DEI has purchased Ginn Racing with an official announcement expected on Wednesday to unveil the four car lineup which will include Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Martin Truex, Jr., Paul Menard and Mark Martin. The merger was reported by ESPN and is expected to be formalized with an official announcement on Wednesday.
Earnhardt Jr will have a new teammate this weekend.
So now Regan Smith and Aric Almirola are being hung out to dry, at least temporarily. Regan was to drive the 14. But apparently the 14 points are going to Menard to lock him in the show. It now appears that Regan is out of a ride before he ever got to drive it. Tough luck, a smartass Sterling Marlin fan might say. Easy come easy go young gun.
But seriously. I suspect Regan will get the 14 next year at DEI and that Almirola will be sharing the 01 with Martin next year. Of course all of those plans are at least up in the air at this time.
In many ways Martin Truex Jr. couldn't have picked a better time to shine. Truex, 27 and a native of Mayetta, N.J., earned his first Nextel Cup victory last weekend at Dover (Del.) International Speedway. It was Dale Earnhardt Inc.'s first Cup win since May 2006, when teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. won in Richmond, Va. While much of the attention at DEI has been on Earnhardt Jr. and his recent decision to leave the organization at the end of the season, Truex's win helped show that he and DEI plan to remain a serious contender.
"It feels good to hush up all that (Earnhardt Jr. talk) and solidify the fact that we're here for real and we're going to win races and contend for championships in the future," Truex said. "It doesn't get any better than this, you know. This has been probably one of the biggest accomplishments for everybody on my whole team -- the biggest accomplishment of their racing careers. Championships in the Busch Series were great, but if you win at this level, you have beat the best of the best."
DEI will remain a serious contender.
The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated ... Mark Twain quotation after hearing that his obituary had been published in the New York Journal.
Reports of DEI's death have been greatly exagerated
The lady doth protest too much, methinks...William Shakespeare
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 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 is expected to be televised nationally, will take place at JR Motorsports headquarters in Mooresville, N.C., at 11 a.m. ET on Thursday.
We have all heard about Michael Waltrip and how he is negative in the point standings and how he currently sits in 46th place. Yes, Mike is in deep doo doo. But all that talk got me to thinking. Who else is in line for a turn to clean the outhouse?
The most surprising name is Paul Menard. Menard is currently 43rd in the points. Who would have thought this rookie in a Dale Earnhardt Incorporated (DEI) car would be on this path? I mean, I thought anyone in a DEI car should be pretty much a shoo in to make the top 35 after 5 races. Right?
Apparently not.
Paul failed to qualify for the Daytona 500 putting himself in a deep hole. After the No. 15 Peak/Menards Chevrolet took the Green Flag for the second Duel race in 15th position, his dreams of racing in this year’s Daytona 500 ended when he finished fourth among 13 teams vying for two transfer positions. “It’s really frustrating,” Menard said. “There weren’t a whole lot of friends (out there), but we were in a good enough place to do it. We stayed out and we probably shouldn’t have but I got just really tight and didn’t really do anything.”
In Fontana, Menard finished a lap down, in 20th place, but at least his motor didn't blow up before the end of the race. That is another cause for concern. DEI team mates Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Martin Truex Jr. weren't as fortunate.
Speculation is that the engines blew as teams struggled with tuning them for the first use of unleaded fuel in Nextel Cup competition. Spark plugs are a concern. Teams may have ran their fuel too rich. Whatever, the problem DEI needs to correct it for all three of their drivers sakes.
But it will be especially critical for Menard who is a go or go home car for three more races. If he misses another race, he most assuredly will not be in the top 35 in owner points after the first five races. That could result in him struggling as a go or go home car all year. And Menard does not want to have to put up with that. Neither does DEI or PEAK or Q.
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