[Crazynuff]

Dale Earnhardt Junior owns no part of DEI . His contract runs out the end of this season . Stepmom Theresa told "Wall Street Journal " she doesn't know if he has the dedication to be a champion . It'll be an interesting season .

[Jayman]

Kinda makes Thanksgiving dinner at the Earnhardt place a little tense. :o

[Broompilot]

One thing about Racing, talent is second to MARKETABILITY. He is a very marketable driver (makes them MILLIONS). If I were a gambling man, my bet he aint going anywhere. Odder things have happened but to replace him with a better more marketable driver thats a combo hard to find.

PS a great driver no, a very good driver YES. Marketable WAY TO GOOD.

PSS I am no Junior Fan but do not dislike him either. Now Gordan YUCK would you paint rainbows on your truck?

[lanier1]

I wasn't a Dale sr. fan mainly because everyone else was. I always pulled for Bill Elliot but did respect Seniors talent. That said, I didn't just automatically become a Junior fan by default. In fact I really didn't like him. However, over the last year watching him and listening to his interviews and his show on XM I have become a bonafide Junior fan. I think his driving will continue to improve. He still has time. You are right about his marketability. His popularity is unsurpassed and Budweiser will go wherever he does. I can't imagine DEI would cut him loose. I wonder if DEI would survive for long without him.

[highway star]

Junior says that his relationship with Theresa hasn't changed since he was a kid. Maybe there are some things he hasn't outgrown. If it's that strained, a change may be better for everyone. Seems to me that being the most popular driver 4 years in a row would do in lieu of a championship.

[Crazynuff]

If Dale senior thought Jr should have part of the business it would have been in his will . You know there had to be a will otherwise Jr would have gotten part of the business in the estate settlement .

[Jayman]

I never was much of an Earnhardt fan. Even though I was a bit sad when Sr died...I always thought he was a dirty driver.

[greg334]

>I never was much of an Earnhardt fan. Even though I was a
>bit sad when Sr died...I always thought he was a dirty
>driver.

Well I have to say that as much as I love to watch Nascar and F-1, I lost all interest in either sr. or jr. when sr. died. The place I worked at went into a freinzy when we all heard, people crying, a vigil was held for a week and there was even talk about a day off for much of our department - most of the people were BIG fans and took it a bit too hard.

[highway star]

Like Jayman, I wasn't a big fan of Senior's "if you can't pass 'em, crash 'em" style of racing. But, after he finally won Daytona and every team there lined up to congratulate him, I kind of softened my outlook on that. You know that a lot of those teams had problems with him at one time or another, but they still had respect.

[Broompilot]

SR. added so much to the sport more so than Jordan did for Basketball, Tiger for golf.

He has the # 3 or 4 most famous spot of famous people, behind Elvis and who else I do not recall.

As for his racing style, thank goodness for Tony, he is the only driver with any guts left. Sport has gotten WIMPY without SR, can one deny this fact?

Like him or not (#20) he keeps it intresting to follow, when he leaves so will I. Now love him nope, even though I worked in the orginization but he sure kept me in hot water with all the Patrons at the local Pub.

[highway star]

Senior got killed going into the wall. How many drivers did he put into the wall over the years? He's lucky he didn't kill someone. Is wimpy the right description? How about, more civil? I know someone whose interest dropped big time after Senior died. He used to watch just to see what #3 was going to do next.

[Broompilot]

It was all in the angle of the bump.

[mhoy40]

if he does leave d.e.i which i dont think will happen but like someone else said weirder things happen in nascar everyday,but if he does hell go to childress racing budwieser will go to they have a market goldmine in junior then we shall see the famous #3 on a red bud car there has been rumor of this for the last two season.and that is when we shall see if hes a racer or a face man so to speak(just good for the image).

[nightcreacher]

Jr isnt going any where,if he leaves DEI it will be with his own team, this is what he's shooting for
Since the death of big E,nascar has fallen off,love him or hate him,the fans all came just to see what was going to happen next
and as far as dirty driving,guess you dont remember old king richard running guys over,or fire ball roberts useing the chrome horn
this isnt dirty diving,this is racing