Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Fast Moves From Nascar

Hey, all you Dale Earnhardt Jr fans. Have you heard about the grumblings within the DEI organization? Dale Jr wants more say in the decision making process. Teresa Earnhardt says she is willing to discuss a larger role for Dale Jr as part of the ongoing contract negotiations to keep him at his late father's company. When Teresa was asked if she was committed to keeping Junior behind the wheel of the Budweizer #8 Chevrolet, her answer was, "absolutely".

Junior's contract with DEI, expires at the end of this season, and his status with the company has been in question since Teresa Earnhardt apparently questioned Junior's commitment in a December article in The Wall Street Journal. She indicated that the ball was in his court to decide whether he wants to be a NASCAR driver or be a public personality.

The remark upset Junior, who said at preseason testing last week, that the two had not spoken since. Teresa said they have since spoken but was unclear on when the conversation may have occurred.

Junior said his relationship with his stepmother would factor into his decision to re-sign with DEI, and he hoped to get an ownership stake in the company. But Teresa skipped the most recent round of negotiations instead sending representatives to the bargaining table to meet with Junior and his sister, Kelley Earnhardt Elledge. Teresa says there is nothing unusual about that, it's all very typical and they are discussing everything trying to get this done.

My thoughts on the situations is, that without Junior behind the wheel, there is no DEI.

Now, on to a little happier note. On Friday, January 19, Sharpie has signed an agreement with Dale Earnhardt, Inc. to sponsor Dale Jr in 2007. This sponsorship will feature Junior friving the #8 Sharpie car in the Sharpie MINI 30, the Nascar Busch series race at Bristol Motor Speedway in March. To celebrate this partnership, a line of #8 Sharpie markers will debut in stores nationwide in April. Junior says he has used his share of Sharpie markers signing autographs and in his shop, so bringing Sharpie on as a sponsor was a natural. Not to mention that now he can get all the Sharpie markers he needs free!