Jr leaving DEI
 

http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news?...yhoo&type=lgns

Looks like he's not switching to Ford after all.

Whoa!....I didnt see that comming. I thought he would get majority ownership and that would be it. This is huge. I thought he would go to Childress and drive the 3. I wonder what number he is going to run now....will he buy the 3 from Childress?

D@mn ... I didn't expect that.

Several days ago in the Yates - DEI thread I said tha that Jr would be leaving DEI.

Interesting that he will run Hendrick engines & chassis. Would support the rumors that Hendrick will be the only Chevy team in 2009 although it now appears some sub-teams will be allowed.

I know some of the Earnhardts personally. The Sr's 2nd wife, not Jr.'s Mom and Jr have been going round and around about decision and ownership. It is a good thing he is leaving.

This is the most exciting think to happen in NASCAR for a long time. Lets hope for more change because they need it...

It's going to be an interesting silly season.

DEI-Yates?
Is Theresa going to sell DEI?
Is Menard going to purchase DEI and merge with Yates?
Will DEI(Menard)-Yates have three or Four teams? Will it even happen?
Will Gibbs and RCR switch manufacturers?

Agreed Evil, I can't remember a silly season this "exciting" if you will in the 30 years I have been watching. Going to to be interesting on how one man will impact everything. Let the bidding and rumors begin!

My guess is Gibbs or Childress. They both have room and expressed a desire to run 4 Cup teams. My guess would be Gibbs first. They could always move Yeley into a 4th team and slot Jr. in the 18 keeping his ride in the top 35 for the first 5 races next season (watch..Jr with a new team, Nascar changes the top 35 thing :jester::jester:)

Hendrick doesn't make sence other then they have the most money. A 5th team does no good and all 4 drivers are locked in for 2008 all though from what I understand National Guard is only a 1 year deal. I suppose it's possible Hendrick could buy out the rest of Mears contract to put Jr. in the 25 but hell, that car is cursed. Last time it did anything close to being great was when Tim Richmond was at the wheel.

My pick for sleepers:

Ginn: (Hendrick stuff)
Hass: (Hendrick stuff and a governments load of money)

Oh yea, is there a race this weekend?:grin::grin::grin::grin::grin:

Video from today's press conference.

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/05/10/d...s-free-agent/q

Well it only makes sense. JR is vested to GM. (Has too many vette's in his garage). GM is cutting back thanks to the COT cars, and no money either.
How long would you work with/for your stepmother. JR is the money maker. Budweiser WILL follow him. Probably already a done deal in the back room's anyway.

Finally NASCAR is coming alive again.

Im thinking Childress...number 3, Earnhardt....its destiny. I wonder if Budwiser would agree to run a black car instead of a red one for that long. I know they did it last season once...but forever?

Childress or Gibbs.

LOL I'm thinking Budwiser would let him run whatever he wanted. Not sure he would want to run the 3 now. It would probably open the door to never ending comparisons to Sr.

you cant tell me that any driver out there probably has just as much skill as the other...meaning...Jr. is probably just as good as his dad ever was. But in this age of NASCAR...its all in car set up, parts not failing, and good pit stops. It can't all be done in the drivers seat anymore. Thats why you see drivers have good and bad years....Newman one 8 races a few years ago, but hasn't won in a really long time. Did he become a worse driver? I doubt it. Its all about everyone else....including the competition.

Don't disagree with you at all Cody however the press won't write about that, they will write about the better story, an Earnhardt in the 3 car despite what technology has done to the sport.

I'm sure he will jump to RCR in a 3 car if he feels it is the best deal for him to win with but if he is trying to cement his own legacy the media and the fans are going to make it hard for him

A long shot but possible. JR is not done with DEI yet. DEI would be commiting suicide letting JR get away. Look at what they loose if JR walks. The most popular driver in NASCAR, the very deep pockets of Budweiser, Truex walks, a TON of engineering talent leaves and DEI becomes the most hated team of all time in NASCAR. JR can write his own ticket, This could be his way of letting DEI he holds the better hand of cards.

Destiny awaits Jr in the Childress Camp!!!!!

Good theory...but I dont think this sounds like a threat. Sounds like he has already made up his mind.....BUT....I should caution him to not make the same mistake Micheal Waltrip did. DO NOT OWN YOUR TEAM!....or at least own it (for $$$ reasons) and let someone else call the shots, cause it is too much work to do both...I believe when you do both, both suffer.....examples: Robby Gordon, Bill Elliot in the late 90's, Micheal Waltrip now, Kyle Petty for the past 15 years,...the list goes on..

Does anyone remember the Budweiser commercial from a year or two ago, where Dale Jr calls a press conference and jokes about changing his car's number from "8" to "6.7"? The commercial shows lots of frantic fans. You see one fan getting a "6.7" tattoo. How apropos it seems now.

We don't know for sure if Truex and Bud are leaving yet. Odds are heavily in favor of this, but we don't know for sure.

He hasn't committed anywhere yet. Alot of people think RCR, but they're very starry-eyed over JR. driving the #3 and not very objective. Objectively, he might not want to move somewhere like Hendrick/RCR where he wouldn't be THE GUY. And if He wants Truex to come with him wherever he goes, that just complicates things more.

He hasn't ruled out Ford 100% yet. He's called it very unlikely, and will definitely be giving preference to Chevy, but money talks. Bear in mind, Chevy, Gibbs, Hendrick and Childress already have alot of money invested in their current talent, Jr's (and assuming Truex as part of Jr's hire) price might be too high. Another manufacturer, one that's desperate for some good PR (like Ford), might just pony up the dough to lure him (and Truex) away.

This makes the DEI-Yates merger more likely. Now they need support, and they don't have the talent to wave in GM's face. But merged with Yates and financed as Ford's second Super-team to compete with the GM juggernauts they'll be in better standing. BUT, i don't think it will happen. Teresa's already made a few dumb moves, passing up a Yates alliance would just be the next. I predict she'll team up with Ginn or Haas to become a slightly bigger fourth-best Chevy team out there.

There are officially too many Chevy teams if JR gets promoted to cup. I mean seriously, if all things are supposedly equal, how come Toyota, Dodge, and Ford combined have fewer cars than Chevy?