Jr. to make annoucement?

[Harmonica Bear]

From thats racin . com

Dale Earnhardt Jr. has scheduled a news conference for 11 a.m. Wednesday at the JR Motorsports headquarters in Mooresville, perhaps to announce his Nextel Cup plans for 2008 and beyond.

Earnhardt's public relations representatives sent out the notice of the news conference, but provided no further details.

Earnhardt Jr. announced on May 9 that he would leave Dale Earnhardt Inc. at the end of the 2007 season. He has driven the No. 8 Chevrolets for DEI for each of the 269 starts he has had so far in Nextel Cup racing.

Earnhardt Jr. said he wants to go to a team where he feels he has an immediate chance to win races and contend for championships. He has won 17 times in his career so far, but has yet to finish higher than third in the season's standings.

Earnhardt Jr. also said he would prefer to remain in Chevrolets. That has fostered speculation that his main options included Hendrick Motorsports, Joe Gibbs Racing and Richard Childress Racing.

[Coach Dog]

On NASCAR.com. Bye bye Kyle Busch, welcome JR to Hendrick.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. has decided where he will drive next season, and all signs point to Hendrick Motorsports.

NASCAR's most popular driver called a Wednesday news conference at his race shop, JR Motorsports, and spokesman Mike Davis said it was to announce his plans for 2008 and beyond.

Junior leaving DEI

Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced he will leave Dale Earnhardt Inc. at the end of this season.

Complete Coverage, click here

It's the same site where Junior announced May 10 he would leave DEI and enter the free-agent market.

That move ignited a whirlwind of recruiting rarely scene in NASCAR, and there's been nonstop talk regarding where Earnhardt would end up. He's made shop visits and met with various car owners while he trying to make a decision.

His sister, Kelley Earnhardt Elledge, is handling his negotiations and has maintained their first choice was to keep Earnhardt in a Chevrolet. She has said the majority of her conversations have been with NASCAR's top Chevy teams.

Hendrick is the best in NASCAR right now, with 10 wins through the first 14 points races this season.

Speculation grew Monday night that Earnhardt was close to a deal with Hendrick, but officials declined comment Tuesday. Elledge did not respond to messages from The Associated Press.

Rick Hendrick currently has four drivers under contract, and told the AP last month "there was no room at the inn'' for Earnhardt. NASCAR rules permit a car owner to field four Nextel Cup teams.

But multiple sources -- speaking to the AP on condition of anonymity because Earnhardt's plans have not been announced -- said Hendrick officials have been working for nearly three weeks to figure out how to bring the star driver into the fold. One scenario could put Earnhardt into the No. 5 car that Kyle Busch currently drives.

Busch is under contract through 2008, and Hendrick has said he wanted to sign the 22-year-old driver to an extension. But there are rumblings Busch has asked to be released from his contract.

Asked if that was true, Hendrick spokesman Jesse Essex said, "We don't comment on contractual issues.''

Busch was testing in Milwaukee on Tuesday and not available to comment.

It's still possible Earnhardt could end up at Richard Childress Racing, where his father won six of his seven championships, or Joe Gibbs Racing. But Childress is out of the country, and the assistant to Gibbs president J.D. Gibbs said Gibbs is away all week.

[HOF#13]

Marty Smith on ESPN, citing sources with "intimate" knowledge of the situation, states that Jr. will sign with Hendrink and that Kyle Busch will be the odd man out. The sources did not indicate if Jr. will drive the #5 car, or possibly the #25 car with Casey Mears moving to the #5 car. Interesting. I guess we'll all find out for sure tomorrow morning.

[jbell1981]

So if this is true & Jr. is heading to Hendrick, does that mean some of this Gordon vs. Jr non-sense will end since they would be teammates? I sure hope so, but doubtfull.

[PikeBayCommanche]

Wow what a team this will be. JR, Jimmie, and Jeff.

Triple J's.

[Harmonica Bear]

Even with Jr as a teammate I just don't think I'll ever be a Hendrick Motorsports/Gordon/Johnson fan. Not that I don't respect the organization and it's marquee drivers, but I just can't be a fan of those two. I'm a fan of Jr and with him aboard at Hendrick I might have some issues (not that I don't already... )

[jbell1981]

I guess I am one of minority that is a fan of Jr., Gordon and Johnson.

[lawdog]

I can't wait for this announcement!!! I bet PERCHJR's head will implode when Jr. says he's going to Hendrick to be teammates with Jeff Gordon!

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!!!!!!!!!!!!

