NASCAR NEWS

What Will Jr's New Number Be ?

"Will Dale Jr Drive #8-#3, Unknown Next Year?".

With the bomb shell Dale Earnhardt Jr dropped on DEI and the world about leaving DEI at the end of the 2007 season, the big question's are. Who will he drive for? Will his car be Black or Red ?. Will his number be #8 or #3 ?. Or will he go for a whole new begining and have totaly different colors and number.

The #8 will probably stay with DEI since they own it and with the break up with Dale Earnhardt Jr. it is unlikly that DEI will let Dale Jr keep the #8 even though he made the number famous.

It is unlikely that dale Jr will use the #3 that his dad, Dale Earnhardt Sr, made famous through his years with Richard Childress Racing. I do believe he will wind up at RCR but with Dale Jr's own admission he has mixed feelings on driving the #3 car. And I really believe that the fans would rather see the #3 retired and maybe brought back on special occasions only.

I do believe the car he drives will be "Red" due to his relationship with Budweiser. And I believe that Budweiser will stay with Dale Jr and leave DEI. I would like to see Dale Jr be able to keep the #8 but i don't think Teresa Earnhardt will let that number go with Dale Jr. Micheal Waltrip and NAPA tried to keep the #15 when he left DEI but was unable to keep the number he had used through his tenior wth DEI.

Only time will tell whats in store for Dale Earnhardt Jr and who he goes with and what number he has, but I see it what ever number and color he takes on his performance only has one way to go, and that is up.

Richard Childress, owner of RCR and Earnhartd family friend, said that every one should give Dale Jr some time and space on his decision to leave DEI.

Childress said that he hopes Dale Jr will consider going with RCR but now is not the time for everyone to put added pressure on Dale Jr about his decision. Jr has a lot on his plate right now and needs to have time to think with a clear head about his future.

RCR has to be at the top of the list for Dale Jr. since his father, Dale Earnhardt Sr. drove for RCR and had 6 championships with RCR.

Richard Childress also stated that it's just to soon to speculate on Dale Jr driving a #3 car even if he signs with RCR. That is something for both Dale Jr and Richard Childress to look at further down the road if Dale Jr does drive for RCR.

Robert Yates Racing and DEI had been negotiating a merger of sorts, but said with Dale Jr leaving DEI at the end of the 2007 season he has to look at it in a new perspective.

Although Earnhardt Jr firmly said he would drive only Chevrolet, Yates Racing is a Ford organization and intends staying with Ford. Yates said that he will make some kind of decision in the next 30-45 days on the direction he intends to go, be it with DEI or someother merger or buy in.

Yates did admit that DEI without Dale Earnhardt Jr does make a difference on how he or anyone else will look at DEI. He daid it dosen't make it any better or worse just different.

Where has Teresa Earnhardt been? Has she been at the races? Has she been there to support Dale Jr?

You would think an owner of a major Nextell Cup team and owner of Dale Earnhardt Inc. would have been more supportive of Dale Jr, and for that matter the others drivers for DEI.

If you take note when ever the other teams win or have photo shoots, who is around? You see the owners supporting their drivers by either being at their side or giving them a big hug or handshake when the do well or console them when things don't go as planned.

Dale Jr and the other DEI drivers have the support of their team members and fans but from what I have seen there is very little from DEI owner Teresa Earnhardt.

Dale Jr has had some big shoes to fill at DEI and has pretty much carried the organization on his sholders since Dale Earnhardt Sr was killed at Daytona in 2001.

Dale Earnhardt Jr has been the face of DEI on and off the track and has carried that load for 6 years all the while in a struggle to try to keep DEI up to his fathers standards and vision.

It's like a good ball team if the Coach is not at the game it's pretty hard for the team to stay focused and be productive, that's what has happened at DEI. I think if Teresa would have been more supportive and took on the role as Coach of the team and been their for her players through good and bad times DEI would have been stonger and Dale Jr wouldn't be leaving.

Teresa will need to do some sole searching and look at DEI's situation and say, "Is this what Dale would have wanted ?", and get back on track to get DEI the status it deserves.

Good luck to Jr on where ever he decides to go, he deserves the respect he will get elsewhere.