Jr leaving DEI?

**NotSoSilentBob** · May 9th, 2007, 07:50 PM

Dale Jr. & Truex to JR Motorsports? press conference at 11am/et: Dave Moody reported on Wednesday afternoon's Sirius Speedway that Dale Earnhardt Jr. will announce tomorrow at JR Motorsports, that both he and #1-Martin Truex, Jr. will drive in the Nextel Cup Series for JR Motorsports in 2008. Hendrick Motorsports will provide engines for the team. A press conference is planned for 11:00am/et at JR Motorsports headquarters per a PR from the team and SPEED will interrupt regularly scheduled programming to go LIVE from the JR Motorsports race shop at 11:00am/et for a news conference with NASCAR Nextel Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.(5-9-2007)

http://www.jayski.com/cupnews.htm

**NotSoSilentBob** · May 9th, 2007, 08:07 PM

Earnhardt Jr. leaving DEI

By Jerry Bonkowski, Yahoo! Sports
May 9, 2007

Dale Earnhardt Jr. officially will say goodbye to Dale Earnhardt Inc. on Thursday morning, Yahoo! Sports has learned.

A highly placed source within DEI as well as additional sources familiar with the situation told Yahoo! Sports on Wednesday afternoon that both Junior and teammate Martin Truex Jr. will announce Thursday morning that they are leaving the DEI camp at the end of this season and will drive for Earnhardt's heretofore Busch Series operation, JR Motorsports.

Sirius Radio also reported late Wednesday afternoon that the Earnhardt/Truex split with DEI was a done deal and that the new Cup team entry will field Chevrolet chassis built by Hendrick Motorsports and will use Hendrick engines as well.

Sources tell Yahoo! Sports that Earnhardt Jr.'s primary sponsor, Budweiser, will follow Junior to JR Motorsports. Budweiser's contract with DEI is due to expire at the end of 2008, but Yahoo! Sports sources believe there are provisions within the contract for an early exit if Earnhardt Jr. does not drive the No. 8 Chevrolet for DEI.

The press conference, which is expected to be televised nationally, will take place at JR Motorsports headquarters in Mooresville, N.C., at 11 a.m. ET on Thursday.

There has been no comment thus far from either DEI president Teresa Earnhardt (Dale Jr.'s stepmother) or company director of global operations Max Siegel.

Earnhardt and sister Kelley Earnhardt Elledge have been in often contentious negotiations with Teresa Earnhardt that have sparked considerable posturing from both sides in the media.

Both siblings have said that if a deal with DEI was not in place by the end of May, they would consider a variety of options, including Junior leaving DEI. Just last week, DEI confirmed that it was talking with Robert Yates Racing about a possible merger and also a switch from Chevrolet power plants and chassis to Ford engines and chassis.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. began his racing career with DEI in 1996, shortly after the organization was formed by his late father, seven-time Cup champion Dale Earnhardt, and Teresa Earnhardt.

Earnhardt Jr. won back-to-back Busch Series championships in 1998 and 1999 before moving full-time to the then-Winston Cup Series in 2000. His first career Cup win was at Texas, with a memorable celebration between father and son in victory lane.

Voted the most popular driver in NASCAR by fans the last four years, Earnhardt Jr. has 17 career Cup wins but has yet to win his first Cup championship. He has gone 36 consecutive races without a win, his last being at Richmond in May 2006.

Yahoo! Sports' Bob Margolis contributed to this report.

Veteran motorsports writer Jerry Bonkowski is Yahoo! Sports' NASCAR columnist. Send Jerry a question or comment for potential use in a future column or webcast.

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

**1inStripes** · May 9th, 2007, 08:17 PM

I guarantee the top 35 locked in in poionts rule is changed after this season if this does happen. If not, wouldn't it be funny if Jr missed a race next year since Jr won't be locked in to start next year.

**imported_Coach** · May 9th, 2007, 09:23 PM

you're right, if Jr. misses any race because of the lack of points, something will be done immediately to ensure Jr. is in that race. NASCAR themselves will buy owner points from some pathetic team. (Morgan McClure for example). Michael Waltrip did this last year at the Coke 600 just to get in the race.

**1inStripes** · May 9th, 2007, 09:26 PM

Well, he didn't buy owners points, he just bout the sponsorship, and driver essentially because the same team raced, its just that he took Derrick Cope spot I believe and they put NAPA on the car.
Remember if he does this, he goes into next season carrying 0 owners points from last year, so he has to qualify on time for the first 5 races to get in.