May 30 2005
Eury on DEI Wreck
May 29 2005
More on Rondeau and DEI
Earnhardt Crew Chief Replacement: Jimmy Elledge, crew
chief on Casey Mears' #41 Target Dodge, has risen to the top
of the rumor-mill list of candidates to become Dale
Earnhardt Jr.'s permanent crew chief. But the same family
conflicts that many blamed for the split between Earnhardt
and his uncle and long-time crew chief, Tony Eury Sr., would
be an issue again because Elledge is married to Kelley
Earnhardt, Dale Jr.'s sister. "It can be a good thing, but I
could have brother-in-law, my mother-in-law and my wife all
mad at me at the same time," Elledge said, emphasizing that
his comments shouldn't be construed as proof that he's
seeking the job. But, he said, he's up to the challenge of
leading a high-profile team like Earnhardt's #8 Budweiser
crew. "I feel I'm ready for it and could handle it," he
said, adding that the job of preparing a car for NASCAR's
highest-profile driver comes pressure-packed. You've got to
be ready for all the challenges," he said. "You've got a
sponsorship sitting there that obviously the sky's the limit
as far as money. You have a driver sitting there that
everybody knows can contend to win the championship. So
you'd better have your gun loaded when you walk in the door
and know that if you're going to do it you've got to step up
to that level and be able to produce. Otherwise it's not
going to be a fun ride." He also said that Earnhardt is very
much like his father and requires a special touch as a crew
chief. "He's a strong personality," Elledge said. "I watched
Kirk [Shelmerdine] and Andy Petree have to hit [Dale
Earnhardt Sr.] with a ball bat every once in a while to keep
him straight," he said. "[Earnhardt Jr.] is the same way." (Atlanta
Journal-Constitution)
May 27 2005
Possible Earnhardt Crew Chiefs: The two men most
prominently mentioned yesterday as candidates were Jimmy
Elledge, who is Earnhardt's brother-in-law and also crew
chief for Chip Ganassi and Casey Mears, and Robbie Reiser,
crew chief for 2003 champion Matt Kenseth and Jack Roush.
"There's really no timetable," Gilmore said. "We just want
to find the right person. And if it takes the rest of the
year, it takes the rest of the year." (Salem-Journal)
May 25 2005
More on DEI, Earnhardt, Jr. Shakeup: Still seeking
his first win of the season, Dale Earnhardt Jr. on Tuesday
replaced his crew chief in an attempt to turn his team
around. Steve Hmiel, the longtime technical director
at Dale Earnhardt Inc., will replace Pete Rondeau on an
interim basis beginning with this weekend's Coca-Cola 600 at
Lowe's Motor Speedway. Hmiel has often stood in as
Earnhardt's spotter on race day. "I guess, it's
a big gamble in a way," Earnhardt said when he announced the
crew changes. Earnhardt said at the time a change was
needed because he often clashed with Eury Jr. "I really like
working with Tony Jr., but, at the same time, the bad times
were really, really bad," Earnhardt said. "I told him, 'I
don't want to lose you as a cousin and lose the family and
friendship side of it. I don't care if we ever talk about
race cars again as long as you come over to the house and we
visit each other all the time.' (ESPN)
May 24, 2005
Rondeau Out as #8 Chief:
Effective immediately, Steve Hmiel will
serve as interim crew chief on the No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet
driven by Dale Earnhardt, Jr. in the NASCAR Nextel Cup
Series, replacing Pete Rondeau. Richie Gilmore, Vice
President of Motorsports at Dale Earnhardt Inc. stated, “We
are capable of consistently winning and are focused on that
as a company. We are going to concentrate our efforts on
improved results with the number 8 car.” Steve Hmiel,
Technical Director at Dale Earnhardt Inc., will replace
Rondeau commencing with this weekend’s Coca-Cola 600 at
Charlotte. (DEI)
May 4, 2005
Junior Blames Johnson and calls him "idiot": Dale
Earnhardt Jr. called Jimmie Johnson an "idiot," and blamed
the Nextel Cup series points leader for causing a 25-car
accident at Talladega Superspeedway. "If there was one
idiot out there it was him," Earnhardt said during a break
Tuesday in a test session at Lowe's Motor Speedway. "To be
honest about it, I think Jimmie Johnson caused about all the
wrecks out there." Earlier Tuesday, Greg Biffle blamed
Johnson for the six-car accident that knocked Biffle and
Earnhardt out of contention in the closing laps.
Johnson deflected criticism for both accidents, saying the
first was a series of events that culminated in the big
wreck and the second was "hard racing." (SunSentinel)
April 30, 2005
Earnhardt Jr. no word on Waltrip: It's a
contract year for Michael Waltrip, but don't ask Dale
Earnhardt Jr. if Waltrip will be back at DEI in 2006.
