Jr. going to Hendrick?

[JohnMickish]

This is the story from another site and it's been denied but you can't trust anyone these days. If that where to happen that would really make the post here interesting.

Dale Jr. leans toward Hendrick? UPDATE denied: The efforts to sign #8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. to a NASCAR driving contract for 2008 and beyond has reached a critical point, and the top two teams on Earnhardt’s list are the Chevrolet teams owned by Richard Childress and Rick Hendrick, according to men familiar with the negotiations. Earnhardt today is leaning toward a deal with Hendrick [NOTE: where would Earnhardt go? HMS has four Cup teams and all three drivers signed for a couple more years, unless some sort of deal with Haas CNC Racing or Ginn Racing would be worked out], largely because of Hendrick’s very strong engine program, sources here said yesterday. Earnhardt and veteran crew chief Tony Eury Jr., his cousin and close confidante as well as the man who has led him to many of his 17 Cup victories, have talked with both the Hendrick and Childress camps in recent weeks about the positives and negatives each team owner would have to offer, sources said yesterday. And Eury will have a major voice in the decision, because Earnhardt’s primary goal now, at age 32, is to win a championship.(Winston Salem Journal)(5-9-2007)

UPDATE: Hendrick Motorsports General Manager Marshall Carlson told Sirius NASCAR Radio's Sirius Speedway Tuesday that his team is fully stocked with drivers for 2008 and beyond, and that he has not spoken with Dale Earnhardt, Jr., about the possibility of joining the Hendrick stable. "We have four outstanding drivers in Jeff Gordon, Jimmie Johnson, Kyle Busch and Casey Mears, and all of them are signed to long-term contracts," he said. "Dale Earnhardt, Jr., is obviously a very talented driver, but all of our seats are filled." Asked by host Dave Moody if that meant Hendrick would not be interested in Earnhardt under any circumstances, Carlson said, "I never say `never' in this business. Again, Dale is a very talented driver that any team would be interested in having in one of their cars. But we are extremely satisfied with our four driver/team combinations, and we have contracts in place for all our key players."(Sirius NASCAR Radio's Sirius Speedway)(5-9-2007)

[harvey lee]

Seems like the press sure likes to create gossip. This will keep going on until JR signs with DEI.

[Sifty]

Yep.

Sifty

[TNFL]

just read this off yahoo.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. officially will say goodbye to Dale Earnhardt Inc. on Thursday morning, Yahoo! Sports has learned.

A highly placed source within DEI as well as additional sources familiar with the situation told Yahoo! Sports on Wednesday afternoon that both Junior and teammate Martin Truex Jr. will announce Thursday morning that they are leaving the DEI camp at the end of this season and will drive for Earnhardt's heretofore Busch Series operation, JR Motorsports.

Sirius Radio also reported late Wednesday afternoon that the Earnhardt/Truex split with DEI was a done deal and that the new Cup team entry will field Chevrolet chassis built by Hendrick Motorsports and will use Hendrick engines as well. Sources at Hendrick Motorsports reportedly disavowed knowledge of a pending partnership, however.

Sources tell Yahoo! Sports that Earnhardt Jr.'s primary sponsor, Budweiser, will follow Junior to JR Motorsports. Budweiser's contract with DEI is due to expire at the end of 2008, but Yahoo! Sports sources believe there are provisions within the contract for an early exit if Earnhardt Jr. does not drive the No. 8 Chevrolet for DEI.

The press conference, which will be televised nationally, will take place at JR Motorsports headquarters in Mooresville, N.C., at 11 a.m. ET on Thursday.

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There has been no comment thus far from either DEI president Teresa Earnhardt (Dale Jr.'s stepmother) or company director of global operations Max Siegel.

Truex's contract with DEI reportedly runs through 2008, though '08 might be only an option year on his deal with the team. It also is possible Truex has an out tied to primary sponsor Bass Pro Shops' future with the DEI. Sources have told Yahoo! Sports that the sponsor has explored moving to a different team after this season.

Earnhardt and sister Kelley Earnhardt Elledge have been in often contentious negotiations with Teresa Earnhardt that have sparked considerable posturing from both sides in the media.

Both siblings have said that if a deal with DEI was not in place by the end of May, they would consider a variety of options, including Junior leaving DEI. Just last week, DEI confirmed that it was talking with Robert Yates Racing about a possible merger and also a switch from Chevrolet power plants and chassis to Ford engines and chassis.

[JohnMickish]

Wow, that comes as a shock to me. So, who would Bud go with then? I read a deal with Biffles negotiations that said he had a few sponsors ready to move over. I don't think Bud is a good fit there but NAPA and UPS would be.

[TNFL]

the 4th paragraph says bud will go with JR.

[harvey lee]

I do understand why JR wants to leave DEI but, I cannot belive that Theresa didnt give a little ground. No, one driver doesnt make a team but, I'll bet that this will put the kiss of death on DEI.

Sr. has to be rolling over in his grave.

