I have decided to make an attempt to post a blog at least once a week.  I see my friends using their writing abilities to post blogs on a daily basis, and I usually wonder how they do it.  I do not find enough time to write as much as I would like, but maybe things will change with this post.  Do not be surprised if you suddenly find my new posts appearing on the Internet on Sundays around noonish.
        My Sunday morning usually begins with me drinking a pot of coffee.  Actually, every morning begins with me drinking a pot of coffee!  The television finds itself being turned to ESPN so I can watch “Outside the Lines” and “The Sports Reporters”.  I usually watch one airing of “SportsCenter” before turning to the SPEED channel.  This is where I usually wait (impatiently) for NASCAR to take its rightful place in my life.  This is also the time when my creative juices begin to flow.  I usually see something on one of the shows I have watched that I do not agree with, and I have to voice my opinion.
        It has been an interesting week in sports, and my personal life as well (I will touch on that later.).  My favorite driver, Dale Earnhardt Jr., announced he is leaving DEI (Dale Earnhardt Inc.) at the end of this current season, and he will be taking his sponsor (Budweiser) and crew chief (Tony Eury Jr.) with him.  Critics may say this is a display of disloyalty, egotism and youth on Dale Jr.'s part.  I find this similar to statements made when Dale Earnhardt Sr. left Bud Moore (taking Wrangler with him) to join Richard Childress Racing immediately after winning a championship with Bud Moore as his owner.  Dale Jr. now finds himself in a situation where virtually every racing team in NASCAR is willing to spend whatever amount is necessary to provide Dale Jr. with the resources needed to win a championship.  The future looks bright for Jr., but I know he will take pleasure in being able to do something as simple as tell his owner they need to be running a lower gear ratio just to find responsible owners actually value input from their drivers (ask Ray Evernham)!
         In baseball, I find Barry Bonds is inching ever closer to breaking the all-time career homerun record.  I also find many people believe I am racist because I cannot stand the thought of Barry Bonds breaking Hank Aaron's record.  This cannot be further from the truth!  I am not racist.  However, I am a diehard Braves fan.  I love the Braves and Hank Aaron.  I also love the fact Hank Aaron set the record being 6' 0” and 180 lbs. in stature!
         Personally, I have recently found myself consulting with Ona Speedway as they expand their new wheelchair section.  This is a big step for the physically challenged citizens living in rural West Virginia.  I personally hope this will spill over into consulting with Cross Lanes Gaming Center as they expand their facility once table games have been officially introduced to our area.  It seems to have been a good week for me, Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Barry Bonds, but maybe not so much for Dale Earnhardt Inc. and Hank Aaron!

     Take it from a man who knows what it is like to lose his father prematurely.  My father died when I was 11 years old.  To this very day, I jump at the chance to get my hands on something that once belonged to my dad!  I do not do it because I am greedy, or because I believe those items may somehow bring me financial gain.  I do it because it brings me closer, emotionally, to a man I lost nearly 19 years ago.  I believe this type of behavior is common among people who have lost onse they once loved so dearly.  Why would it be different for Dale Earnhardt Jr.?
      Jr. wants partial ownership of Dale Earnhardt Inc., the company founded by his late father.  I do not believe Dale Jr.'s desire for partial ownership is fueled by greed.  Owning part of the company would be equivalent to owning a sense of closeness Dale Jr. has probably been searching for since his father's untimely death.  Yet, it seems as if Teresa Earnhardt does not want to allow Jr. to have partial ownership of what is now “Her” company.  My question to her is: Why?  Is it greed?  Is it spite?  Or, does she actually believe Dale Sr. would not want his children to have ownership of his company?  I do not necessarily know why she is putting up such a fight over this matter.  I do not necessarily think it has anything to do with greed or spite.  However, I do not believe anyone who has a child can believe Dale Sr. did not want his children to have control of his company!  Anyone with children of their own knows it is human nature to want to leave a legacy for the ones they leave behind!
       I do not believe Teresa's decisions are anywhere close to being good business decisions!  If Dale Earnhardt Inc. loses Dale Jr., it will not be worth owning!  Dale Sr. may have founded the company.  Teresa may now own and run the company.  But, Dale Jr. made the company!  Teresa may be creating a legacy for herself which will never be forgotten in the racing world.  She may actually go down in history as the most hated person in NASCAR history!  Everyone who loved Dale Sr. (including myself) will never forgive her.  Everyone who loves Dale Jr. (including myself) will never forgive her.  Virtually every NASCAR fan, regardless of whether or not they liked Dale Sr., will grimace when they hear the mere mention of her name.  Does Teresa Earnhardt want to go down in history as the Marg Schotz of racing?  She better reevaluate where her life in racing will go without her stepson behind the wheel of the #8 Budweiser car!  Bankruptcy perhaps?  Anyway, what would it mean for Jr. if he left DEI?
       Dale Jr.'s future in racing looks bright almost regardless as to what he might do.  Any racing team would welcome Jr. with opened arms!  Sponsors are probably already drooling at the mouth wondering if they will soon have the opportunity to sponsor Jr.'s ride!  But, let us take a sensible look at what is out there for Jr. if he does decide to go elsewhere.           Unemployment?  Impossible!  Richard Childress Racing?  I believe it would be a good move for Dale Jr. if he was to go with Childress Racing.  I do not believe Junior needs to worry about the business part of racing right now.  Let Richard worry about the business side of racing.  Richard is a proven owner in the world of NASCAR.  Dale Jr. could focus primarily on racing.  If he does this, championships will soon follow!  But, with Childress racing comes distractions.  The major distraction being the possibility of driving the black #3.  Jr. does not need the pressure or distractions that come with that position.  He needs to be able to race, and he does not need to have to worry about anything other than that!  In all honesty, I believe one of the best scenarios would be if Dale Jr. could end up driving for Joe Gibbs!
      Joe Gibbs has emerged as one of the premiere owners in NASCAR.  Additionally, he has been able to produce championship's with Tony Stewart, and Denny Hamlin showed championship potential last year as well.  Dale Jr. would be going to a team where he would be surrounded by other drivers with talent (something not available at DEI).  He seems to have a decent friendship with Tony Stewart already, and it seems as if they always race well together on the track.  In my opinion, this is where Junior needs to go.  It would increase his chances to win championships, and it would come without the shadow left behind by his father at Childress Racing.  The only bad decision I believe Dale Jr. could make would be to drive a Toyota!  I do not believe diehard Earnhardt fans could stomach seeing Jr. driving a Camry!  Let me know what you think, and good luck Dale!