"I don't know what the plan is and what they want to do and
what Michael wants to do," Earnhardt Jr. said. "We have not
been talking about it at all. We'll just have to wait and
see." (NASCAR)
April 23, 2005
Earnhardt, Jr. Leads most popular driver: With more
than 1 million votes cast, Dale Earnhardt Jr. holds the lead
in the yearlong Chex NMPA NASCAR Most Popular Driver Award.
"I can remember the time when the spring was the time of
year we were talking about reaching 500,000 votes," said
Sean Foster, marketing manager for General Mills' Chex brand
cereal. Actual numbers were not announced, but
Earnhardt, who has won the award each of the past two years,
is followed in the balloting at www.mostpopulardriver.com by
Jeff Gordon, Kasey Kahne, Kevin Harvick, Rusty Wallace, Tony
Stewart, Michael Waltrip, Dale Jarrett, Mark Martin and
series points leader Jimmie Johnson. The voting
continues until Nov. 21, the day after the season-ending
race at Homestead. (FoxSports)
April 13, 2005
Former Hendrick Chassis
Director to DEI? Former Hendrick Motorsports chassis
director Eddie Dickerson will interview with Dale Earnhardt
Inc. this week. DEI is starting an in-house chassis program,
and Dickerson could use his magic to develop better-handling
cars for Dale Earnhardt Jr., who complains about the
drivability of his cars. (FoxSports)
April 4,
2005
No Swapping Crews for DEI: For those who wondered if
conditions at Dale Earnhardt Inc. were dire enough to swap the Nos.
15 and 8 crews and cars back to the original drivers--think again.
"There will never be a flip back," says a DEI source, who adds that
the 15 crew, formerly the No. 8, was disappointed with Earnhardt. "I
don't think they would take him back. We said we would work with
Michael (Waltrip) this year for us to get a young gun for next year.
What's happened is fate, and we're going to make the most of it."
Earnhardt echoed similar sentiments and reiterated his confidence in
crew chief Pete Rondeau. "The way Pete has hung in there further
constitutes my belief in him," he says. (FOXSports)
Eury, Jr. to leave DEI: Crew chief Tony Eury Jr., the key
car chief in Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s title runs the past two years, is
reported to be one of hottest items in the garage, with several
rival teams interested in hiring him away from Dale Earnhardt Inc.,
where he now runs Michael Waltrip's team. It is unclear if rival
Chevy teams are interested in Eury or Ford or Dodge team owners. (Winston-Salem)
April 2, 2005
Earnhardt, Jr. DEI at risk "Becoming Another Company":
But he does not want it to be the beginning of a decline
in the team's status among the elite of NASCAR. In a way,
that would be letting down his father, Dale Earnhardt, who
began the team and brought it to prominence before he died
in a crash at the Daytona 500 in 2001. Citing his father's
values and views, Earnhardt Jr. said it is up to "all these
people to maintain that vision and that direction. And if we
don't and we let it fade and the importance of it and the
greatness of it's gone, then it becomes just another
company. ''We want people to remember the impact that he had
on the sport, and we want the company to have the same
impact." (NY
Times/DFW.com)
March 31, 2005
Earnhardt, Jr.
Tests in Martinsville and Optimistic: During a test at
Martinsville Speedway Tuesday, Earnhardt said part of the
problems with his team can be traced to the rule changes
mandated by NASCAR this season and the inability of his team
to adapt quickly. The popularity of Dale Jr. continues to
grow despite his current struggles. This week, Earnhardt’s
face adorns the cover of Speedway Illustrated along with the
splashy premier edition of "Racing Fan." Martin Truex, Jr.,
a championship-winning driver for Earnhardt’s Chance 2
Motorsports team in the Busch Series, said the attitude of
Dale Earnhardt, Inc. team members remains upbeat despite the
recent struggles. "Their spirits are staying high," Truex
said. "They realize that it’s going to take a little bit of
time to get their stuff straightened out. They just started
working together. "Junior’s actually been pretty happy
the way his cars have been running. They just haven’t seemed
to be good at the start of the races." (TriCities)
March 30, 2005
So why no Earnhardt Tags in NC? So why no plates for Dale
Earnhardt, the Kannapolis racing legend who died in a wreck
four years ago, or for his son, who is one of the sport's
most popular drivers? Essentially, the plates are too
tacky. Okay. They didn't say that. But Joe Hedrick,
vice president for licensing at Dale Earnhardt Inc., said
the tags don't look right. "Those plates don't reflect
the image of the North Carolina plate," Hedrick said, adding
that he would want them to look more like the state's
traditional "First in Flight" plates, but with Earnhardt's
No. 3 or Junior's No. 8 emblem on one side. "If you
look at it, it looks like a very commercial plate," he said.
DEI licenses Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr. plates in
nine other states -- including South Carolina. But according
to Hedrick, the company would want plates in the state the
Earnhardt's call home state to look, well, more stately. (ThatsRacin)
March 14, 2005
Earnhardt Party's Hard in Vegas: The bright lights of
Las Vegas might be too much for NASCAR star Dale Earnhardt
Jr. After finishing 35th here last year, Earnhardt crashed
after 11 laps by rear-ending Brian Vickers during Sunday's
UAW-DaimlerChrysler 400. That gave him a 42nd-place finish.
