DEI Puts Deal On Table, Ball in Junior's Court?

Reporting like this is "getting the cart before the horse." Jr. will tell the world when it's a done deal.

I agree with Shawn, and I think Dale Sr. wanted the focus of DEI to be on racing, not on music videos or movie-making. I bet if this is true, Sr. is spinning in his grave.

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Who cares? This guy is the most overrated driver in the history of Nascar. He has had a grand total of two wins the last two seasons. What little bit of a prime he had is long since past. It kills me that he gets all the coverage and fan support when if his last name wasnt Earnhardt his career would be a flop. Eighth year in Nascar and still no championship? The near future doesnt look good either. If he had finished 35th at the Brickyard(where he ran all day until staying out on a late caution) he wouldnt have even made the chase last year. Meanwhille, Matt Kenseth has won a championship and just as many races. You tell me who the better driver is. I hope his career continues to spiral down. It will be awesome to watch all these obnoxious Junior fans that think he is the only driver in the world start to jump ship when they come to the painful realization that he aint his Daddy. The best part of this will be reading all the responses you Junior "guard dogs" out there post in response to this! To bad his recent stats cant just defend themselves!!

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Hey Samuel, sounds like you don't like JR.,(kinda sounds personal) what did he do to you? Can't you just bea NASCAR fan.

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All of these other announcements about Teresa (some interior design work) and DEI (entertainment company) are all well and good. However, their main focus should (in my opinion) be about keeping Junior at DEI. These extracurricular activities makes it appear their focus is not on Junior (or racing, for that matter).

I think all of the contract speculation is getting a little out of hand at times. I haven't heard from Max's, Teresa's, Junior's, or Kelley's mouths that 51% is being granted or is really that close. They all pretty well say the same thing - talks are progressing.

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Samuel doesn't hate Junior. He is an ok driver. But he hasn't done nothing in his career except for a Daytona 500, a race that anybody can win ( two examples, ward burton and derrike cope)
The only reason why he is so popular is that his last his earnhardt. Thats the only reason. I know of several Junior fans who have already jump ship. At least they have come to their senses unlike most of his fans. Most of Junior's friends have won championships already. Tony Stewart has already won two, Matt Kenseth has won one, Kurt Busch has won one, Jimmie johnson won one and he started two years after junior did. Look for Junior to average one win per season if not any unless he comes to his senses and leaves DEI which he should have already done and he probably won't make the chase this year like he should have done last year. He will be lucky to make another one.

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Dale Earnhardt, Jr. prior to his father's death, was never given a fair shake at anything to start with! His compensation for driving and winning the Bush Series in 1999 was less than what a grocery clerk makes at Foodlion per week!
Teresa Earnhardt is no more knowledgeable of running a race team than she is doing back flips out of an airplane with a parachute at 30k feet! The whole DEI thing up to this point has been nothing but a group of uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews constantly arguing and fighting among themselves since the close of 2001. That might have a little something to do with "Jr's" few wins and relatively poor performances since then driving for a bunch of idiots in the shops, the crew and all the way to Teresa's desk at DEI!
You cannot win races with cars that are never set up correctly for any track, week sfter week! You cannot expect improvements in the race team's performances when the owner is only focused on promotions, sponsorships and other matters that are too far away from the day to day operations of DEI. This in a nut shell is why the demands are being put on Teresa to give it up, or she can find ways to operate what will become nothing more than a museum and a memorial to Dale Earnhardt, Sr.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. has some of the best talents and abilities of any/all NEXTEL CUP drivers on the current track! You put him with RCR, or Gibbs, or Hendricks, and you'd see him suddenly winning every other week! Stuart, Gordan and Harvick have all said the same things publicly, and if they don't know, who does?
Personally I would love to see "Jr" give up this idea of trying to become an owner and a driver at the same time. Petty tried it, it didn't work! Robbie Gordan tried it, and it's not working! Ricky Rudd tried it, it didn't work! There's no way a driver can focus on what he does best, and at the same time deal with all of the constant day to day problems of running a company that employs hundreds of people in dozens of departments!
He needs to get away from the "Earnhardt" dream and get with RCR, or Gibbs, or somebody that knows how to build race cars and can set them up properly week after week, where he can focus on what his daddy trained him to do, and that's to drive and win races!

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Richard, that was a good read, well said.

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DALE JR. IS DEI.WITHOUT HIM THERE WOULD NOT BE A DEI FOR VERY LONG.HE'S HAD SOME BIG SHOES TO FILL AND SOME TREMENDOUS EXPECTATIONS .I THINK HE IS DOING GREAT.HIS FATHER HAD HIM IN MIND TO CONTINUE THE EARNHARDT RACING LEGACY ,NOT TERESA OR ANYBODY ELSE.PEOPLE SHOULD JUST BE NASCAR FAN'S,AND NOT CRITICIZE OTHER DRIVERS.JUST PULL FOR YOUR DRIVER AND NOT AGAINST OTHER'S

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SR. didn't even drive for DEI, only Dale jr & Kerry
he built the company, but didn'y drive for it, lets get it right & I agree Jr. move to a better team, couple of years you can Jr Sports to be the Earnhardt company to pass down, welcome to step-child world

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Dan criticizes Samuel because he doesn't like Junior and asks, "what did he do to you. Can't you just be a NASCAR fan?" I have the same question for people who hate Jeff Gordon. Why can't we all just be NASCAR fans and appreciate these great drivers?