[LMITOUT]

Ol' Teresa might as well let Jr. take the #8 and the #1 with them since she'll have no use for those numbers in a mothballed shop. Money talks, talk walks. Guess what 'T' got? Nothing.

Alas, the crown prince has been set free!!!!

I can see Menard going to Toyota too.

[JohnMickish]

Quote:

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Alas, the crown prince has been set free!!!!

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Driving a Hendrick car. That's priceless. It might be a different team name but it's a Hendrick chassis and Hendrick motor. That's like being Gordons and Johnsons step-cousin. Thats going to make it pretty hard to bash Hendrick now isn't it?

Sorry, I misread that on Bud leaving. Bud is a good fit for Jr.

[LMITOUT]

Who said it was a Hendrick car? Never bashed Hendrick's cars or engines....just the robots...errr....people who operate them.

And even if it was, he still doesn't have their cheating crew chiefs and rotten owner, so that's not even the same ballpark.

Not to mention he isn't one of those spit-shined robots behind the wheel. That's why Jr. is Jr.

[LMITOUT]

The Charlotte Observer on Wednesday reported that Earnhardt will leave DEI but will not be starting a Nextel Cup team at JR Motorsports, a Busch Series team owned by Earnhardt.

Various reports Wednesday night indicated Earnhardt would start his own Cup operation at JR Motorsports, but the Observer, citing sources, refuted those accounts.

Earnhardt will announce his departure from DEI on Thursday at an 11 a.m. EDT press conference at JR Motorsports in Mooresville, North Carolina. He is in the final year of his contract at DEI.

Max Siegel, who was hired late last year as president of global operations for DEI, could not be reached for comment Wednesday.

Sources told The Observer that the sport's most popular driver will not announce Thursday where he will drive in 2008, but it will not be with a JR Motorsports Cup team.

Earnhardt becomes a racing free agent and the bidding for his services next season will be very high.

Teams expected to show an immediate interest are Richard Childress Racing, the team where his legendary father won six of his seven NASCAR Cup championships, and Hendrick Motorsports.

A source in the NASCAR garage area indicated that "Hendrick is prepared to offer him half the world" but that team has not issued a comment on their interest in the driver that has won 17 Cup races in 265 career starts but has yet to win a season title.

[JohnMickish]

Quote:

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Sirius Radio also reported late Wednesday afternoon that the Earnhardt/Truex split with DEI was a done deal and that the new Cup team entry will field Chevrolet chassis built by Hendrick Motorsports and will use Hendrick engines as well. Sources at Hendrick Motorsports reportedly disavowed knowledge of a pending partnership, however.

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Thats what the article says so if it actually happens that's to see. Now don't forget that JR.s team has been caught cheating to so that puts him in the same boat in the same water as Knous and Johnson, just he got caught (twice) at a time when it wasn't as big a deal as it is now.

On a separate note owner/drivers haven't done much in the last 15 years or so so I wish him the best of luck in the future. He won't have any owner points for next year. Pretty ballsy move.

[PikeBayCommanche]

Wow Imagine Hendrick Horsepower with and Earnhart in the seat.

[LMITOUT]

Quote:

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Now don't forget that JR.s team has been caught cheating

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Please elaborate.

[JohnMickish]

Both of these infractions are at least 4 years old so please don't ask me for dates, I don't have the time to dig it up. Once for having an illegal third gear ratio in the trany at Daytona and once for having a windshield that was to thin and deflecting, thus changing the way the air flows over the car. I will give them credit on that one, that's pretty ingenious. That one was found by watching the car on film. Both infrations where found before any race.

Now you are probably going to say that the windshild being to thin isn't that big a deal. Jr.s car was changing the shape of the front windshild, Johnsons was found changing the shape of the back window. Very similar if you ask me.

[JohnMickish]

Just found this doing a search on Dale Jr. cheating.

It's only a busch car but...

Well, it's about that time of the year for me to write one of those articles that gets me in trouble. I don't try to do this, but sometimes it just happens. If you have read my stuff before you know that I write what I see and I hold nothing back.

Dale Earnhardt Jr's dominance in the Busch series continued this weekend. He led wire to wire and took the win at Daytona.

Anytime Dale Jr wins, the conspiracy theorists come out in full form and make up the craziest stories as to how NASCAR let Dale get away with it and how they favor him. I am always one to say that the rules are the rules and NASCAR can not fix the outcome of a race.

I still believe that.

However, I saw something on Friday that shocked me. Not only did Jr's crew do something so blatantly obvious during inspection, but the NASCAR officials let it go, and to top it off they laughed and joked about it.

[sNIP]

This weekend I was at Daytona with garage/pit credentials courtesy of NASCAR. After this, it'll probably be the last time.

Inspection finally opened up prior to the race and the cars were sent thru a maze in the garage area consisting of about 5 or 6 different areas that the teams pushed the cars thru. One checked body templates, one checked under the cars, one checked the weight, etc. I found it odd that they would move the cars to several different locations to accomplish this, but a NASCAR official escorted each car from station to station to ensure that no one did anything illegal.