Count on more speculation that Earnhardt might have burned
himself out after spending more than a week in Sin City
before the race for the second year in a row. There were
sightings all week of Earnhardt out on the town while
staying most of the week in the "Real World" suites at the
Palms. Sunday's result was his worst NASCAR finish
since 2002, when he ended up 42nd at Atlanta. "Junior" and
his NASCAR running mates, including Martin Truex Jr., winner
of the first NASCAR race in Mexico a week ago, were spotted
partying at the "X" topless revue, the Palms ghostbar, Mix
at The Hotel at Mandalay Bay, and Body English at the Hard
Rock. (Review
Journal)
March 10, 2005
NASCAR & Duracell, Earnhardt Jr Lights: Duracell
announced the introduction of several new product offerings
to expand its lighting line. Beginning in March, two new
flashlights, including the first Duracell/NASCAR branded
flashlight, will be introduced. The new products reflect
Duracell's commitment to designing flashlights that meet the
lifestyle needs and interests of consumers. "Following the
successful launch of our lighting line last year, we will
continue to build our portfolio with flashlights that
benefit and interest consumers," said Dan McCarthy, business
director, specialty products, Duracell. "With our new and
exclusive offerings, like the Dale Earnhardt Jr. NASCAR
flashlight, we're providing high quality, dependable
flashlights that meet consumers' needs in any situation."
• Dale Earnhardt Jr. Focus Grip Max Flashlight — With 83% of
NASCAR fans asking for more licensed products at retail, the
new Dale Earnhardt Jr. Focus Grip Max flashlight is sure to
be handy both trackside and at home. Earnhardt Jr., a member
of the Gillette Young Guns race team, enters 2005 as the
most popular driver on the circuit. The new NASCAR themed
Duracell Focus Grip Max flashlight features a sleek red and
black race design emblazoned with Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s car
number and signature. Like other Duracell Focus Grip Max
flashlights, the Dale Earnhardt Jr. flashlight will have an
ergonomic, rubberized grip and adjustable light beam that
easily shifts from spot to flood mode. It will also be
bundled with Duracell alkaline batteries, which last four
times longer than those marked "heavy duty." The Dale
Earnhardt Jr. flashlight will have a suggested retail price
of $8.99-10.99. (Retail
Merchandiser)
March 9, 2005
Jr. and Waltrip Bloopers Online: Domino's Pizza, the
recognized world leader in pizza delivery and the "Official
Pizza of NASCAR," today made available the outtakes and
bloopers from its new Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Michael Waltrip
commercial on
http://www.dominos.com/. "Domino's knows NASCAR fans
love behind-the-scenes access to their favorite drivers,"
said Ken Calwell, chief marketing officer, Domino's Pizza.
"And we're happy to give fans the rare sneak peek they
crave." The new commercial stars the talent of the two
Daytona-winning drivers with the Domino's star, the delivery
driver. Waltrip and Earnhardt engage in some friendly banter
when the delivery driver shows up to deliver a pizza to "Mr.
NASCAR." The duo created some hilarious moments during the
shoot and neither driver seemed to mind the numerous takes
before wrapping for the day. The commercial will air during
race times on Saturdays and Sundays throughout the race
season.
Feb. 24, 2005
Earnhardt, Jr. launches E Eyewear: Dale Earnhardt
Jr. and Orange 21 Inc. (Nasdaq:ORNG) today announced the
launch of the Dale Earnhardt Jr. signature sunglass series
"E Eyewear." "Racing cars take you many places. Some days
I'm in a suit, other days it's jeans and a t-shirt. When I
designed my signature sunglass, the E 402, I wanted them to
be versatile, and able to be worn anywhere. The E 402 blends
`retro' McQueen style with class and confidence," said Dale
Earnhardt Jr. "We put a lot of time in to designing and
developing the E 402. I am very proud of the end result. I
look forward to continuing to work with Orange 21 to further
develop and distribute the `E Eyewear' collection." "E
Eyewear" will be launched this weekend at the NASCAR Auto
Club 500 race at California Motor Speedway in Fontana,
California. E 402, Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s signature style,
will be sold through Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s trackside
merchandising vehicle. A press conference will be held at
California Motor Speedway at 12:45 PM Pacific Standard Time,
February 25, to introduce Dale Jr.'s signature style, the E
402. (Orange 21 PR)
Polaris Program to Benefit Victory Junction and
Sponsor a Child: Polaris Industries Inc. today announced
plans to sponsor a child for a week at the Victory Junction
Gang Camp for each Nextel Cup finish in the top eight that
Dale Earnhardt Jr. collects in Dale Earnhardt Inc.'s # 8
Budweiser Chevrolet in 2005.(NASCAR
Scene Daily Newsletter)
Feb. 12, 2005 -
Earnhardt, Jr. to stay with DEI:
Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced
Friday he is forming a lower-level race team, but the big
news was a statement about his status at Dale Earnhardt Inc.
