Dateline September 30, 2008: We are rapidly approaching the end of yet another NASCAR Season. The points Chase is in full swing, with Jimmie Johnson swinging to the top again... surprise surprise. The news of my night last night though was a jayski article about Rusty Wallace coming out of retirement to drive for DEI.
This tidbit caused me to drop my mouth wide open as a slight chill tingled through my body.
In other news from DEI, Paul Menard is taking one of DEI's two sponsors and heading to Yates Racing.
Therefore, DEI is left with four cars, three drivers, one sponsor, and one bozo calling the shots.
Ragan Smith is in the unsponsored No. 01 car: 29th in the standings.
Aric Almirola is in the unsponsored No. 8 car: 15th in the standings (thanks to Mark Martin).
Martin Truex Jr. in the Bass Pro Shops No. 1 car: 17th in the standings.
Then, there is the No. 15 car with no driver and no sponsor.
That gives Teresa Earnhardt, in all her brilliance, basically a one car team with two test teams. One driver will be in his first full season in 2009.
DEI officially came into being around 1980, but it took them until the mid 1990's to field full time teams. Their first full time drivers were Ron Hornaday in the Truck Series, and Jeff Green in the Busch Series. These drivers were rookies, and anxious to make their mark on the sport. Hornaday found early success, winning championships in 1996 and 1998.
Then came Steve Park, who took over the Busch series ride in 1997. Park quickly jumped to Winston Cup in 1998 with the No. 1 Pennzoil car. Dale Jr. stepped into the empty Busch series seat, then proceeded to Cup starting in 2000.
This slight history was given to make you see the quick rise and fall of this great organization. The factor you need to note is the presence of Dale Earnhardt Sr. in everything mentioned. Dale, Sr. knew what he needed to do to make his company successful, and he did it.
The climax to the story comes in Daytona in July 2001. Dale Sr. lost his life at Daytona in February that year, then Dale Jr. came back to win it. Starting that day, Dale Jr. figured out that he could do it on his own. Around that same day, Teresa figured out she could do it on her own. Unfortunately only one was half right, the other was completely wrong.
The relationship between Dale Jr. and Teresa worsened, leading to Dale Jr finally breaking away from his fathers company to try racing under the Hendrick banner. Though improvements have been made, you can still see Jr. struggling with himself.
With the marked improvement, I say Dale Jr. was half right. It remains to be seen if Rick can make him a champion like he has done with so many others.
On the other hand is Teresa Earnhardt. She figured out early she had underestimated her capabilities. She brought on Max Siegel, a music industry suit, with no knowledge of racing (brilliant!!).
And her driver and sponsor lineup had been suffering even before Siegel came in.
Micheal Waltrip who took her second biggest face (can't call him a driver so much) to his own company, taking with him her second biggest and longest standing sponsor, NAPA, with him.
Then she watched as her biggest driver, Dale Jr. left, taking her biggest sponsor, Budweiser, at the same time.
13 comments Last one added 9 months ago — Leave a Comment
Mary Jo Buchanan 9 months ago
It's just only a matter of time until the kingdom falls Mitchell. Good read!
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Mitchell Hall 9 months ago
Thanks for the comment!
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Lacey Ogilve 9 months ago
Just a face? Dude a little harsh. Michael Waltrip is no Mario Andretti, but the dude has won the Daytona 500 twice.
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Mitchell Hall 9 months ago
If Micheal Waltrip didn't have the personality of a game show host he would have been out several years ago...
The package he won to use the Daytona 500 was from the DEI/RCR/Petree Alliance formed way back... they had by far the most dominant cars on Superspeedways. A long list of drivers could have won in those cars.
I will give him props for a few wins, but I will stand by the comment he is just a face in today's NASCAR.
Thanks for the comment! Thanks for reading!
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Patti Rodisch 9 months ago
It's sad to see. what was once a major player at the track has become somewhat of a afterthought. But with proper management and sponsors who are willing to stick out rough times then this company can get back to what they were built for to contend for win s and championships... Once jr. left you knew that truex and Menard would look to get out, they locked up truex next year but unless the performance gets better they will lose him in 2010.
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Mitchell Hall 9 months ago
The sponsors that come on and stick it out are a thing of the past. There are too many multiple sponsor packages now.
Why would someone want to put there name on a car riding at the back for a year, when they could put it on a winning car for 6 races?
Think about how many sponsors Kyle Busch has won for this year...
It is surely a new NASCAR, and it doesn't allow stupid decisions, like letting your star driver leave for a rival team, family or not.
She should have given Jr. half interest in the company, as much money as she could spend, Max's left testicle, the keys to her house and her favorite car, and whatever else he wanted to stay. Budweiser would have stayed with Jr in a heartbeat.
Next year DEI drops all but one car close to out of the top 35, Truex struggles all year and ditches. They start selling CD's of audio from old races, so that Max can actually help out.
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del kidder 9 months ago
Such a shame... history is not going to look back kindly on Teresa Earnhardt's stewardship of her husband's race team.
Fortuneatly the existence (or non existence) of DEI is a only tiny part of her husband's legacy. The real and lasting Earnhardt legacy was earned behind the wheel with championships and race wins.
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Mitchell Hall 9 months ago
You just said... errr typed a mouthful.
Regardless of the race team, Dale Earnhardt will forever be the man!
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Jim Bob Kern 9 months ago
There is no DEI, It's only TEI (Teresa Earnhardt Inc). Sorry but I have seen this coming after Junior left. I'm totally shocked Martin Truex is staying another year. TEI will be a nice museum for everyone to see memoribillia of the Greatest Driver ever!
And this comment comes from a Dale Earnhardt fan sense the middle 80's, And I do have the "In Memory Of The Intimidator" tattoo!
Long live the memory of Dale!!
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Mitchell Hall 9 months ago
My mom still buys me a commemorative piston candle every year... that is just about all that DEI is to me anymore.
I look for Truex and Bass Pro to shift to Stewart Haas.
DEI will be a museum soon.
The Earnhardt legacy will live on with or without it.
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Mitchell Hall 9 months ago
It looks like I spoke too soon. Rusty said Kenny was fabricating the truth... So Rusty stays retired.
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Andy Stotts 9 months ago
Rusty wallace is the most stuck up and rude driver I have ever seen anywhere. When he drove, he would walk out to qualifying on the outside of his car away from the pit wall where the phototags were and get into his car at the last second just so no fan can get his picture. Never signed autographs or smiled UNTIL a TV camara came on (sort of like Barak Obama) Once a camera was on, he was 100% the fan's friend, but turn the camera off and he stopped signing in mid sign. I hope he does go to DEI, then I can hate the 18 car and any car Rusty drives. I love his neice, both Kenny and Mike, but Steven is a chip off the old block and that is no complement.
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Mitchell Hall 9 months ago
I agree with almost everything you said... except for the hating on the 18 part...
Kyle is the best driver out there right now.
Rusty reminds me of the villainous golfer on tin cup... smile alot, then refuse to talk to the grandparents with the kid asking for an autograph.
God help us all if Barack Obama gets elected!
Kenny gets old. Mike has never been given the chance to flourish... he gave the 12 car a good run when Mayfield first got out, then along came Newman. Chrissy might just make some noise if she can get her confidence up. Steven reminds me of Dale, Jr, he is only there because of his daddy. Fortunately for Earnhardt, his daddy had better equipment before he stuck him in there.
Thanks for reading and commenting!
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