hendrick Motorsports has no room in its stable for Earnhardt.

Hendrick, winner of seven of the past eight Cup races, is already maxed out with four teams but could assist Earnhardt by leasing him engines. Hendrick already leases motors to Ginn Racing and Haas-CNC Racing, and Earnhardt recently got to feel their horsepower when he jumped into Kyle Busch's car during a race last month.

Richard Childress Racing always has been considered the most logical place for Junior to go. Childress and Dale Earnhardt were extremely close, and Junior has maintained a relationship with the car owner.

RCR, which owns the No. 3 should Junior ever want to drive it, can add him as the fourth and final team NASCAR permits each owner. It would team him with Kevin Harvick, who replaced the elder Earnhardt following his 2001 death, and has openly invited Junior to join the organization.

It's also possible that RCR would lease JR Motorsports its engines should Earnhardt field his own team. RCR already gives JRM its motors.

The wildcard could be Joe Gibbs Racing, another powerful three-car Chevy team that would pair him with buddies Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin. Earnhardt and Stewart have worked wonderfully together on restrictor-plate tracks, and Earnhardt befriended Hamlin early in his career.

Gibbs is coach of the Washington Redskins, and Earnhardt is die-hard fan. He wore a Redskins cap backward Monday during a test session at Lowe's Motor Speedway, where he expressed frustration over the NASCAR-mandated Car of Tomorrow and admitted DEI can't keep up with Hendrick's COT program.

Earnhardt and Elledge have been adamant their only goal is to help Junior win Cup championships, something he's been unable to do at DEI. He hasn't been a legitimate title contender since 2004. In 2005, he had a horrendous season when Teresa Earnhardt split up his crew, and he failed to make the Chase for the championship.

He rebounded last year by making the Chase, but was never a threat for the title.

[Shirley]

The skinny
If Dale Earnhardt Jr. were to leave DEI, crew chief Tony Eury Jr. would go with him.
"I'm interested in going with him," Eury Jr. told FOXSports.com on Wednesday. "He takes care of his people. Whether it's a pat on the back or ways to entertain them, he takes care of everyone around him. Much like the way people are treated at Hendrick Motorsports. Junior does the same thing. Owners who don't treat their people well suffer."

Eury Jr. is in the second year of a three-year contract, but he made it clear that if his driver left, he could go with him. Eury Jr. said although Junior is relatively new to the ownership ranks, "He (Dale Jr.) will lean on people to point him in the right direction."


Eury Jr. also said Junior's JR Motorsports shop has three times more working space than he's currently using.


"He'll have plenty of resources to get the job done," Eury Jr. said.

— Lee Spencer

[Shirley]

I am going to say that I think that Jr. will go to RCR and drive the 3 car with Budwieser. The Hendrick/Gordon team is a big possiblity but I think that RCR will get the contract with Jr. They say that Hendrick has his limit but we do have remember that the 48 car is owned by Jeff Gordon.

[Nascarcamping]

Wow, this is probably without a doubt the biggest story to be told right now, man oh man him in the 3 car, the stands would come down :D

[rcushenberry1]

The best thing would be for Truex and Jr to run out of JR motorsports with Hendrix chassis and motors. That way you have the best for him and allows Martin to go with him. You stay under the 4 car rule. Even better make Budwiser a small partner. Then when DEI is ready to give up the motorsports part of the company you could buy it for pennies on the dollar and have the DEI name.

Rick

[Nascarcamping]

Rick, there is an idea 8)

[jennyt43fan]

Rick - good idea! My guess is that he'll make a deal or two and come up with a stop-gap plan. Owner/driver is no small task even running Hendrick equipment.

The people I feel sorry for are all the DEI employees who have had no say in their future. It must be hard to see Jr. walk away - I'm sure nobody there wanted to see this happen.

[Shirley]

I would just Love It if Dale Jr would start up his own team and everyone at DEI quite and went with him. I would also Love it if he went to RCR drove the 3 and his team went with him. http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d79/spectreops/dale/3dale8.gif

[bigolepig]

Actually what is going to happen is he is going to join Robby Gordon Motorsports...chaaaaaaaaaa and monkeys could fly outta my butt...

Rock on Dale and Robby!! http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u138/bigolepig/monkey.gif

[Nascarcamping]

It made our local news tonight :D

[jennyt43fan]

Scott and I were both chuckling last night that this is such BIG :shock: news. :lol: It is big, but both of us have had drivers switch teams within the last two years....welcome to our world Jr. Nation! :lol:

As much as I know all the Jr fans would like to see him in the 3, IMO that's the last place he should go. This is a time for him to make his own name, become his own legend - if that's where the road takes him - and all without being under any more shadows of his father. The 3 would be a good choice AFTER he's done all of that if that's what he wanted to do.

Scott and I both are in total agreement with Rick & Melissa that ultimately he'll have control of DEI at the price that it is truly worth - whatever that may be.

[Nascarcamping]

Watching inside Nextel Cup tonight, MW said that he does not think Dale would race the 3 car until he was towards the end of his career, gee jenny maybe MW listened to you :lol:

My 7 year old daughter knows that the 43 car was my favourite at one time :D

[Shirley]

I wonted to bring this back up top again. Someone here said Hendricks.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v45/speedracer/Youpeekedawinner.gif

[bigolepig]

Well after watching the Press conference I am "better" with it...hard as that is for me to admit, I was glad to see him look happy. THAT is what is important...happiness...that will be more of a motivator than staying with an organization that there is constant bickering...so...hear me say it...

GO HMS!!

[MrBuddy]

Looks like his new sponsor will be VISA and he will end up with Joe Gibbs racing