"I'm never going to sever ties with DEI," Earnhardt said.
"I'm always going to be a part of that organization." For
more than a year, there has been speculation that Earnhardt
might leave DEI when his contract expires in 2007. Rumors
persisted of him possibly joining Richard Childress Racing,
where his legendary father won six of his seven NASCAR
driving championships. Earnhardt's words Friday might put
those rumors to rest, at least for a while. His statement
came when he was asked if he might eventually leave DEI to
race for his own team. (Dallas
Morning News)
Earnhardt, Jr. starts another team:
Dale Earnhardt Jr. is continuing to grow his JR
Motorsports operation and will field a car for Mark
McFarland in the USAR Hooters Pro Cup Series. McFarland will
also drive a limited late model schedule for the team.
"It's a fun effort, yet it's a serious effort,'' said
Earnhardt, who is using it as a springboard for even more
opportunities. "As far as moving on into other series, the
sky's the limit." The late Dale Earnhardt began his
empire with a Busch Series team before expanding it to three
Nextel Cup cars. Junior called his father's start his
"blueprint.'' In a company called Chance 2 Motorsports,
co-owned with his stepmother, Teresa, Earnhardt fields a car
in the Busch Series for reigning series champion Martin
Truex Jr. The McFarland entry is his first sole ownership
venture. "For JR Motorsports, there's no limit or
reins, except for the budget side of it. As it is
successful, we will proceed and my roots with DEI will
continue to grow. Who says you can't have it all?'' he said.
(ESPN)
Feb. 11, 2005 -
Earnhardt, Jr. and Others fail inspection:
Dale
Earnhardt Jr. and several others could find themselves
facing a monetary or points deficit even before their cars
hit the track in preparation for the Feb. 20 Daytona 500.
During pre-qualifying inspection Friday at Daytona
International Speedway, NASCAR inspectors confiscated the
transmission from Earnhardt Jr.'s No. 8 Chevrolet because
they determined the team had used the wrong gear ratio.
Also during inspection, the intake manifold was confiscated
from Robby Gordon’s No. 7 Chevrolet because of unapproved
external modifications. (Mercury
News)
TWO NEW BUDWEISER / DALE EARNHARDT JR. ADS
TO DEBUT DURING BUDWEISER SHOOTOUT BROADCAST
Anheuser-Busch will unveil two new Budweiser commercials
featuring NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr.
during the national broadcast of the Budweiser Shootout at
Daytona on FOX on Saturday night.
Below are brief details for each spot:
Title:
“Horsepower”
Description:
Dale Jr. takes a spin in a vehicle with different “horses”
under the hood – the world-famous Budweiser Clydesdales.
Agency:
DDB Chicago
First airdate:
Feb. 12, 2005
Title:
“Aerodynamic”
Description:
While the Budweiser #8 Chevrolet is in the wind tunnel for
aerodynamic testing, Dale Jr. decides to take a walk inside
for some fresh air.
Agency:
DDB Chicago
First airdate:
Feb. 12, 2005
Dale Jr. has appeared in several commercials for Budweiser
over the past few years, including “Goodbye” – a spot in
which he retrieves a lipstick for a young lady he has just
seen off at the airport – and “Skipping CD” – an ad that
shows how Dale Jr. fixes a music problem while on the track.
Budweiser, the “Official Beer of NASCAR,” is proud to
support Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the Budweiser #8 Chevrolet in
the NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series. The “King of Beers” also
sponsors the Budweiser Shootout at Daytona and the weekly
Bud Pole Award. (Fingerhut PR)
Feb. 10, 2005 -
NASCAR
Chevy Safety Ad Campaign Kicks Off With Earnhardt, Jr.:
WASHINGTON -- A coalition
of government, business, advocacy and sport today announced
new television spots promoting the use of safety belts and
the proper use of child safety seats.
The Chevrolet Division of
General Motors is working with the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the National SAFE KIDS
Campaign to air advertisements and public service
announcements featuring NASCAR drivers Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
and Jeff Burton.
"The first message from Dale
Earnhardt, Jr. is to get people to buckle up, every time, on every
trip," said Chevrolet General Marketing Manager Brent Dewar. "The
second, from Jeff Burton, is for parents, caregivers and
grandparents to make sure child safety seats are secured
properly."
The Earnhardt spot will run
beginning today and continue through the Daytona 500 on February
20. Chevy will also air the ad around important race weekends as
well as peak holiday traffic periods, such as Memorial Day-Buckle
Up America Week, Fourth of July, and Labor Day weekends.
Chevy chose Earnhardt to deliver
the buckle up message because NASCAR has the highest growth rate
among any sport for 12- to 17-year olds. NASCAR is the No. 2
televised sport among teenagers, second only to the NFL.
