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Posted on May 10, 2007
End of
an Era
The
talk of the season thus far has been the
contract negotiations of Dale Earnhardt,
Jr. Earnhardt wanted majority ownership
in the race team his father started, but
step-mother Theresa Earnhardt was not
going to hand it over without a hefty
price tag to the tune of $51 million.
Today at 11:00 a.m./et, it will be
announced that an eleven year
partnership will come to an end as Dale
Earnhardt, Jr. will leave Dale Earnhardt,
Inc. along with teammate Martin Truex,
Jr.
Talk of Earnhardt’s
own team, JR Motorsports, which fields
teams in NASCAR’s Busch Grand National
Series, moving up to Nextel Cup racing
next year was the first hint that an
announcement such as this would be made.
This morning it will be official.
Hendrick
Motorsports, who has dominated this
season thus far, winning all but three
races, will supply engines and chassis
for Earnhardt and Truex. This will no
doubt give Rick Hendrick absolute
dominance in the four restrictor plate
races in 2008, as Earnhardt, Jeff Gordon
and Jimmie Johnson have been virtually
unstoppable at Daytona and Talladega.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
has left his father’s team; perhaps
stepping out of the shadows the
Earnhardt name bears. Maybe this will
allow a rebirth for Dale Earnhardt, Jr.,
and he will become a serious title
contender. Maybe it will all fall apart
on him, as Michael Waltrip Racing has
done for the last driver to leave DEI.
Whatever happens, one thing is for
certain.
In 2008, a new
chapter in life’s book of Dale Earnhardt,
Jr. begins…
You can contact
Joe at
ewert_joe@yahoo.com
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