The Frontstretch: What's The Call? Did Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Make The Right Move? by Becca Gladden and Tommy Thompson -- Thursday May 10, 2007

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What's The Call? Did Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Make The Right Move?

Becca Gladden and Tommy Thompson · Thursday May 10, 2007

 

Editor’s Note : The following is a special edition of Frontstretch’s What’s the Call? Occasionally throughout the season, two of your favorite Frontstretch writers will duke it out in a debate concerning one of NASCAR’s big controversies. Don’t let us be the only ones to speak our minds, though…be sure to read both sides and let us know what you think about the situation in the comment section below!

Today’s Question : Did Dale Earnhardt, Jr. Make The Right Move For His Career By Leaving D.E.I.?

Junior Following His Instincts – And That’s Good Enough For Me
Becca Gladden

“Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time. Regret for the things we did not do – that is inconsolable.” – Sydney Smith

Whether leaving D.E.I. is the right move for Dale Earnhardt, Jr. or not can only be answered by one person – Junior himself. The rest of us can debate, speculate, and cogitate about the pros and cons of the decision, his motivations, and whether it will help or hurt his career in the long run. But after listening to Junior’s hour-long press conference this morning, it’s clear that he believes this is the right move for him, and that is good enough for me.

Junior’s decision to leave D.E.I. was not about money; it was about frustration with his inability to achieve his specified career goals of winning races and championships, and the fact that he didn’t think D.E.I. was headed in a direction that would allow those goals to be realized any time soon. “We both want to get to the same place, but we both simply have different visions on how to get there,” he claimed, leaving those differences private.

It was clear from Junior’s words, voice and body language this morning that he did not make this decision lightly. To the contrary, he has been carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders as he considered the impact this move would have on his mom, sister, friends, co-workers, sponsors, millions of fans, and the sport of NASCAR itself. He also factored in what he believes his father would have wanted for him, stating, “All the while, it is time for me to continue his legacy in the way I only know I can, by taking the life lessons that he taught me – be a man, race hard, and contend for championships. Since that is what I plan to do, I feel strongly that I would have my father’s blessing.”

The Junior haters will say that it doesn’t matter who he drives for – that he’s a mediocre talent at best and is incapable of winning one championship, let alone several. But the guys he competes with every week will tell you that Junior is a clean driver, a smart driver, and one who definitely knows how to wheel a race car.

Whether this move will result in the achievement of his career ambitions is, of course, a big unknown. What is known is that Junior wants to chart his own course and he simply couldn’t do that at D.E.I. Ultimately, his decision transcends anything that may or may not happen on the track. “It’s more about – you know, there are some things that you can’t get with money – peace of mind and satisfaction in what you do every day and who you are, and why you’re doing it and who you’re doing it for. I’m seeking to have that peace of mind and that comfort to be able to really be an asset to somebody.”

If stepmother Teresa Earnhardt didn’t make him feel like an asset at D.E.I. – shame on her. Still, regardless of their relationship, this move is about a young man who wants to shape his future the best way he can.

As Junior pointed out today, “At 32 years of age, the same age as my father was when he made his final and most important career decision, it is time for me to compete on a consistent basis and contend for championships now.”

By making this move now, Dale can be content in the knowledge that – if nothing else – he will never have to face the inconsolable regret of inaction.

A Decision Junior May Regret…One Day
Tommy Thompson

Though Dale Earnhardt, Jr. may not fully understand right now the importance of his decision to leave Dale Earnhardt, Inc., don’t be fooled; a conflicted and misguided young man will soon be realizing his colossal mistake. It was a mistake that was set in motion by his demand that he be given a majority control in D.E.I., a company founded by his father but also by stepmother Teresa Earnhardt, the beloved wife of Dale Earnhardt, Sr. just as Dale Earnhardt, Jr. was his beloved son. Teresa, not Junior, became the sole owner of D.E.I. upon the tragic and untimely death of her husband, and has been the sole person in charge of the company from that point on. As I wrote about a few weeks ago, it should stay as simple as that; however, Junior's unsuccessful attempt to muscle control of his stepmother's business away from her was the first in what has now become a series of disappointments for NASCAR’s most popular driver, a culmination of several surprising decisions that threaten to cripple Junior from this point forward.

