UPDATE: Earnhardt Jr. Leaving DEI After Season

Sprint Cup

UPDATE: Earnhardt Jr. Leaving DEI After Season

Earnhardt to depart DEI after 2007 season, with his destination unknown.

Tom Jensen | Posted May 09, 2007 Mooresville, N.C.

Earnhardt: going his own way. (LAT photo)VIDEO HERE

Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is officially the most coveted free agent in NASCAR history, with the announcement this morning that after the 2007 season ends, he is parting ways with Dale Earnhardt Inc., the team his late father began and the only one that Earnhardt, Jr. has ever driven for in his NASCAR career.

The key facts are:

- Earnhardt and DEI were "never close" to striking a deal for 2008 and beyond, the driver said. He also said he thought his departure would have his late father's blessing.

- The split didn't occur because of money. "There's not one team out there that's going to lay a dollar-figure that's going to beat every other team," Earnhardt said. "They all probably can do about the same. Money's not the issue. It's not the guy who gives me the paycheck, it's the person that will allow me to accomplish what I want to accomplish throughout my career."

- DEI likely will keep the No. 8 car number.

- Earnhardt wants to win races and championships and will go to the team that will provide him the best opportunity to do that. He said he wants to listen to as many offers as possible and that winning, not money was his main motivator. "It really comes down to not so much today, but where I feel like I need to be and what I feel like what DEI's direction is and what their opinions are (about) how they need to be successful. There was a difference there. � I made this decision to put myself in the best position next year and down the road. I want to contend for championships and win races.

- He remains committed to campaigning a Chevrolet and likely will go to a top-line Chevy team, with starting his own Cup program an unlikely last resort.

- Although Earnhardt could end up at Richard Childress Racing, he would "have to do a little soul searching" before campaigning the No. 3 his father drove. "With respect to my father, I don't feel very comfortable with that," Earnhardt said. "He made that number what it is."

- Teammate Martin Truex, Jr., and Earnhardt's crew chief, Tony Eury, Jr., are not part of a package deal, though Eury could end up going where Earnhardt goes.

- And if there were any lingering doubts about how strained the relationship was between Earnhardt and his stepmother, Teresa, who owns DEI, it can be summed up by the fact that Earnhardt apparently did not tell her he was leaving the team until this morning.

- Despite public statements to the contrary from Teresa Earnhardt and DEI's Max Siegel, Earnhardt's departure will be a huge blow to DEI. He's the most popular driver in the Nextel Cup Series by a wide margin, as well as the most lucrative commodity in terms of souvenir sales. DEI is unlikely to be able to sign anyone with Earnhardt's star power, and his departure from the family business could cause a crippling rift in team morale.

The key question becomes, where does Earnhardt go from here?

Given his stated preferences - winning races and continuing to drive for Chevrolet - Earnhardt would seem bound for one of three teams: either Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing or Richard Childress Racing, who his late father drove for.

But Earnhardt was noncommittal about his options. "I won't really allow myself right now to try and narrow it down," Earnhardt said. " � I want to listen to everybody. I want to listen to what everybody has to say."

Officials from Hendrick Motorsports said Thursday they have no comment on Earnhardt's announcement, nor have they had discussions with the driver. The team also has four drivers signed to long-term contracts, all with sponsors.

Gibbs and RCR have both talked about adding fourth cars, but making sure that team chemistry is preserved any time a driver of Earnhardt's star caliber comes into the mix is a key concern - everyone from the new driver to the existing ones, crew chiefs, team members, etc. has to be comfortable with the change.

And in the last two years, some of the highest-profile driver changes have taken a long time to gel, as witnessed by the off seasons that Kurt Busch and Jamie McMurray suffered in 2006 when they moved to new teams.

Earnhardt did not indicate a team or teams that he was favoring.

Whatever he ultimately decides, however, will have huge ramifications on the sport for years to come.

"His popularity is so great that where he decides to go will have a major impact on the sport not only on ticket revenue, but TV ratings and souvenirs," said Lowe's Motor Speedway President H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler. "He has had a lot of pressure on him to win since his last one was a year ago. He has to find a team where he can win four or five races in a year and also be in a position to have a big season where he could win eight or more. Obviously, there aren't many teams that can do that. He's 32 now, so he has some good years ahead but at the same time he can't afford to go somewhere he can't win."

In response to today's announcement by Earnhardt, Jr., Teresa Earnhardt, CEO of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. issued the following statement:

"While we are very disappointed that Dale Jr. has chosen to leave the family business, we remain excited about our company's future. Our aggressive expansion and diversification plans have not changed. This company has continued to thrive since Dale left us in 2001, and it will thrive following today's announcement. Dale and I built this company to be a championship-contender, and those principles still apply. Dale Earnhardt, Inc. will win, and we have other extremely talented drivers and hundreds of employees that are dedicated to the programs we founded. This company has a great legacy and a bright future, built on loyalty, integrity, and commitment."

Longtime Earnhardt Jr. sponsor Budweiser also weighed in on the announcement with a statement by Tony Ponturo, Vice President, Global Media and Sports Marketing Anheuser-Busch, Inc.: "Budweiser, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Dale Earnhardt Inc. have enjoyed a great relationship since 1999. Dale Jr., and his father before him, have been excellent and loyal ambassadors for our company and the sport of NASCAR. Budweiser and JR Motorsports have an agreement in place to ensure Dale Jr. will continue to personally represent Budweiser through 2008, and we look forward to discussing our future with Dale Jr. and DEI in the weeks ahead."

SPEED will rebroadcast Earnhardt's press conference at 9 p.m.

WATCH THE VIDEO CONFERENCEHERE

More news and commentary on today's announcement to come on SPEEDtv.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tom Jensen

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