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Call 911. Dale Earnhardt Incorporated driver Paul Menard announced a week ago that he was leaving DEI and was taking his sponsor, the home-supply company Menard’s, with him to Yates Racing. The U.S. Army is leaving Aric Amirola’s car next season and Regan Smith’s car has competed this year without full sponsorship. As of right now, Martin Truex is the only DEI driver with a full-time sponsorship for next year.
I wonder if Teresa Earnhardt lays awake at night thinking of a way to convince Dale Jr. to return to her race team. Even if she offered Dale 81 percent of the company, I bet he wouldn’t return.
In a recent Associated Press story, Kevin Harvick said, “For God sakes, they (DEI) let Dale Earnhardt Jr. go—that’s a tough deal to recover from when you let the most popular driver in the sport go from your organization.” Assume for a minute that Dale Jr. was still driving for Teresa. Would the organization be in its current situation?
From a performance standpoint, things probably wouldn’t be much better than Dale’s 2007 season with DEI. But from a financial standpoint, DEI would at least have a solid sponsorship for the No. 8 car. And if Budweiser wasn’t part of the deal, I bet there are a number of corporations, even in this economic climate, which would want to have their logo on the hood of a car with Dale Jr. behind the wheel. Have you noticed how many fans are wearing AMP Energy Drink jackets at the races?
To this day, I can’t for the life of me understand why Teresa let Dale go. There may be those of you who believe Dale’s request to own 51 percent of the company was a deal breaker. But the cost of keeping the most popular driver in the sport might have been worth every penny if it meant the survival of the race teams.
Maybe life support in the form of a merger is the solution. Short of that, I’m afraid Tony Stewart may have been right when he said, “Without Dale Earnhardt Jr., DEI will become a museum.”
I think Teresa would rather see the company go down in flames than bring Junior back. But DEI had a good showing Sunday so I don't think all hope is lost. I don't think Menard leaving is that big a loss.
Hopefully, Menard will see his performance improve once he moves to Yates.
And what is up with that Kevin Harvick? This isn't the first time he has trashed Teresa.
Also, he got into an altercation with Carl Edwards yesterday. Saturday's race could be interesting.
teresa dont care about teams. she has milloins so just dont care about anything racing she looks like a stuck up b---h anytime she is around that is none tho. she prob hoping no sponsers come so she can say ok close this s--t up. no one cane blame me ITS all DALE jr fault for leaving. (she wont take blame for it.) the one she put in charge aint s--t neither give him a ball and stick or basket ball is all he knows its a southern sport something he knows nothing about
My fellow commenter 'joe66pack' makes an insightful observation about the president of DEI...she does make millions off of T-shirt sales. Mostly black T-shirts with her late husband's image, smirking behind wrap-around shades and a full mustache, arms folded defiantly. All hail The Intimidator.
But let's be respectful of the team owners as they are not protected like owners of baseball teams, especially with their manufacturers and subordinate sponsors having the worst financial year on record. At least Haiti is still cranking out baseballs for MLB.
I just hope Na$car doesn't follow CART down the road to irrelevance and then, an after hours merger with Ringling Brothers like the IHRA and Monster Jam...
I'm still mad at myself that I didn't buy a Harry Gant t-shirt the day he gave me his vise-solid handshake at his souvenir trailer...a lost opportunity, to be sure. I won't make that mistake twice.