The buckle-up spot featuring
Earnhardt targets the young, particularly male audience. NHTSA
Administrator Dr. Jeffrey W. Runge says it's an important group to
reach.
"Wearing a safety belt is as
important for race fans as it is for drivers," said Runge.
"Drivers understand what happens to your body in a crash at high
speeds or lower speeds.
"That's why they buckle up on
every trip in every vehicle before the wheels roll. I am grateful
to Dale, Jr. for his commitment to the safety of his fans, and to
Chevrolet for its work in improving vehicle safety on and off the
track," Runge said.
The public service announcement
from Burton helps kick off National Child Passenger Safety Week,
February 13 through 19. Throughout February, more than 200
Chevrolet dealerships will host free child safety seat checkup
events and dealer education and community awareness workshops with
the expert help of local SAFE KIDS coalitions across the country.
"As a trauma surgeon, I see the
devastation resulting from motor vehicle crashes where children
are not properly restrained," said Martin R. Eichelberger, M.D.,
president and CEO of the National SAFE KIDS Campaign and director
of Emergency Trauma and Burn Services at Children's National
Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. became the
first, third-generation NASCAR champion when he won the 1998 Busch
Series title. After a second Busch crown in 1999, he moved
full-time into the Budweiser No. 8 Chevrolet following in the
considerably large footsteps of his legendary father, Dale
Earnhardt, a seven- time Winston Cup champion, and grandfather
Ralph Earnhardt, who were both selected among NASCAR's 50 Greatest
drivers into racing.
2005 marks Jeff Burton's 13th
season in the NASCAR Cup Series with 367 starts, 17 wins, two
poles, 91 top-five and 150 top-10 finishes. (Chevy PR)
Feb. 8, 2005 - The New 6th Generation Corvette Paces Daytona
500:
Dale Earnhardt Jr., the 2004 Daytona 500
champion, unveiled the all-new 2005 Corvette that will pace
the 47th annual Daytona 500 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series season
opener during the national broadcast of Fox & Friends on
Tuesday morning. Earnhardt Jr., who drives the No. 8
Budweiser Chevrolet for Dale Earnhardt Inc., revealed the
Corvette coupe that will pace the 43-car field in "The Great
American Race" on Sunday, Feb. 20 - NASCAR's richest,
biggest and most prestigious event at historic Daytona
International Speedway. "The all-new 2005 Corvette
brings more power, more precision and more passion to
drivers than any Corvette in history making it a natural fit
to pace this historic race," said Brent Dewar, Chevrolet
general manger. (DIS PR)
Feb. 6,
2005 - Dale Jr. Wins Award: RACER magazine’s 10th annual
survey of its readers’ views of the outstanding auto racing
performers of the season produced a number of firsts. Chief
among them was the selection of Dale Earnhardt Jr. as the
overall Racer of the Year for the first time. The Daytona
500 champ, who also topped the “RACER’s Dozen” list of the
most powerful and influential people in racing compiled by
the editors of the magazine last June, edged Michael
Schumacher for the top award by three percentage points,
24-21, in balloting conducted online at SpeedTV.com
throughout the month of December. (RACER
Magazine)
January 27,
2005 -
Dale Jr, Back in Rolex Next
Year:
Dale Earnhardt Jr., badly burned in a crash at Sonoma last
summer during a NASCAR off-weekend race, is taking a year
off from sports-car racing for GM. But he is expected to run
next year's 24 Hours of Daytona, in a car, probably a
Corvette, fielded by Dale Earnhardt Inc. (Winston
Salem Journal)
January
15, 2005 - More about Dale Jr. in DC:
Dale Earnhardt Jr. doesn’t expect to attend the inauguration
later this month of President George W. Bush; however the
Bud Chevy driver will join NASCAR President Mike Helton in
several pre-inaugural celebrations. Junior told PRN’s Garagepass he was
invited to the concert hosted by twins Jenna and Barbara
Bush, however he cannot attend due to a prior commitment.
Still, Dale hopes to visit the President’s daughters in
person to thank them for the invitation and said “If I get a
chance to talk with George that would be awesome!” He went
on to say, “When you’re in the racing business they bring
the President around every once in a while and you get to
meet him. I met George Bush more than, of course, than I
ever saw Bill Clinton, but probably met him (Bush)
face-to-face shaking hands three or four times…talked to him
on my cell phone once…that was a highlight of my life.”
While in Washington DC, “I’m just hanging out with Mike
Helton and he’s going to show me where we’re sup! posed to
be and hopefully we’ll get to give George a shout out.”(PRN's
Garagepass Radio Show)
January
14, 2005 - Dale Jr. in DC: Dale
Earnhardt Jr. listed among the celebs and entertainers for
the "A Celebration of Freedom" event on the inaugural event
list announced today by the 55th Presidential Inaugural
Committee. PIC director Greg Jenkins announced the list
which includes Dale Junior, Kenny Chesney, Buzz Aldrin &
Others under the astronaut category. The Gatlin Brothers,
The Temptations, Singer Daniel Rodriquez, the Radio City
Rockettes, Boxkar, Kristen Chenoweth, Yolanda Adams and
others will also be a part of the "Clebration of Freedom"
event which is part of inaugural week events in Washington,
DC. The Celebration of Freedom event is Wed., Jan 19th at
4:00pm/et in Washington, DC.(Claire
B. Lang - XM Satellite NASCAR Radio)
January
13, 2005 -
Earnhardt, Jr. gets plane:
Dale Earnhardt Jr. won't have to bum a plane ride from
his racing pals anymore.
