The Dale Earnhardt Junior chronicles - NASCAR NEWS

[The General]

The Junior chronicles

When Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced his intentions to leave Dale Earnhardt Inc. last week, he repeatedly mentioned the strong feelings he held for the team his late father created. Which means the news Friday that DEI and Richard Childress Racing will merge engine-building facilities could be an asset, rather than a hindrance, in RCR's effort to land NASCAR's most popular driver.

Both sides say merger talks were in the works before Earnhardt decided to split from DEI when his contract ends after this season. Some believe the mere presence of DEI in the RCR camp will scare off Earnhardt, who had difficulty racing for the company now run by his stepmother, Teresa. Rather, it could allow him to race for someone else while still maintaining some ties -- albeit loose ones -- to people and an organization he clearly still cares for.

Meanwhile, the courtship continues. Asked Friday if they had any intentions of returning as a primary car sponsor, a representative of GM Goodwrench -- the company that backed the elder Earnhardt's No. 3 car at RCR -- would say only that they were monitoring the situation and had nothing to announce. Earnhardt says he's talked to car owners, but Childress says he hasn't talked to Earnhardt. Somewhere, Joe Gibbs continues to lurk. If only the final season of The Sopranos was this interesting.

The opinions expressed are solely of the writer.


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