It was clear to this writer from the moment that Junior made his
“51% or I'm gone” threat in February of this year that he was taking a calculated risk on his future, having very little regard for the future of D.E.I., the welfare of its employees, or his other siblings in the process. Most importantly, his demands showcased a complete lack of respect for his stepmother. No matter how many times he and sister Kelley Earnhardt Elledge, acting as Junior's business manager, professed that their purpose in attempting to push Teresa aside was so that Junior could improve the performance of D.E.I, it was obvious now that their true intent was to take control of a "turn-key" Top 10 race team simply because they thought they had the power to do so. In calculating their takeover effort, they were fully aware that they had the power to be the bullies; if unsuccessful, Junior could easily sell his driving services, immense popularity, and highly-coveted sponsorships to the highest bidder for a princely sum. In the end, that’s exactly what’s happening; it’s a shrewd business move, one that may, in the short-term, be profitable for the deviant stepchildren. Rest assured, though, their plans will not stand the test of time.

Junior will now learn that the grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence. Regardless of which top-tier owner he signs on to race for, he will now be assured of remaining only a driver with no claim whatsoever in the future of that team, holding no guarantees beyond the stated length of the agreement between him and that owner. There will be no relationships like he has now left behind at Dale Earnhardt, Inc; the differences involved in venturing outside a family-run business, the only one Junior has ever known, will quickly become painfully clear. The position of being part of the Earnhardt family label is one that Junior may not fully value now, but it’s one he will one day realize was of great worth.

Wherever Junior lands, his status will be merely that of a high profile employee. He will not be the son of the founder of the company, and he will not be looked on as the heir apparent to lead his new organization after his driving career comes to an end. His usefulness to his employer will only last as long as he is productive.

Financially, Junior will continue to do well. To be honest, his earned income was never in jeopardy regardless of whether or not he stayed with D.E.I. However, whether Junior’s desertion of the family business will in the end be monetarily beneficial to him is questionable at best. Having left the business that he, as well as his sister Kelley, half-brother Kerry, and half-sister Taylor Nicole were to one day share in will inarguably leave the company reeling as his sponsor dollars follow him to another racing organization. What effect that loss of income to D.E.I. will have to the overall solvency of the company is unknown, but at least in the short-term, the company will be devalued considerably compared to what it would have been with Junior in its fold. It’s a fact that will undoubtedly decrease any amount Junior and his siblings would one day stand to inherit years down the road.

Now, it is possible that Junior’s expressed desire to better position himself competitively to win championships could come to fruition by a move to a team owner with a proven history of winning championships. But like he should have learned during his poor 2005 Nextel Cup season after replacing his Crew Chief and cousin Tony Eury, Jr., with whom he had been a Top 5 competitor, sometimes you might just need to tweak what you already have in order to take it to the next level. At present, the No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet is a Top 10 car, coming just a key move or two and some racing luck away from winning a NEXTEL Cup championship as little as one year ago. From all indications, DEI has actually improved their on-track performance of late; they seem particularly strong with their Car of Tomorrow program, which bodes well for a realistic likelihood of success as the next generation of stock cars take to the track on a regular basis in either 2008 or 2009.

In comparison, what the future will hold for Junior elsewhere is nothing more than a crapshoot. Even if he signs with a team like Childress or Hendrick, quality equipment is no guarantee of future success. Just ask Casey Mears.

