Dale Earnhardt
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Joins Hendrick Motorsports
Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Jr. recently announced that he will leave Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI), the company founded by his father, to drive for Hendrick Motorsports starting in 2008.
It is expected that his primary sponsor, Budweiser, will tag on him to his next team, although Budweiser still has a contract with DEI. Earnhardt, Jr. will take Kyle Busch's spot in Hendrick Motorsports. Busch, meanwhile, will leave the organization at the end of the 2007 NEXTEL Cup season.
Earnhardt, Jr.’s decision, like a dependable Gibson exhaust, elicited positive feedback from the NASCAR community. “Today’s announcement of Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s move to Hendrick Motorsports is indeed an important announcement for this season and beyond, and it should be noted that high-profile partnerships have always been a part of NASCAR’s competitive history. There have been so many great partnerships involving people of great character and ability. We’re proud of what they have brought to our sport. Dale Earnhardt Jr. has always said that first and foremost, he wants to win a NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series championship. We wish him the best of luck,” said Brian France, the NASCAR Chairman and CEO.
Tony Ponturo, the Vice President of Global Media and Sports Marketing Anheuser-Busch, Inc., has this to say: "Anheuser-Busch has enjoyed a remarkable relationship with Dale Earnhardt Jr. since our sponsorship commenced back in 1999. Dale Jr. is an excellent ambassador for the sport and our company, and we look forward to exploring options with Hendrick Motorsports and JR Motorsports to continue Budweiser’s relationship with him as he enters this new stage of his racing career."
"Dale Earnhardt, Jr. has been synonymous with the modern era of Chevy Motorsports with his 17 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series victories and two NASCAR Busch Series championships, all powered by the legendary small-block Chevy V8. Dale, Jr. has a choice in his future direction. We are proud he chose to stay with Team Chevy - the winningest name in motorsports with 609 wins and 30 championships - to pursue his championship bid. On behalf of General Motors and Chevrolet, congratulations to Dale Earnhardt, Jr. and Hendrick Motorsports on the announcement of their partnership," noted Brent Dewar, General Motors’ North America Vice President of Vehicle Sales, Service and Parts.
Even the American cable television network ESPN is backing the professional American driver’s decision. “I can’t think of anything at all that’s bigger. He hit a home run and hit it out of the ballpark. His father always loved Rick Hendrick and had a great admiration for him. With Junior finding that he can be in a car with points, he’s assured that he’s in all the races next year. You’ll never risk any problems whether it rains or you have a blown engine that can keep you out of a race. I think he could have done well at Richard Childress next season, but there was one problem - he wouldn’t have had points headed into the 2008 season,” said Rusty Wallace, an ESPN analyst.
Wallace’s workmate, Tim Brewer, added: “I think it’s a great decision because he wants to go and win races and win championships. He’s going to make the change for himself, get in a good race car and he’ll get the job done. They are proven winners and proven champions at Hendrick. The combination he’s had hasn’t been working, and that’s no disrespect to anyone. If I were him I would show up, not even take my helmet, and just ask ‘which car do you want me to get in?’ If I’d implemented a change and gone this far, I believe I’d make a big change.”
About the Author
Mike Bartley, 49, is a professional automotive journalist domiciled in Irvine, CA. He travels from one state to another to cover the hottest auto shows, racing events and automotive revelations. His penned compositions cover press releases, reviews, and suggestions. Where the auto action is, that’s exactly where you can find Mike. You
Dale Earnhardt
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How much is a 1998 Winner's Circle Dale Earnhardt car worth?
I found a 1998 Winner's Circle Dale Earnhardt 1/43 scale Die Cast and was wondering how much it would be worth? I am not a collector and have absolutely no idea how to price it. I've looked on eBay and other sites, but can't seem to get a clear answer.
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