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Home > ajcsportstalk > Archives > 2007 > May > 09 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USAnxiously awaiting anwers
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Dale Earnhardt Jr. has called a press conference for 11 a.m. today to talk about his ideas for the future, which undoubtedly will include discussion of which team he’ll drive for next year.
Since the press conference is being held at JR Motorsports, instead of Dale Earnhardt Inc., it’s fair to assume that he won’t be returning to the team founded by his late father. JR Motorsports is owned by Dale Jr. and is separate from DEI.
If Earnhardt Jr. leaves DEI and joins another team immediately or becomes a free agent, it’ll raise a crop of interesting questions.
How will the legions of fans who still wear the late lntimidator’s familiar No. 3 react? Will they hold it against Junior that he left his father’s company without ever delivering it a championship as father and son once hoped?
Will Teresa Earnhardt be able to compete effectively with a race team minus its superstar driver?
Who might Mrs. Earnhardt put in the No. 8 car, assuming she keeps control of the number as most owners do?
Was it the car or the driver that have kept DEI and Dale Jr. from winning championships and from winning a single race in the past year?
Which existing team would be the best fit for Dale Jr.?
Should he go to Richard Childress Racing and take his father’s old No. 3 now instead of later in his career, as he’s indicated he’d like to do?
Will he stay in the Chevrolet camp or defect to Dodge or Toyota or Ford?
Will he remain NASCAR’s biggest star or will the change of scenery cause him to lose the Earnhardt magic?
Some questions will be answered with race results on down the road. Others, NASCAR fans will determine.
All the answers are anxiously awaited.
Permalink | Comments (11) | Post your comment | Categories: Auto racing
Comments
By brave man
May 9, 2007 10:31 PM | Link to this
I hope he gets a whole new team a crew chief that can set a car up.
By Veazey
May 9, 2007 11:19 PM | Link to this
I hope he gets his own crew, car and kicks Teresa’s a$s. Little E is DEI not Mrs.E but money talks. More Power to Jr.
By joe
May 10, 2007 12:38 AM | Link to this
i hope it all works out for jr but i still dont think he is the driver everybody wants him to be.
By Little E Neighbor in Mooresville
May 10, 2007 12:49 AM | Link to this
Stepmother Teresa needs to wake up to reality, DEI won’t have a future without Dale Jr. Her ambition is not to provide a future for the Earnhardt children, but to show she is the “real” boss and in control. Now the rest of the country will know what we have known here in Mooresville for years, that Tereasa Earnhardt is 1st in her mind and everyone else not even 2nd or 3rd… but just take a number and she’ll get back to you….when pigs fly!
By NASCAR
May 10, 2007 8:24 AM | Link to this
Theresa trying to survive without Jr is like McDonald’s trying to make it without grease. Ain’t going to happen. This is a good move for Jr as he clearly needed a change. Whatever the problem, the last year he simply has not been competitive. Maybe this will get him refocused.
By Big Al
May 10, 2007 8:49 AM | Link to this
I don’t think Dale Jr. will leave DEI. My opinion is that he is just using this conference to show his step mother how little she will have if he does leave. All Little E is doing is trying to adjust her attitude and get the control of DEI that he really wants.
By Still Can't Drive
May 10, 2007 10:02 AM | Link to this
So this year the excuse will be that he is on a lame-duck team. Next year it will be that it was the first year of the program, the next year it will be that things aren’t moving along as well as planned….
Sr. won championships, Jordan won championships, Tiger wins championships, Jr wins what…selling the most t-shirts???
Over-rated!
By Rod
May 10, 2007 10:26 AM | Link to this
Teresa’s an idiot. Here’s your choice:
49% of a $100,000,000 per year business
or
100% of jack sh1t
Which would you pick?
By Bushwacker
May 10, 2007 11:02 AM | Link to this
Jr ought to take what he can get, he ‘s not really a very good race care driver and you figure he’s less likely to get FIRED by DEI than another team.
By Bushwacker
May 10, 2007 11:09 AM | Link to this
I think Teresa is just a smart business woman and unlike the “loyal fans” she knows JR is not that great of a driver and for the MONEY HE PROBABLY WANTS she knows she could probably hire Jeff Gordon or Tony Stewart.
Wouldn’t that be something if JEFF GORDON drove for DEI!
By MJ
May 10, 2007 11:44 AM | Link to this
I bet he’ll land at Joe Gibbs Racing. He respects Gibbs, he’s friends with Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin.
Now THAT would be a powerhouse.