Notoriously frugal, Earnhardt has joined the ranks of
drivers with his own plane, having purchased a Lear 60
twin-engine jet. ``I've been trying to avoid getting a plane
because it's really expensive, but we got to looking at them
and talking about it and it seemed like there were a couple
of places where we got stuck and hung up,'' Earnhardt said
Wednesday. ``With your own plane you don't have to wait on
everybody to show up to take off.'' Earnhardt always had the
option of riding on the Dale Earnhardt Inc. company plane,
but because that plane transported team members for both his
car and teammate Michael Waltrip, he would have to leave
earlier and stay longer. Having his own jet will allow
Earnhardt to spend at least another week at home over the
course of the season. Last summer, while suffering with
burns suffered in a sports car crash in Sonoma, Calif.,
Earnhardt accepted plane or helicopter rides from some of
his driver friends, including Dale Jarrett and Tony Stewart. (Tampa
Tribune)
January 4, 2005 - Dale Jr. Special
on CMT, the 60 Minutes UNCUT: CMT
presents a night of NASCAR with two thrilling premieres including
CMT 40 GREATEST NASCAR MOMENTS on Friday, Jan. 28 at 8:00-10:00 PM,
ET/PT,* followed by DALE EARNHARDT JR. UNCUT: 60 MINUTES SPECIAL at
10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT.* DALE EARNHARDT JR. UNCUT: 60 MINUTES
SPECIAL with Mike Wallace premieres exclusively on CMT with
never-before-seen footage of one of NASCAR's elite, Dale Earnhardt
Jr. In the in-depth special, Earnhardt Jr. discusses everything
from his fiery crash in Sonoma, Calif. to his legendary father,
Dale, to Dating for Dummies. Champion driver and friend Tony
Stewart guests. Earnhardt Jr. crashed while practicing for a road
race during a NASCAR off-week, suffering second-degree burns when
his car was engulfed in flames. In the 14 seconds it took to get out
of the car, it occurred to him that he might not make it out. (Arizona
Racing Times)
December 17, 04 - Dale Jr.
Donates Most Popular Winnings: Dale Earnhardt Jr. has donated
the $10,000 he won in the Pillsbury Grands! Biscuits Most Popular
Driver contest to two animal welfare organizations. The Animal
Adoption League and the Lake Norman Lucky Cats organization in North
Carolina received the money Earnhardt Jr. won from the contest run
by the National Motorsports Press Association.(NASCAR
Scene Daily Newsletter)
9ptDecember 8, 04 - Born on Date
Scheme returns at Daytona UPDATE: Jayski is reporting #8-Dale
Earnhardt Jr. will return not Bud Born on Date paint scheme at
Daytona in February.
December 7, 04 -
NASCAR Dale Jr.,
Simulator at Martinsville for Toy Drive:
Martinsville Speedway's 11th Annual
Toy Drive will be capped off with an appearance by a Dale Earnhardt
Inc. race car, a chance to ride in a race-car simulator and an
appearance by Santa Claus. The toy drive will make its second stop
at Martinsville's Wal-Mart on Saturday, December 11 from 10 a.m. to
4 p.m. and will feature a few unique race-fan opportunities while
raising toys for needy youngsters in Martinsville and Henry County.
The DEI-owned Kraft Chevrolet that John Andretti piloted to a
13th-place finish in last February's Daytona 500 will be on hand for
fans to inspect. This is not a show car, but the actual NASCAR
NEXTEL Cup car Andretti drove at Daytona. Also, there will be a DEI
representative on hand to answer questions about the car. Fans will
also get a chance to ride in the Advance Auto Parts race car
simulator, an experience that comes pretty close to duplicating a
ride in a real race car. Martinsville Speedway's Victory Lane will
be on display, giving fans a chance to have their pictures taken in
the same spot where drivers like Jeff Gordon and Rusty Wallace have
collected the winner's trophy. Also, Martinsville Speedway's 2005
Chevrolet Monte Carlo pace car will be on exhibit. Santa Claus will
make an appearance in Victory Lane at 11 a.m. There is no charge for
any of the activities, but the contribution of one new, unwrapped
toy would be appreciated. Speedway staff and other volunteers will
man the display. Anyone donating toys on Saturday or at the
Martinsville Speedway office will be entered in a drawing for
tickets for next spring's Advance Auto Parts 500 NASCAR NEXTEL Cup
event at Martinsville Speedway. Other collection sites for the toy
drive include all area Advance Auto Parts Stores, all area Kroger
stores and Meadowgreen Market in Oak Level. All donated toys will go
to local Toys For Tots, handled by the Edward W. Richardson
Detachment of the United States Marine Corps League. All toys will
stay in the immediate area.(Martinsville Speedway PR)
December
3, 2004 - Dale Earnhardt, Jr. most popular again:
The fans made it official -- again. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is
the most popular driver in NASCAR's Nextel Cup series. For
the second straight year, Earnhardt drew the most votes in
online balloting for the National Motorsports Press
Association's Most Popular Driver Award. `It was fun to win
it last year, but to get two in a row really means a lot to
me,'' said Earnhardt, who won a career-high six races in
2004 and finished fifth in the season standings. ``I've
learned this year about how loyal and supportive my fans
are. My team had our best season ever, but we also had a lot
of trouble along the way, including my injuries.''