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I agree with Samuel. IF his name was anything other then Earnhart you woldnt have to keep hearing his name and seeing him in every telivision commercial. Grant it Gordon did alot of tv commercials and you here his name alot but his wins and championships speak for themselves. And let us not forget Tony Stewart. Not my favorite driver but a talented one.

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It's so easy to sit back and judge someone elses life. Like any of us know Jr. His career is not over, he has atleast 10 to 15 years left. And lets not forget he has not had the best cars with DEI over the last two years that is why he wants some control to make the racing program better. Jr is a talented racer. He came from a humble back ground and was taught by the best. I'm sure it has not been easy to be him sometimes but he is a professional and does the best he can for himself, his family, DEI and his fans. Give the guy a break, he is trying.

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MG is right give him a break. One day is racing with his Father behind him, helping to make a win possible for him or Mike W....., then he gone, dead in his car. Then he is to carry on. He did a great job there, just remember who is following.......after all, the ghost of Sr., isn't easy to follow. So for him to win at all, with all the stuff that followed him after his Father's death, it something for him to be so popular and be a good sport, hang in there with DEI. Easlier to run and jump into another car.......like last Sunday. Where ever he goes, it will be with a heavy heart, he wants to continue his Father's dream, so maybe it time for TE to get with the real program, not her pipe dreams.........without Jr. they will only be half the family "name". Go Jr Go.......whereever you want, We be there, his fans. And we could care less if Gordon is in a car or not.

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Richard Humphries:

Thank you for making my point. It's always someone besides Junior's fault. His cars and setups were fine in 2004 when he "Forrest Gumped" his way into the chase and won five races. Didnt hear ANYONE complaining about TE then. Little has changes since then, but the wins have come to a screaching halt. He cant even stay up front on a consistent basis. You say that if he was in a good car he would be competitive? Thats the kind of loser talk you hear from teams that struggle to keep guys in the Top 35. You shouldnt be hearing it from a team with that kind of money and sponsorship. You dont think there is even the slightest possibility that the talent has fallen off? Not even just a little? I guarantee if Jimmie Johnson(whom I cant stand either, but he does have tremendous talent unlike Junior)got into Junior's car he could win with it. Thats the difference between a good driver and an over-rated one. If DEI is so bad then why did Truex resign instead of jumping ship? Once again, the arguments of Junior fans fall short, just like their driver.

Samuel Tripp

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Doesn't wanna give up 51% of the company for nothing. Hmm... could it be that Teresa is actually wanting to *gasp* sell HER team? Because, like it or not, it is hers. Her husband chose to leave it to her, not his kids.

Frankly, I don't blame her. If anyone, familial relationships or not, were trying to bully me into just giving up control of MY team, I'd say, "You want it. Buy it. Otherwise, pound sand."

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CARRIE; YOU'RE RIGHT: IF I HAD A COMPANY LEFT TO ME BY MY BETTER HALF AND LATTER ON ONE OF THE STEPSONS OR STEPDAUGHTERS WANTED MAJORITY OWNERSHIP I WOULD TELL THEM ALSO TO BUY IT OR SHUT THE HELL UP; TERESA WOULD BE A FOOL THE JUST GIVE UP 51% OF WHAT IS HERS. SHE WAS THE ONE THAT HELPED HER HUSBAND TO BECOME SUCCESSFUL IN RACING.( HIS FIRST WIFE LEFT HIM BECAUSE SHE COULDN'T STAND RACING). SHE NEEDS TO THINK ABOUT THE ONLY DAUGHTER SHE HAS WITH HER LATE HUSBAND AND HER FUTURE IF SHE GIVES AWAY HER COMPANY.

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C'mon over to Hendrick Motor Sports, Jr. There you will be given a real car, with real mechanics, real equipment and an owner that cares about you and your success as a driver! You will be taught how to drive to your best ability...and you will succeed! Make it happen, Captain! Start your own legacy, Jr. and prove that you have what it takes to be a success!

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It doesn't even matter who we are talking about. Bottom line is Earnhardt Sr started DEI for his kids. Lesson to learn.......write a will.

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HEY SAM IF YA HATE JR SO MUCH,AND U R SO SICK OF HIM HOW DID YA END UP ON THIS BLOG? ANYHOW I THINK HE IS DOING WHAT HE THINKS HIS DAD WOULD WANT.AND IF HE IS SO BAD WHY WOULD RCR EVEN THINK ABOUT SIGHNING HIM? OR ANYONE ELSE WHO WOULD JUMP AT THE CHANCE TO HAVE HIM ON THEIR TEAM.THINGS AREN'T GOING WELL AT DEI CAMP RIGHT NOW,BUT LOOK AT JEFF BURTON HE WAS STAGNET FOR HOW LONG? NOW THAT HE HAS GOOD STUFF HE SURE STEPPED UP.I GUESS WE ALL HAVE TO WAIT AND HOPE HE MAKES THE WISE AND BEST CHOICE FOR HIM AND THE MOST FANS THAN ANY OTHER DRIVER IN NASCAR. SORRY HATERS!

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JR,

Get the money for DEI 51% ownership and qualify that it will be only used for better equipment!

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