22 replies to this topic

[scotchman]

With the sensational news announced yesterday that Dale Earnhardt Jr. is to leave the DEI squad at the end of 2007, where will he end up for the '08 season?

He has stated he would like to continue driving a Chevrolet, but in which team?

Richard Childress racing would seem an obvious choice, being the team where late father Dale won many of his championships. But would this still be a little close to home for Jr.?, maybe a clean slate with no past history would be the best option. Or how about Hendrick motorsports?, could he drive alongside Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson in a NASCAR 'superteam'??

Is starting his own team an option?

Wherever he goes, I hope he manages to find a team which is confident and competitive so he can pick himself back up mentally and get back to victory lane more regularly and hopefully be able to fight for the title.

[ensign14]

Originally posted by scotchman
With the sensational news announced yesterday that Dale Earnhardt Jr. is to leave the DEI squad at ther end of 2007, where will he end up for the '08 season?

Richard Childress racing

[Locai]

Ed Hinton (motorsports writer for The Tribune Company) was on 'Windtunnel with Dave Despain' several weeks ago when the rumors of this whole thing first got started.

He said (and I totally agree), "If you put Dale Jr. in a black #3 for RCR with Budweiser on the hood, the Earnhardt fans will be standing 2 hours before the race cheering and won't stop until 2 hours AFTER the race". Now granted that black isn't Budweiser's color, but I would have to think that Budweiser would be 100% on-board with that.

Also, apparently Bobby Ginn has said he'll do "whatever it takes" to sign Dale Jr. to Ginn Racing. They've done very well this year. However, they don't have their own motor shop and I think that they would need to make a big investment in facilities to enter the picture. Jr has said that he wants to move to a team that gives him the best chance to win a championship (and I don't think that Ginn is at that point yet).

I heard something mentioned about him even being just the thing that Formula 1 needs to break into the US market bigtime. I would agree with that, but Jr is 32-years old, not the smallest guy around, and not all that good of a road-racer. I can't really see him going to F1 unless somebody gives him a top ride and a boatload of cash.

I would guess the top possibilities would be:

RCR
Hendrick
Gibbs (Joe doesn't want alcohol sponsorship, though)
Ginn
Taking his own 'JR Motorsports' team to the Cup level.
Signing with Toyota.


I need to stop now before I become a full-fledged 'redneck'. Where's the F1 replay?

[Georgeboi999]

Easily RCR

[robnyc]

I think it will be Richard Childress (the #33 car).
- Gibbs does not want him.
- Hendricks, who will they fire? Casey just came on board, Kyle is the future and JJ and JG are untouchable.
- Rouch - Ford.
anyone else, I don't think he will be interested.
I read something last night that there is a rumor about Penske, since Newman may be going to Gibbs.

[whitewaterMkII]

Originally posted by robnyc
I think it will be Richard Childress (the #33 car).
- Gibbs does not want him.
- Hendricks, who will they fire? Casey just came on board, Kyle is the future and JJ and JG are untouchable.
- Rouch - Ford.
anyone else, I don't think he will be interested.
I read something last night that there is a rumor about Penske, since Newman may be going to Gibbs.

Gibbs wants him, but not Budweiser. Oddly enough, J.D Gibbs is my cousin, a blood cousin, but waaaay removed. My folks communicate almost daily with the Gibbs family via the Inet, but there isn't much about racing, other than pics from the tracks or football games. They are a deeply religious family, and disdain alcohol completely, to the point where they would pass on Dale solely on the reason that his personal sponsor is Budweiser.
Saying that, a big if comes into play.
Will Bud stick with DEI, or is it a given that Bud will go where Lil' E is?
I have no doubt whatsoever that with Gibbs success as a team, and with Dale jr. on board there would be no problem replacing Bud bux with some other sponsor.
As for Penske, I seriously doubt Dale will be driving anyone's Dodge, period.

[AyePirate]

Originally posted by whitewaterMkII


Gibbs wants him, but not Budweiser. Oddly enough, J.D Gibbs is my cousin, a blood cousin, but waaaay removed........They are a deeply religious family, and disdain alcohol completely, to the point where they would pass on Dale solely on the reason that his personal sponsor is Budweiser.