When Dale Jr's car was going thru the station that checks the roof height and the valance heights and others, I walked over to that station and snapped off a couple pictures...

[sNIP]

Jr's team pushed the car up on the scales.

The NASCAR officials were having the teams disconnect and reconnect the sway bar at the scales. So, the 8 team, as others, lifted the hood and went to work on the sway bar. Then it happened.

One of Jr's crew members walked over to the passenger side and while the inspectors were looking at the computer to see the numbers and the other one was watching the guy wrenching on the sway bar, the crew member grabbed the hood in the area where it goes over the right front tire and bent it severely upward away from the fender. I sat there for a second thinking, "Why did he do that?"

Then the officials told them to close the hood and move on to the next station, they had passed this portion of inspection. At this point the same crew member closed the hood and now it didn’t fit with the fender anymore. So what did he do? He grabbed the fender and yanked it up at least an inch and a half to meet the newly shaped hood. As he yanked it up, the rest of the fender, above the tire twisted and contorted to this new shape. He closed the hood and it still wasn’t right, so he opened it and adjusted the fender some more until he got it where he wanted it. Then he closed the hood.

This was a major modification to the shape of the fender at a place where the templates are checked very closely.

To make it worse, there were 3 NASCAR inspectors watching this. One Winston Cup inspector and 2 Busch series officials.

They looked at each other and one said to Jr's guys, "That was a major adjustment there guys, I think you need to go back thru the templates."

I thought, "Ok, they are going to do the right thing."

Then they all laughed. The crew guy said, "OH, they never check that anyways." And they laughed some more. The main inspector looked at the obviously tweaked fender and shook his head and said, "I knew we couldn't trust you guys." And they all laughed again.

They pushed the car over to the next station and that was the end of it.

How could these officials let this team make such a blatant adjustment to a critical part of the car and not make them go back thru the templates?

[sNIP]

Now, I am sure all the Jr fans will write in and tell me that I am jealous of Jr or that I need to get a life. But I want you to seriously consider what happened. The rules specifically state that no adjustments can be made to the body of the car after it goes thru the templates or else you must go thru the templates again. A major reshaping of this fender was done and the officials just laughed it off.

I watched several other teams get sent back thru the templates and other stations for far less minor infractions.

Jr fan or not, a rule is rule and it must be enforced evenly. I place the blame here on the NASCAR officials and not on Jr's team. They did what they had to do and they got away with it. The officials did not do their job properly. I personally would like to see an investigation into this and find out why it was allowed. I have the names of all 3 NASCAR officials if anybody wants them. And, I actually had one person say that post race inspection would have found the infraction if there was one. They do not template the car in post race inspection. The cars bump each other during the race.

[JohnMickish]

Sorry, this isn't a Jr. is a cheater thread. I just wanted to show that he is not above anyone else out there so when there are remarks like "And even if it was, he still doesn't have their cheating crew chiefs and rotten owner, so that's not even the same ballpark." I'm just showing that not only is he in the ballpark I believe he is on the pitchers mound.

Jr.(and/or his team) is no better or worse than anyone else out there.

[LMITOUT]

lol.

[TNFL]

Quote:

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lol.

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Yeah, LOL is right.

Today's special is crow with a side of foot in the mouth. ENJOY

[harvey lee]

Lets try to keep this thread under control and within forum policy today. It will be interesting to see what Jr and DEI has to say today. Were all here for fun.

[Eric Wettschreck]

It's hard to imagine DEI without an Earnhardt. It pretty much sucks but I can absolutely understand why Jr left. He wants to win a cup and he felt he wasn't going to with DEI.

If (and I hope this happens) he starts driving for RCR he'll be a champion in fairly short order.

[Harmonica Bear]

WOW! All my joking a side, my gut feeling was this wouldn't happen. Ballsy move, for sure. I think he wants control and the ching $ that comes with it. He'll tell DEI to stick the # 8, just think of the new merchandise sales! But, by no means does that get him any closer to cup title, in fact, as stated earlier it might make it that much more arduous.

[HOF#13]

Well, Silly Season is off to a bang! As a Jr. fan I am a little suprised, but not disappointed. It will definately be interesting to see where he ends up. I see it is a 2 horse race with RCR and Hendrick, both of which are a big upgrade to the quality of car DEI has been putting on the track week in and out.

[Sifty]

Ok guy's lets keep this on the right side of fun.

Sifty

[LMITOUT]

The news conference wasn't much hoopla....just the announcement that he was leaving DEI. I never heard any mention of Truex though.

I really see Jr. going to RCR when this shakes out in the end. Hendrick already has four cars and with the cap on the number of cars a team can have I have a hard time seeing them making room for Jr. RCR has been said to be looking for a car to fill that fourth spot, and this would be the most logical choice. I don't know how RCR and Jr. couldn't do it.

The news report said that Jr. forming a new cup team would be the last option if he didn't go to another established team, but if everything else fails that's probably what could happen.