Dale Earnhardt Jr. leaves DEI, becomes free agent
The world of NASCAR was rocked today when Dale Earnhardt Junior, the motorsport's most marketable and therefore most valuable driver, announced he is leaving DEI, the race team originally owned by his father. It turns out that there may be some familial conflict at the center of Junior's departure, as some speculate that Teresa Earnhardt, his stepmother and father's wife at the time of his death, wasn't willing to meet all of his demands.
Junior and his sister, Kelley Earnhardt Elledge, were negotiating with DEI to gain control of 51% of the business and complete control of the race team. The press is speculating that while Teresa was willing to give up 51% of the company to Junior, she wanted Junior's control over the team to be tempered by a board or committee that would approve final decisions. Whatever the case, DEI's offer wasn't enough to keep Junior at the negotiating table any longer, and he'll become a free agent at the end of the season. The news is even worse for DEI, as some speculate that Budweiser, Junior's biggest sponsor, will follow him next year to whatever team that signs him.
[Source: Auto Racing Daily]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Todd 2:34PM (5/10/2007)
So what kinda of "team" is Cruella DeVille....err...I mean... Teresa Earnhardt gonna have without Junior? Won't most of the big sponsors go with him to his new team ( Budmiser, Wrangler, etc ).
It will be lame to see a primer painted number 3 car go around the track with some unknown Busch driver behind the wheel.
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Viv 2:45PM (5/10/2007)
DEI after the end of the 2007 season will cease to exist as a major player in the NASCAR world. DEI was dale Jr. With him and budweiser gone she is a nobody. All she has to look forward to is a realationship with the has been team of Robert Yates.
I would bet my money on Junior going to Hendrick Motorsports. Going to RIchard Childress will associate him with his father again which he doesn't want right now.
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John Colvin 5:24PM (5/10/2007)
I don't think he'll go to Hendrick, there are to many stars there...I think he will go to Gibbs because the only star they have is Stewart and they could use another one. Tony and Jr. are also supposedly friends.
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Margret 8:24PM (5/10/2007)
I can not say that I blame him one bit, his step mom was trying to take all his money.
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geo.stewart 3:36PM (5/10/2007)
I doubt she was going to give 51% no matter what is reported. Dale said they were never even close and that control was at the center. Not even close doesnt include meeting the major demand.
Local talk actually has him with RCR with Budweiser. Probably not in the 3. the major other option would be that he does a team with his JR motorsports and sources engines from Hendrick.
Not sure where Joe Gibbs would stand.
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mavkato 3:41PM (5/10/2007)
He cannot go to Hendrick, NASCAR allows only 4 drivers per team, and Hendrick is full. Joe Gibbs Racing has openings, and RCR has one opening, otherwise, like geo.stewart noted, he will start his own team, with engines leased from RCR, Hendrick, or Joe Gibbs.
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Jay Evans 3:56PM (5/10/2007)
Who would hire Jr? Dud...anybody. I'm sure the line started to form 10 sec after the announcement.
My moneys on RCR until Jr. can build his own shop. RCR and an Earnhardt would be money in the bank, sponsorship wise.
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Andre 4:03PM (5/10/2007)
Teresa having a Homer moment DEI will be invisible once Earnhardt is gone and Budweiser follows him to another team..
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Kumar 4:08PM (5/10/2007)
I think the line for Jr. started as soon as the word was out about his negotiations.
Also, it was reported today that the #3 is a Childress owned number.
Not a huge nascar fan, but it's always fun to see people punch a gift horse in the mouth. No doubt Jr. will do better with his next team.
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Viv 4:10PM (5/10/2007)
Hendrick can still hire him because he has until 2009 to comply with the 4 car rule. By that time Mears contract will end and his sponsors are not in great shape either.
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JayP 4:12PM (5/10/2007)
F1. Please go to F1!!
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arnie 4:13PM (5/10/2007)
ALL I CARE ABOUT IS I HOPE HE DRIVES A TOYOTA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
EAT IT!!!
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Michael 4:25PM (5/10/2007)
haha JayP, i totally agree, F1 is his next step!
Honestly, the guy sucks at driving but is worth so much in money. It's more like which team does he want to join?
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geo.stewart 4:23PM (5/10/2007)
#9.
I don't think F1 would know what to do with Dale Jr and his fan nation. the way it is now with drivers totally unaccessible as opposed to NASCAR philosophy and Dale Jr in particular acknowledging that fan base is what fuels the money mechanism. that would turn F1 on its ear.
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Mr. Oak 4:46PM (5/10/2007)
10. ALL I CARE ABOUT IS I HOPE HE DRIVES A TOYOTA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
EAT IT!!!
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Junior is in bed with GM, unless GM starts building a Camry, he won't be driving one. GM is also one of his major endorsements.
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Viv 5:12PM (5/10/2007)
Mr. Oak Since when is Loyalty considered being in bed? His dad and himself have driven Chevys forever and they are the best anyway.
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Will 5:51PM (5/10/2007)
the only star that gibbs has is stewart?! guess u dont watch much nascar...hamlin is one of the top young drivers on the circuit
as for the #3 it is owned by RCR, not DEI...therefore it is up to richard childress to decide if anybody drives that number
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Jaymez 6:07PM (5/10/2007)
My money is on him using Hendrick engines in his own JR Motorsport cars.
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Chris 10:42AM (5/12/2007)
A few things.
First off, Richard Childress said no one will be driving with the number 3. That's why he owns it. Dale Jr also doesnt want to see that number back on the track. At least not now. He drove 2 Busch cars in 2002 with the 3, and the Winston Victory Lap car for Earnhardt was the last 3 ever on the track.
Secondly, there is talk about JR Motorsports moving to the Cup next year. So if that is true, then there doesn't need to be any guessing about where he would be.
If that doesnt happen, it will most likely be with Childress. He may not have as much to offer as Hendrick, but more that Gibbs - and what Childress can offer Dale Jr is bigger than any other option Jr has.
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Will 6:24PM (5/10/2007)
slim to no chance of him running his own team...it would possibly put him in the same kind of situation that the toyota teams are in right now. and he stated that he was against adding more employees to his organization...which would be a must in order to take jr motorsports to the cup series.
and no hendrick can't go to a 5th team...roush has the exception because he already had the 5th team, nobody else is allowed to go to 5 teams as of 2 years ago.
richard childress was gearing up to add a 4th team within 2-3 years...i believe this will do nothing but throw that into a higher gear and he'll be driving a bud chevy for childress next season, possibly gibbs. but you can pretty much rule out hendrick and any ford or toyota team
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