That is something that I haven't read anywhere else. Thanks for the kinda sorta insider info

[WildmouseX]

it won't be hendriks, their at their limit and everyone in under contract. - Ginn maybe the underdog here, but their equiptment comes from hendricks so it would be just like driveing for rick - and he would have mark martin as a teammate - and one of the things jr said was that who his teammates will be is going to be a big factor.

gibb's would be a good choice team-mate wise, but as stated before jr.'s still got a year on his personal contract with bud and gibbs don't like that sort of thing.

penskie said he wants to talk to jr too, and while i don't think his team being dodge is what makes it out of the question - but the miller #2 will. - especially considering that millers has passed up bud's challenges 2 years in a row.

nobody has more championships then RCR, and they've been comeing back strong the last 2 years. dale has said he doesn't want to drive the 3 for the next 20 years, he said maybe a couple of years at the end of his carear..... he gets along good with jeff burton (who doesn't), but there has been friction in the past with harvick.

richard doesn't own the number 33, harvick owns it in all 3 series. - i'm sure harvick would either lend or sell the number to richard, or sign on as co-owner of the car though if jr wanted that.

as far as black not being bud's color - that argument was put to rest last year at talladega




http://images.google...htt...l=en&sa=N


i'm sure dale doesn't want it to be as simple as it is, but if he stays chevey and wants to be in a proven team, he'll be at RCR.

[John B]

Ginn would be a surprise to me in that it doesn't seem like a step forward to a proven championship contender, as Dale Jr. announced was his intention in moving - making the key career decision as his father did at the same age, to use his own words. Martin had a good start but their full-season ability to contend is certainly in question. For what it's worth, Miller Lite's deal with Penske is up this year. I'm another who thinks RCR is the obvious destination. As mentioned in the other thread a couple of TV stations announced it was a done deal for him to be in the RCR #33, but obviously nothing was confirmed this weekend.

[whitewaterMkII]

Originally posted by John B
Ginn would be a surprise to me in that it doesn't seem like a step forward to a proven championship contender, as Dale Jr. announced was his intention in moving...

If Hendrick's could move Mears to Ginn and pick up Dale, I think they would do it in a heartbeat. While Hendrick may be running 4 Cars, it's not unheard of for a team to run 5 cars, like Rousch is doing. The only drawback is there are rumblings of NASCAR writing in a rule limiting the number of cars one team run, capping it at 4, IMO, they should.

[WildmouseX]

Originally posted by whitewaterMkII


If Hendrick's could move Mears to Ginn and pick up Dale, I think they would do it in a heartbeat. While Hendrick may be running 4 Cars, it's not unheard of for a team to run 5 cars, like Rousch is doing. The only drawback is there are rumblings of NASCAR writing in a rule limiting the number of cars one team run, capping it at 4, IMO, they should.

they already wrote the rule that a team can't have more then 4 cars in 05, but rousch already had 5 when they did it so they gave him till 09 i think before he has to be down to 4 teams.

[Risil]

Originally posted by WildmouseX


they already wrote the rule that a team can't have more then 4 cars in 05, but rousch already had 5 when they did it so they gave him till 09 i think before he has to be down to 4 teams.

I love NASCAR's approach to the rulebook so hard.

[AyePirate]

Well obviously Lil' E will follow his Budweiser sponsorship to Williams F1 ;)

[HDonaldCapps]

Here in the DC area, the Coach's notions about alcohol are well-known, so you could discount Bud going with Junior if he opts for Gibbs. However, there is probably a line of sponsors already forming at the right should Junior and Bud part company should he opt for Gibbs.

RCR is not as likely as everyone thinks, since that was Dale Senior's team. I think that it is unlikely that Junior will end up there.

As for the Hendrick team, they could jettison the "Shrub" and easily find a better bet for the future, certainly one either more mature and at least with some style. He could be "loaned" out to Ginn and allow Junior in to drive the number five car.

I think that Gibbs is where he will probably wind up, with Hendrick next on the list, RCR trailing the lead pack.

Outside chance that he might go with Ginn, but stranger things have happened, one about late 1983 in fact....

[canon1753]

Why not Penske? With Chrysler being sold, what's to say that any Dodge contracts would extend past this year? Penske would be an obvious Toyota team if/after Dodge leaves or the contract is up, but Jr is tied into a Chevy contract. Penske would likely jump at the chance to get Jr., even if it meant that he was going to switch manufacturers. The contract with Miller Brewing would be a difficulty but it might not be if it is a renewal year....

But who knows... Maybe Jr will upgrade Jr motorsport to a cup operation.