[LMITOUT]

Quote:

---

So if this is true & Jr. is heading to Hendrick, does that mean some of this Gordon vs. Jr non-sense will end since they would be teammates? I sure hope so, but doubtfull.

---

never.....NEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[PierBridge]

To good to be true....not buying at this point.

[JohnMickish]

LMAO!

Jr. driving for Hendrick. I can't wait. It's going to be pretty tough for alot of people to trash talk Hendrick now, might as well shut this forum down.

The nice thing about when drivers change teams is we get to see if it was the team holding the driver back or if it's the other way around.

How many of you Jr. fans are going to follow him over to Hendrick??

Still LMAO!

[JohnMickish]

I have to chime in a little more. This is so good even I couldn't have written it any better.

Not only do the Jr. fans lose their #8 their driver is going to drive for the team that they hate the most, and be team mate to the guy that is the best driver in NASCAR and will eventually tie/beat the championship record. I'm still laughing so hard it hurts.

[LMITOUT]

Nobody said you can't still root for Jr. It's the other clowns that will still get the beercans....ya think they won't? wrong again.

Tie/beat the championship record??? You can wish in one hand and ...well, you know the rest. The other hand is getting full fast.

Reading that press release makes me want to take a shower. I feel dirty and violated.

[Coach Dog]

LMAO too. If they call themselves true Jr fans, most will stay with him, and I think most will.

What if Gordon was part owner of Jr like he is Johnson? I would really lmao!

[Sifty]

O.k. we have heard the news now.

This is some of the biggest news NASCAR has had in a while.

I would like to hear the imput that everyone has.

Please keep it on the right side.

If this get's out of hand it will get locked.

Sifty

[Central Bassman]

I think this is a great move for JR. Hendrick has been doing great in the "Car of Tomorrow" Race, And that is a big deal being that they might be racing them cars next years already. Jr picked a great team go join and he will have great teammate to help him FINALY WIN THE CUP!!! Jr will still be the most popular drive and his fan will follow him.

[PERCHJR]

It'll never happen!!! If it does it will get very cold around here cause hell will freeze over!!!

PERCHJR

[harvey lee]

My days cheering for Jr will probably end if he goes to Hendrick. Mr Hendrick's history does nothing for me.

[LMITOUT]

This reminds me of that scene in Star Wars when Darth Vader is telling Luke to join the Dark Side and Luke is hanging off the railing screaming "No, it's not true! I'll never join you!" and then falls down the hole.

[Coach Dog]

All those wins and championships that Hendrick has won does nothing for you? Jr's shot at a championship has finally come to a reality with joining this team.

[HOF#13]

Don't say that Harvey Lee!!!! I'm a huge Jr. fan, and while I am no fan of the Hendrick bunch, I certainly respect what they have been able to accomplish. Jr. going there will be a good move for him. Trust Jr. on this one Harvey Lee, stick by him, and let's enjoy the championships he is going to win.

The funny thing about this is, SOME people here have assumed that Jr., Gordon, and Johnson did not like each other at all. I am sure that Rick Hendrick had some pretty good discussions about bringing Jr. into the team with those two. I bet that if Gordon and Johnson were against it, it would not have happened.

[harvey lee]

I agree that his chance at winning a championship will increase with Hendrick Motorsports but I just dont care for that team.

Jr will be way better off with his new team and teammates but I have a hard time cheering for that team.

Just the way I feel about Hendrick Motorsports. I would feel the same way if was a team mate with Kurt busch.

[jbell1981]

I have actually heard that Jr and Gordon have been friends for quite a while.

Why is it that most Jr. fans hate Gordon and vise versa. I have never understood that. Is it only because Gordon is threatening to overtake some of Sr.'s records away (which he has already with some)? Or is it that Gordon is a superior driver and Jr fans just can't handle that? As I stated before I am a Jr. fan and a Gordon fan and it just doesn't make sense to me. I guess I am just a strange fan?!?!

Also I heard an interesting stat last night on ESPN that I think is worthy of pointing out. Only 4 drivers have had 17 or more wins since 2000. Gordon, Johnson, Stewart and Jr.

[Sutty]

Heck they should recruit Stewart and thay can just pass the championships back and forth

[harvey lee]

I can handle the facts in regards to Jeff. He has beat some of Sr's records and in time may pass all of them and only time will tell. Those records have nothing to do with the fact that I dont care for Hendrick Motorsports. I'm not totally sure why I really dont care for them, maybe just a number of things. I guess I cannot say totally why I dont care for hendrick Motorsports as it would only create many negative posts on the forums so I choose to leave this part along.

All records have been and always will be broken in every sport.