The Future For Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Dale Jr. said today that he does not want his own JR Motorsports team to grow too large. This seems to squelch the idea that he would become owner-driver for his own team which currently fields Busch Series cars.
Junior crushed another persistent rumor when he said that he would want to go to Richard Childress Racing and drive his father's former #3 car "for two or three years towards the end of his career" when he is "50 or 55."
It is likely that Dale will take primary sponsor Budweiser with him wherever he lands. This effectively makes him the number one free agent in NASCAR for the 2008 season. Any team owner would be thrilled to have a huge sponsor like Budweiser in combination with NASCAR's most popular driver. Expect Little E to find a home with one of NASCAR's premier teams.
The current leading candidate seems to be Hendrick Motorsports. This would be a great move for Junior who has struggled lately. This would also be a huge win for Hendrick as he would land one of the sport's top sponsors and a huge merchandising opportunity with the sport's top fan base.
More information will be announced later in the season as Earnhardt's plans become finalized.
Junior Leaves Behind A Mess
What does this mean for Dale Earnhardt Inc.? Team owner Theresa Earnhardt (Senior's widow and Junior's stepmother) is left without huge sponsor Budweiser. The team also loses the only NASCAR superstar in their stable. This hurts the budget directly in sponsor dollars and indirectly through merchandise sales and fan support.
This leaves DEI without a big name driver and with only Bass Pro Shops as a primary sponsor. Bass Pro Shops contract is due to expire at the end of 2008 and could leave earlier if driver Martin Truex Jr. decides to leave. Will the house that Dale Earnhardt built survive this terrible loss?