[WildmouseX]

jr. has still got another year with bud as a personal sponcer - don't expect him to just up and renig on that - hell he's still doing comercials for wrangler even though those were his dad's obligations. one of Sr.'s biggest sticking points were loyalty to the sponcer, and i'm sure he tought that to jr.

and like i said before, penskie is out of the question because of the miller sponcership..bud tried the last two daytona 500's to be freinds with them by offering a side bet and them harshly turning it down. - those sponcers won't exsist well under the same roof, and bud still has a horse in this pony show for the next year still ( and they have pretty big horses ).



shrub is staying where he is, he's begining to settle down and he's been doing very well this year.. if hendricks is going to dump anyone to gin, it's going to be mears - but again he's big on being loyal to contracts and that's probly not a good message to send to the rest of his drivers " if i find someone better, i'l dump you in a heart beat." - casey maybe struggleing a bit this year, but he's still doing better then jammie mac did in his first year after switching to rousch.


when he finally decides to go to RCR, he will be getting his own team, harvick technicly has his dad's team... but all the equiptment that sr. use to drive has been rotated out, and most of the team has been replaced as well. one of the things jr is looking for is an affectionete owner who celibrates when the driver wins, instead of saying "it's about time". - and he has seen that from richard his whole life. after sr's death i remember jr saying of richard that he was like a second father to him - i'd bet that's going to carry alot of weight in this decission.


anyone who didn't get to see the waltrip/dale jr.interview that was aired durring the race, can find it on page three of this article.
http://www.nascar.co...gton/index.html

[Ross Stonefeld]

I could see Hendrick linking up with Ginn to create a multi-car superteam but not breaking NASCAR's rules. Get Dale the Lesser into Hendrick, and whoever he replaces over at Ginn in the 'B' team.


I wonder how Dale vs Jeff in the same team/equipment will go down with the fans?

[whitewaterMkII]

Originally posted by Ross Stonefeld


I wonder how Dale vs Jeff in the same team/equipment will go down with the fans?

That would great IMO.
By brother in law is a hard core Lil' E fan, and I've always contended that JG is the better driver.
Personally, I think the best fit for E as a driver would be Gibbs, except for the pesky Budweiser thing. I hate to bag on E, because I do think a lot has been thrust onto hm, and he's handled it excellently, but I really don't think he's a top five driver in that series and possibly not even top ten. There are at least 5 guys in a sweepstakes I'd take over him.

[Lantern]

Originally posted by HDonaldCapps
Here in the DC area, the Coach's notions about alcohol are well-known, so you could discount Bud going with Junior if he opts for Gibbs. However, there is probably a line of sponsors already forming at the right should Junior and Bud part company should he opt for Gibbs.

I think that Gibbs is where he will probably wind up, with Hendrick next on the list, RCR trailing the lead pack.

I see this happening if Junebug truly wants to stay Jr and not be Dale Earnhardt Jr with RCR.


And the sponsor will be....drum roll......VISA. Big money from a big company. The Tony and Dale show would be nice to see.

[9 Degrees 12 Min]

Imagine how many dyed-in-the-wool Junior fans are probalby out getting skin grafts to cover the varying "8" body-art now that the departure is official, especially if the 8-car is assigned to a journeyman or unknown upstart.

[Rosemayer]

I have heard from a friend in the know that a new nextel cup team is forming and has already signed GB,KB and is in strong talks with DE Jr.They will be using Hendricks cars and engines until they finish there new facility in Charlotte.

[Lantern]

Originally posted by Lantern


I see this happening if Junebug truly wants to stay Jr and not be Dale Earnhardt Jr with RCR.


And the sponsor will be....drum roll......VISA. Big money from a big company. The Tony and Dale show would be nice to see.

JD Gibbs kinda threw water on my guess tonight on "Tony Stewart live" by saying if they signed Jr then Tony Denny and JJ would have to take a pay cut.

I know people say a lot of things before signing drivers, but the Gibbs family usually does things a little more straight forward without smoke and mirrors.


Also, Jr did tell DW that he wants an owner that will embrace him. That does point to RCR and oddly enough Ginn Racing.









Also, I've been laughing at the folks calling the radio programs bitching about the tattoos they have that cover their ENTIRE backs. The best thing they can do is put 1999-2007 under it to go with the years the paint scheme was used.

[John B]

Originally posted by Lantern


Also, I've been laughing at the folks calling the radio programs bitching about the tattoos they have that cover their ENTIRE backs. The best thing they can do is put 1999-2007 under it to go with the years the paint scheme was used.

Shades of the commercial that used to run all the time where he did the spoof press conference announcing they were going to change the #8....