Posted on January 5, 2007

DEI: Duplicity’s evolution without recourse

by Shannon Poe About The Author	Email   Print

What began with a quote in the Wall Street Journal, escalated into a slough of speculation, finally brings us to the realization that Dale Earnhardt, Inc. continues to have issues. Prior to the holiday season, I read with disgust as the press gleefully created another “sparring match” between Dale Earnhardt Jr and Teresa Earnhardt. It begins innocently enough with a notation that the end of the 2007 season marks the end of Earnhardt Jr’s contract with DEI. It did not end there. Suddenly it became an insight into a complex relationship between stepmother and stepson. We are barely into the off-season of the Nextel Cup Series. Earnhardt Jr’s contract is not yet out of gas, so where is the speculation heading?

In articles past, I have been rough on Teresa Earnhardt. I continue to view her with quiet suspicion and disdain. I do, however, owe it to her and DEI to look objectionably at the scenario. Mrs. Earnhardt has been a cornerstone to the company, and continues to work hard behind the scenes (so we the fans are told) to build an empire that she and her late husband, Dale Earnhardt, began many years ago. Because she is often silent, it is assumed that she is useless or not a participant in daily corporate operations. That more than likely is not the case. It is my opinion; however, that she incited this current riot. I speculate it was a calculated move to speed up contract negotiations that potentially can drag on throughout the season. I further speculate that perhaps Mrs. Earnhardt miscalculated the storm that will inevitably ensue when any subject concerning her stepson is brought forth.

Now let’s move to Dale Earnhardt Jr. Earnhardt Jr is coming off a very good 2006 season. Stats aside, it was an excellent and hard played season. He showed absolute progress and growth all around, and in my opinion showed up to every race ready to win or come out top ten. Despite some bad luck encountered along the way, he managed to do just that for half the races in the schedule, and there is something to be said for that. Thus far, he maintains a higher road and has no comment on this matter. I wonder if this is a gentleman’s way of handling the matter. I recall previous DEI matters where it fell on him to explain after the fact what the hell went wrong. Again, this is mere speculation, but isn’t this the ultimate way to stick it to the instigator? Let it go, and watch them drown in a sea of their own creation…priceless.

The question this takes us to next is does Earnhardt Jr intend to eventually leave DEI? That’s one for the ages! After the past month or so of speculation on the inner workings of the company, I’d say the question has to be amended to will Dale Earnhardt Jr be forced to get the hell out of dodge and move on? After all, working with family often produces these types of minor irritations, unfortunately. Everyone seems to have an opinion, and everyone knows best how to solve the problem. The real problem is that no one wants to get off his or her collective hindquarters and actually do something. Maybe that is the real scenario in this instance. I’m still smarting over Teresa Earnhardt’s prognostication last season that no one will ever drive a car with the number 3 around a track in Nextel Cup again. There is a maddening superiority in that declaration that refuses to comfortably sit within my mind.

I must confess I don’t care much about contract negotiations between drivers and their respective companies. Details of the contract settlement are rarely released to the general public, and it is my opinion they do not affect the overall course of a season in NASCAR—at least not from a fan’s point of view. This situation is no different, I could care less what Earnhardt Jr, and DEI settle on in comparable contract negotiations. Initially I regarded quote in the Wall Street Journal as harmless. Upon closer scrutiny and thought, I realized that Mrs. Earnhardt was calling into question Dale Earnhardt Jr’s commitment to the sport versus his image. There’s an old quote somewhere that says we tend to dislike in others what we dislike in ourselves. Perhaps then, Mrs. Earnhardt’s commitment to the company should be given a second glance. Oh, wait...we are still unclear on what exactly her role is, and especially since she recently hired someone to handle global expansions of the company, a role I thought she reigned supreme.

So what does all this jabberwocky take us? It’s bad for business, for starters. Where in the world does challenging someone in your corporation in the print press translate to good results? What sticks in my throat is the disguised insinuation that Dale Earnhardt Jr has any control over his popularity in the sport of stock car racing. Popularity is a fickle friend, with more and more talent entering the sport, these numbers can be challenged in the near future. If any driver out there can handle the media and fan blitz, it’s Earnhardt Jr. I do not get the impression that attention goes to his head all that quickly. I could be wrong, but I doubt it.

At the end of the day, I am disappointed. There is a palpable lack of professionalism that I thought Teresa Earnhardt was in possession of that tinges this debacle. There is mystification on what purpose was intended concerning this inflammatory remark. Apparently there was blatant disregard to the outcome or cause and effect.

When the 2007 Nextel Cup season kicks off in February, it is my hope that all this is swept off the asphalt and forgotten. An outcome such as that would be in the best interests of DEI. On the other hand, adversity is often the greatest motivator. Perhaps this will be the extra gearshift needed to spur a driver with championship potential to posicione uno. How’s that for diversity in NASCAR?
 

You can contact Shannon at shanjrfan8@aol.com

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