Earnhardt was burned in a crash during a sports car event in
California and had to use a relief driver in two races.
Junior also faced adversity when he was docked 25 points by
NASCAR after uttering a vulgarity during a live TV interview
in October after winning a race in Talladega. (Yahoo/AP)
December
1, 2004 -
DEI Shake-up, Eury Jr,
to #15, and More: Dale Earnhardt, Inc. has announced
various internal motorsports promotions effective for the
2005 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series season. Tony Eury, Sr. has
been promoted from Crew Chief of the #8 Chevrolet to
Director of Competition. Steve Hmiel, previous Director of
Competition, will now be the Technical Director for Dale
Earnhardt, Inc. Pete Rondeau has been moved to the Crew
Chief position of the #8 Budweiser Chevrolet. He took over
as Crew Chief on the #15 NAPA Chevrolet during the latter
portion of the 2004 Nextel Cup Series season. Rondeau led
Earnhardt, Jr. to a Busch Series win at Bristol Motor
Speedway this year and Ron Fellows to a second-place finish
at Watkins Glen International. Tony Eury, Jr. will Crew
Chief the #15 NAPA Auto Parts Chevrolet of Michael Waltrip.
Eury, Jr. was the Car Chief on the #8 Chevrolet for the past
five seasons and was also instrumental in Earnhardt, Jr’s
two Busch Series championships. The #8 and #15 core members
of the teams will collectively transfer intact with the
promotions of Eury Jr. and Rondeau, as well. Richie Gilmore,
Vice-President of Motorsports for DEI, said the moves come
on the heels of a successful season and the teams wanted to
improve and achieve even greater success. “We all sat down
and talked because we want all of our teams to produce even
better results,” Gilmore said. “Everyone is excited about
this and we’re already getting ready for Daytona testing. We
think the results will show up immediately.” (DEI
Site)
November 21, 2004 -
Hmiel escorted out; will not
spot for Dale Jr.: NASCAR officials confiscated Dale
Earnhardt Inc. Steve Hmiel's hard card on Saturday and
escorted him from the garage at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Hmiel was reprimanded in the trailer for inappropriate
language over the radio during the Craftsman Truck race on
Friday. In addition to Hmiel's position of technical
director for DEI, he is also Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s spotter.
Earnhardt is currently fourth in the Chase, 72 points behind
Kurt Busch. Tony Eury Jr., car chief for the #8 Budweiser
Chevrolet, says Hmiel's absence is indefinite, and he will
not return on Sunday. When asked who will spot for Junior,
Eury Jr., replied, "Some guy named Danny." The Sporting News
has learned that Danny Culler, who used to spot for the late
Dale Earnhardt, will spot for Earnhardt Jr. in Sunday's Ford
400.(FoxSports)
UPDATE: Hmiel No respect: NASCAR said Hmiel, director
of motorsports at Dale Earnhardt Inc., made disparaging
remarks about series officials over the radio during
Friday's Truck Series race at Homestead-Miami Speedway.
Hmiel was spotting for his son, Shane, when he became angry
about a ruling against him. He was called in for a meeting
with NASCAR president Mike Helton Saturday morning and was
sent home. "It showed complete disrespect for NASCAR and its
officials, so after a meeting with Mike Helton, he was sent
home for the weekend," said NASCAR spokesman Mike Zizzo.(AP/ESPN.com)
November 19, 2004 -
A five way tie?
#6-Mark Martin wins the race but doesn't lead the most laps.
#8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. finishes second and gets bonus points
for leading a lap. #24-Jeff Gordon finishes 13th. #48-Jimmie
Johnson finishes 14th, and #97-Kurt Busch finishes 20th. The
result is that all five end the season with 6,449 points.
