Taking the E out of DEI

[hork]

Dale Jr. is leaving DEI at the end of this season. I wonder what the old man would think about this?

[AzElvis]

Well ask Katrina what it is like for step-mom to have control of his legacy. If I am right most of the company and money was put in Theresa's name to protect it until Dale could take over. He IS DEI. So I guess it is and should be 51% his. I think he goes to Hendrick. Member when he drove Kyle's car for them when he left early? Replacing him or Mears? What a line-up: Gordon, Johnson and Lil E.

[ehughes908]

I'd almost bet my last dollar he is in the black 3 next year for Richard Childress.

[Chin Music Express]

I would be a scary thought if Hendrick or Childress team get Dale Jr. Hendrick would be Gordon, Johnson, lil Busch(Kyle), and Dale Jr. or Childress team would be Dale Jr., Harvick, or Jeff Burton. All winning teams already with winners.

[ldzppln]

fwiw, Joe Gibbs played dumb last night when asked (local sports show in DC) about Junior. Gibbs acted like he knew nothing about where Jr would land, but he assumed he (Jr) already had a plan.

That being said, don't be surprised if Jr. lands with Gibbs next season.

[parrotheadduff]

Originally Posted by ehughes908

I'd almost bet my last dollar he is in the black 3 next year for Richard Childress.

I don't think you'll ever see the black #3 back on the track again on a regular basis.

[blastingoff]

I doubt it will be a black #3 ... but I wouldn't count out a RED #3 with a BUD logo on it!

[hork]

don't be surprised to see robert yates toss a lot of money his way. i can see jr. driving the 88 or the 33 machine next season. and i can see bud following him over. a win-win situation, yates can offer big money and jr. can offer yates big hope.

[AzElvis]

It is not about money. Ganassi would love to have him. Even gave his cell # over the report. They all will offer pretty much the same as he was getting from DEI. Around just about $30 mill. Also hard to compare, Childress to Hendrick's success. Friend's with Tony but don't see Gibbs. He is most likely to follow in his father's footsteps and go to RCR. Definitely seeing the Black #3 back and running. Memorabilia alone would break records. Either that or Hendricks. Noone else has much of a chance. He got to get a taste of how their machines run when helping out on the #5 car when Kyle split.

[hork]

and who is rick hendricks going to fire? gordon? busch? johnson? or mears?

cnr could field another team so they are a possibility but even chip ganassi knows it's a long shot if any of the big names get involved.

RCR? it's a possibility. Childress would love the name if not the driver. I'm just not sure how Dale Jr. would feel playing second fiddle to the team's main driver.


With Yates Racing none of this is an issue. They have an open spot even if all their other drivers return and clearly Jr. would be the main driver not a secondary team with Yates.

[P562045]

So does the biggest names in NASCAR make more money from merchandising themselves with photos, hats, etc. or the money they make from racing cars?

I just ask this question because ESPN went on a little tangent the other day about junior being the biggest free agent ever.

After thinking about it for a while I just thought junior might be making more money from his image than from his contract to drive his car.

[blastingoff]

DEJ is set to make about 30 Million in endorsements this year alone, and maybe a couple million (if that) in salary ... He is worth FAR more for merchandising than his regular "paycheck". The DEI team all profit from his name. So, whatever team he goes to, the value of that team will grow big time because of him. Each driver on that team will be bigger names, they will get more fans, they will sell more merch - just because of their association with them. (JUST ASK MICHAEL WALTRIP!!!)

[dlc1483]

Well, I tried to ask Waltrip. He wouldn't take my calls. So as a fall back I called Madame Lenormande for a psychic reading and she tells me that little e will indeed be racing for ................................................Mi chael Waltrip and driving a (gasp) Toyota.