Dale Jr. Prepares for Final Run
Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s team released its normal pre-race quotes this week.  Two things trike me about the quotes.  First, I really believe he's sincere in being emotionally torn.  Second, I don't think there's a molecule in his body that will miss making more money for Teresa Earnhardt.

"There will be so many mixed feelings for me this week. It's hard to imagine it was 1999 when we made our first Cup start (at Charlotte, May) with this team and with Budweiser. I'm excited about the off-season and jumping right into my new deal, but it's very, very important for me to end my time with Dale Earnhardt Inc. with integrity and with my head held high. When your career is over and you look back, I think that's critical: a measure of your character is more important than the number of wins you have. That kind of thing will last longer than any driving career.

"It's been relatively easy to concentrate and focus so far this season when it was time to pull on the helmet, but it may be much tougher to do that at Homestead. I have so many close friends and people I've gone into battle with for nearly a decade, and that type of bond will stay with me forever. The same goes for Budweiser. The people at Anheuser-Busch took a big chance on me when I'd never turned a lap in a Cup race. I'll never forget that, and we've had an amazing run since then. I never thought we'd be here in 2007 with things like four consecutive "Most Popular Driver" awards and having a Daytona 500 trophy with my name on it. Man, those are things I only dreamed about when I was living in a trailer and changing oil at my dad's dealership. It's been a helluva great time.

"It's been a rough year for the team and I'm sure it's been tough on my fans with everything that has happened. We've had such a great team that's run so strong but has little or nothing to show for it. Whether we go out with a whimper or a bang, we're going to do it together as a team, running as hard as we can every lap. That's how we've always been, and that feeling of a collective effort is the most important thing. I want to thank everyone who has worked with me at Dale Earnhardt Inc. and sponsors like Budweiser that have supported me for so long. And the fans too - they've been great and have helped make me feel like they will be with me through thick or thin."

Posted: 11/13/2007 10:39:00 AM
Comments:
It is sad to see him leave his father's company, but on the other hand instead of remaining stagnated where he is he is moving to a company that will supprot him and help him grow as a driver. Dale Jr. has the talent and needs to be with a company like Hendrick that will be there for him. It is hard to have faith in your "employer" when they are not there supporting you week after week. I hae to say it is not too often that rick isn't right there with all of his teams cheering them on.
Jr. will not only make his Daddy proud next year, he will make all of JR. NATION proud of him. I look forward to next season and watching him kick butt on the track like he so deserves. Would be awesome if next year he could walk away standing proud with a CHAMPOINSHIP trophy in his hand!!! Might make Teresa think a bit about R&D and its benefits! :)
Posted On: 11/13/2007 10:39:00 AM
I agree completely with THS, djff, and Mary. I'm sure that in a way, Dale Jr. feels that he is abandoning his dad. That's understandable. But it isn't true. DEI is no longer Dale Srs. successful company. Except for the great talent of Martin Truex Jr., DEI has degraded to be barely a Busch league competitor, headed by an ignorant, greedy woman who's only success is inheriting the DEI name. I want to call her a "dumb ***", except that would denigrate every female dog on earth. Everyone knows that Dale Jr. IS DEI. Teresa should have let Dale Jr. have 51% of the company. They would have retained the number #8 on the track, and kept Budweiser's sponsorship, one of the best sports sponsors in America. That would have insured it's success. Dale Jr. isn't just a great driver. He's proven that. But just as importantly, he's a wealth of knowledge on the running and operation of DEI. And also important to me in particular, Dale Jr. is a class act.  
Posted On: 11/13/2007 10:39:00 AM
It's extremely saddening to see him leaving his father's company, yet I think he will make his dad proud next year.
Posted On: 11/13/2007 10:39:00 AM

Report Inappropriate Content

Select the reason that best describes why you think this content is inappropriate, and then click Submit. We'll review the content to determine if action is required. Thanks for your input!
 
Submit
Cancel