Busch Series Clint makes his day at RIR. <img src=http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/attachment.php?s=&postid=1457884>
Cup Series Gordon making it look easy with third consecutive pole <img src=http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/attachment.php?s=&postid=1457885>
Cup Series News Letarte, Gordon powerful 1-2 punch for Hendrick - Spydertrader <img src=http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/attachment.php?s=&postid=1458207>
Cup Series News Richmond Rain Delay - Spydertrader <img src=http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/attachment.php?s=&postid=1458523>
Cup Series Restart Today at 1:00 PM Eastern Time. <img src=http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/attachment.php?s=&postid=1458734> - Spydertrader
Cup Series Johnson rolls to victory and HMS continues to dominate COT, in 2007. - Spydertrader <img src=http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/attachment.php?s=&postid=1459141>
Cup Series Rumor Mill Watch the Beer Cans Fly if Hendrick snags Junior from DEI ...... - Spydertrader <img src=http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/attachment.php?s=&postid=1462738> Earnhardt leans toward Hendrick By Mike Mulhern JOURNAL REPORTER Wednesday, May 9, 2007 CHARLOTTE The efforts to sign Dale Earnhardt Jr. to a NASCAR driving contract for 2008 and beyond has reached a critical point, and the top two teams on Earnhardtâs 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, largely because of Hendrickâs 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 Earnhardtâs primary goal now, at age 32, is to win a championship. During a break yesterday in testing at Loweâs Motor Speedway for next weekâs all-star race, Earnhardt again declined to say much about his options. Earnhardt, whose three-year contract with DEI and Teresa Earnhardt will expire at the end of this season, drew a line in the sand when he said he wanted 51 percent - controlling interest - in DEI in exchange for his signing a new contract with the company. However, DEI officials revealed last week that they are in talks with Fordâs Robert and Doug Yates about a possible merger. The Yateses said they plan to stay in the Ford camp (and are apparently contractually bound to stick with Ford Motor Co.), and Ford officials said that they plan to keep the Yateses, who are key to Fordâs NASCAR engine operation. Earnhardt threw a twist in those DEI-Yates talks by insisting he would be in a Chevrolet in 2008, no question. Yesterday, when asked directly, âWill you be driving for Richard Childress next season?â Earnhardt just smiled and walked away. His future? âJust have to wait and see,â he said. Childressâ Kevin Harvick has said he would welcome Earnhardt as a teammate.
DEI might as well fold up if Junior leaves. He has them over a barrel. Apparently their first offer to him was that he could buy 51% for $50 million, which is said to be comparable for what Roush sold part of his team for. First, DEI is not roush, not by a long shot. Second, Junior and his sister may not see why they should pay anything for majority control. They wouldn't be human if they didn't resent it being left 100% to Teresa. And if Junior leaves with the Bud sponsorship, DEI's future is problematic. Interesting negotiating problem. Is 49% of something worth more than 100% of nothing?