Johnson get the championship on the tiebreaker with a
season-high eight victories.(Alabama
Live)
November 11, 2004 -
Dale Jr.'s Pit
Crew wins at Phoenix: The pit crew for Dale Earnhardt Jr. captured
the Phoenix competition of the McDonald's Drive-Thru Pit Championship
fueled by POWERade. The victory lifted the No. 8 team into first place
in the pit crew standings with two races remaining in the 2004 NASCAR
Nextel Cup schedule. It was the fourth McDonald's/POWERade win for the
#8 crew and in three of those victories Earnhardt also won the race -
Richmond (May 15), Talladega (Oct. 3) and Phoenix (Nov. 7). The
McDonald's/POWERade point standings got shuffled following the Phoenix
race. Earnhardt's team moved from third to first while Elliott Sadler's
team dropped from first to third. Tony Stewart's team remained in
second, three points out of the lead. The top four crews heading into
Darlington (Nov. 14) are: Earnhardt's (1194 points), Stewart's (1191),
Sadler's (1181) and Kurt Busch's (1179). Earnhardt's crew is the
reigning McDonald's/POWERade champion. Earnhardt's Budweiser Chevrolet
spent the least amount of time on Phoenix International Raceway's pit
road with a time of 285.50 seconds. Biffle's National Guard Ford was
second at 325.98 and Jeff Burton's AOL Chevy was third at 329.87.
"Great team, great car, great pit stops," said Earnhardt following his
Phoenix victory. "What else can you say? I'm really proud of these guys
for not giving up this year. We had awesome pit stops all day, and Tony
(Eury) Sr. did a great job making the calls from the pits. Whether it
was the decision to take four (tires), or the decision to stay out when
I was hollerin' on the radio to pit, Tony Sr. and Tony Jr. and the
whole team earned their stripes." The #8 over-the-wall crew consists
of: Jeff Clarke (gasman), Kevin Pennell (jackman), Phil Drye (front
tire changer), Danny Earnhardt (front tire carrier), Greg Burkhart
(rear tire changer), Troy Prince (rear tire carrier), Craig Lund (catch
can). Tony Eury Sr. is the crew chief and the car chief is Tony Eury
Jr. The pit crew coach is Walt Smith.(DMF Comminications PR)
November 10, 04 -
Earnhardt's
Windshield too thin:
UPDATE: Tony Eury Sr., crew
chief for the #8 Chevrolet of driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., was fined
$2,500 for violating Section 12-4-A (Actions detrimental to stock car
racing) and 12-4-Q (Any determination by NASCAR Officials that the car,
car parts, components and/or equipment used in the Event do not conform
to NASCAR rules) for having a windshield on the car that was not an
approved part and also did not meet the minimum required thickness of
one-quarter inch. The infraction was discovered by NASCAR officials
during opening-day inspection.(NASCAR PR)
November
8, 04 -
Earnhardt's
Windshield too thin:
NASCAR officials confiscated the windshield from Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s
#8 Budweiser Chevy over the weekend. According to spokesman Mike Zizzo,
the windshield was too thin and not approved. A penalty is likely, but
to what extent will be determined by Nextel Cup series director John
Darby, Zizzo said. The penalty should be announced this week.(ThatsRacin.com)
November 7, 04 -
Dale Earnhardt, Jr.
takes security concern to truck:
NASCAR's garage security has been terrible this season on the Nextel
Cup tour, forcing drivers back into hiding in their motor coaches, to
avoid being mobbed by the hundreds of fans swarming through the working
areas. Yesterday, Dale Earnhardt Jr. finally had enough, and to make a
point with lackadaisical NASCAR officials, Earnhardt took a page from
his late father's book. He sat down on the rear deck of the NASCAR
trailer and signed autographs for the crowd that quickly packed the
area, making it impossible for officials to enter or leave.(Winston
Salem Journal)
November 5, 04 -
Dale Jr. Awaits
the Release of
'3': An ESPN movie about Dale Earnhardt, who died in a crash on
the
final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500, is scheduled for airing early next
month. Dale Earnhardt Jr. is eagerly awaiting its release. "From day
one, I've been pretty excited about it," said Earnhardt Jr., last
year's Checker Auto Parts 500 champion at Phoenix International
Raceway. "I really, really hope they did a good job. You know, the
stuff that they've done in the past on that network has been pretty
good. I've been pretty surprised actually by the quality of the films
that they've had. I think there obviously will be a little bit of a
Hollywood twist to a few things. I'm sure you can't expect somebody to
tell the most accurate story unless you're going to write a book. You
know, every film has a twist, a Hollywood flair to it. I'm sure this
one will, too." The movie, titled 3, stars Barry Pepper, who also
played New York Yankees outfielder Roger Maris in 61*.(Arizona
Republic)
October 25, 2004: -
Dale Earnhardt Jr.:
'I always got :One week shy of his 30th birthday,
Dale Earnhardt Jr. comes into Sunday's EA Sports 500 thinking ... (That's
Racing)
October 25, 04 -
More of
Earnhardt Jr. on Earnhardt Jr.: "That was
two seconds before
I threw it away.". - On an article he wrote in the current issue of "NASCAR
Scene" about things he would change in NASCAR.
(Charlotte
Observer (subscription), NC
Birthdate: Oct. 10, 1974