No Dale Earnhardt Jr. Threads? You Blue State Elitists!

[Yavin4]

Just kidding about the blue state crack, but still let's show NASCAR some love.

[LSK]

1. yeah, now Hendrick is becoming a monopoly of NASCAR

[rocktivity]

2. Whatever happened with that dispute Dale Junior was having with his stepmom

over ownership of Earnhart Senior's organization? I don't know much about racing, but it seems to me that Dale Earnhart Inc. minus Dale Jr. equals ZERO.

:headbang:
rocknation

[HooptieWagon]

4. His contract with DEI ends this season

His dispute with his stepmom is that he didn't think she was spending the money necessary to stay competitive... he wanted controlling interest so he could run the team his way... during negotiations, Teresa eventually offered to sell him 51% of the team - for only 50% more than the entire team was worth. Can't blame him for walking at that insulting offer. I'm surprised he signed with Hendrick, I thought they weren't interested. Apparently, they've become somewhat unhappy with Kyle Busch's behavior (no surprise). Anyway, Jr's main concern was to drive a top level car he can win championships with - I think he's got it. BTW, you are correct - DEI without Jr is ZERO - Budweiser's deal is with Jr, so he gets to take them to Hendrick with him.

[nickgutierrez]

6. I wonder, though, if he doesn't plan to buy DEI in five years

One could easily envision the following scenario: Junior wins, let's say, two Whatever-The-Series-Is-Called-Now Cup titles in the next five years. DEI is struggling, midtable with a mediocre driver, and the team is worth a fraction of its previous value. Junior's stepmom would probably beg him to take the team off her hands at that point, and he'll swoop in and buy the team much cheaper than he would have this time around.

[rocktivity]

8. DING DING DING! Antiwarwarrior, you're our grand prize winner!

Or should I say, "Antiwarwarrior takes the checkered flag!"

...(E)nvision the following scenario...DEI is struggling...with a mediocre driver, and the team is worth a fraction of its previous value. Junior's stepmom would probably beg him to take the team off her hands at that point...

Even if DEI came up with a driver that would have people saying "What's a Jeff Gordon?", Mrs. Earnhardt now carries the stigma of not having been smart enough to hold on to her most valuable asset--WHY would such a driver stick with her?


rocknation

[rocktivity]

7. Like I said, I don't know much about racing or big business

but I seriously doubt that Dale would have walked without having somewhere to go. Those Hendrick people were probably just playing dumb.

:headbang:
rocknation

[Captain Hilts]

3. Dale wanting to be under the same racin' roof as Gordon!?! Yay Jeff! #24! nt

[Voltaire99]

5. No elitist here

I believe he's a national treasure and should be stuffed and mounted at the earliest opportunity.

[Twillig]

9. So, who is with me in thinking that Truex got : (wait for it)

"THE CALL" like Petty did when Reagan showed up to the Daytoner 500 way back when.

The Autism Speaks 400? Now there is a title to make a point @!

O.K. Here is what is said(by the shadow forces( Helton) in NECKAR). "F.U. Dale Jr.! We're not gonna let DEI sink just because you and Cruella don't get along. We need teams! Take that!"

[BOSSHOG]

10. Will he take Number 8 and Budweiser with him?

[northzax]

11. well, bud was one of the reasons

he picked Hendrick, they say. Joe Gibbs Racing, the other highly competitive team interested, refuses alcohol sponsors.

[Captain Hilts]

12. He said they're going to talk about '8'. nt

[erpowers]

13. Not Bad For DEI

I know I am in the minority on this, but I do not think this is that bad for DEI. Yes, it could become bad for DEI, but for now it is not a problem. I think Dale Earnhardt Jr. gets much of his publicity from the fact that he is the son of a great driver. I do not think Earnhardt has shown that he is that great on his own. I contend that if Junior was not the son of a great driver he would not get half the attention he now gets. If not for his father, most likely very few people would know his name. Lets look at the other driver who get just about the same attention or more as Junior. You have Jeff Gordon who has four championships with NASCAR, Tony Stewart who has two championships with NASCAR, and Jimmie Johnson who has one or two championships with NASCAR. So far what is the biggest thing Junior has won? The Daytona 500?

I think many people will hate Teresa Earnhardt and DEI for a time. However, I think all they have to do is get a good driver and win a few races and some championships and things will be over. So in my opinion this is not that bad for DEI. I realize it will be hard to find a good driver and win races, but I think it can happen.

[HooptieWagon]

14. When senior was alive

he poured a ton of resources into R&D, especially motors and aerodynamics. That effort carried the team for a few years after Sr's death. Now, the lack of recent spending on R&D has caught up to the team,especially with the new car, and they are a mid-level team. Junior had about 3 times as many wins as all the other DEI drivers combined - safe to say he won't be easily replaced. Junior wants to win championships now, before he gets too old. Makes complete sense for him to go to the team who is currently putting the best cars on the track. Unless DEI does a major overhaul of their engineering, they will slip further into a competitive decline, and will have trouble getting and keeping good drivers. Yes, perhaps in a few years Jr will buy the team - for a fraction of it's current value. But Jr already has his Busch team, which he could always take to Nextel in the future - so he doesn't HAVE to buy DEI. Teresa has definately done a foolish thing - I assume out of ego, greed, and spite.