In the end, Junior may very well never win a championship with another owner. Even if he does, to some Junior will forevermore be looked at as someone who has deserted the very people and organization that was instrumental in giving him a chance. It was Teresa herself that helped her husband decide to take a chance on his son. At the time, Junior was a young man with simply desire but unknown ability; D.E.I. give him not only the opportunity, but some very good equipment that allowed him to develop into a top-notch stock car driver, as well as one of the most popular and recognizable sports figures in America. Now, all the people in that organization that helped him succeed over all these years simply prep to eat the dust Junior kicks up as he walks out the door, future unknown.

That is certainly the appearance of what Junior has done this fateful Thursday in May…and if nothing else but for that reason alone…Junior has really made a bad move.

Need to know what the next step is from here for Dale Earnhardt, Jr.? Want all the inside info on how this story played out? Check out Athlon Sports’ Inside Racing Podcast with Frontstretch’s Tom Bowles and Matt Taliaferro to find out all the answers.

If you didn’t get a scorecard this morning as to what’s true ans what’s false about the Dale Earnhardt, Jr. story, that’s because you’re not getting the Frontstretch newsletter. Don’t waste another minute; click here to sign up today for more exclusive FS content. And remember, the newsletter is FREE!

 

©2000 - 2008 Becca Gladden and Tommy Thompson and Frontstetch.com. Thanks for visiting the Frontstretch!

Larry Burton
05/11/2007 03:04 AM
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Tommy, I respectfully disagree with you! Out of the major Chevrolet teams out there anyone could see that DEI was in last place. I think part of Dale Jrs. plan was to get majority ownership so the ship could be righted and DEI be made into more of a competitive team where Jr. could have a chance at a Championship. With the direction the company was taking and with Teresa at the helm DEI was not headed in the right direction. Time will tell but I think this will go down in History as one of the greatest mistakes by any Nascar team ever by DEI not retaining Dale Jr.

Ed
05/11/2007 07:36 AM
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Tommy, I agree with you. This was a typical case of the children trying to take the business their father was wise enough not to leave to them at this point in their lives. Teresa Earnhardt built the DEI businesses as the business brains behind the Earnhardt name. Dale, Sr. had the racing knowlege, she ran the businesses. Dale, Jr. is no proven manager. His Busch teams do well, but their are run by DEI managers, I’m sure. One day he may prove himself to Teresa and she may bring him back to the fold. DEI will suffer from his move and it may well not recover completely. Then Dale, Jr. and his sister will be the long term losers. This same thing is happening in a part of my family right now. The children have already lost because they were too greedy. Their father knew them well, so he made sure the stepmother was in control. Dale, Jr. will probably do well in the good equipment that he will soon be in. He is a proven driver and any team would certainly want his name. I’ve often wondered lately whether the Eury’s are an asset or a liability. They know each other too well and have been together a long time. It will be interesting to see if they follow him and whether the problems continue. It may also be that the “negotiations” with DEI have been a major distraction this year and part of Jr’s problems.

Mike
05/11/2007 07:38 AM
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Teresa will go down in history as making the biggest blunder since the Red Sox traded Ruth.
(Emphasis on PERIOD)

Mark
05/11/2007 07:45 AM
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Tommy, as I stated in another article on The Frontstretch, “The constant whining about his equipment had to be a contract ploy. In ten races so far, his cars have run extremely well. True, he’s had two blown motors and been in an accident (He was running second when he got rear ended slowing up for another wreck). Out of the other 7 races, he’s had a Top 5, two Top 10’s, three Top 15’s, and one Top 20. At this point in time, he is IN the chase. There are several drivers out there that would love his equipment.”

I saw the movie “DALE” last night. In the movie Sr states that he wants to leave something for his wife AND kids in case something happens to him. He also says that Teresa is the brains behind the company.
They were together in 1978, in his rookie season. It’s not like she’s the wicked step-mother swooping in to take what she doesn’t deserve.
You are correct, if Junior were concerned about DEI from a “looking out for the family” standpoint, he would have stayed put.

In and interview yesterday, he actually said that he may have to take care of his mother financially one day. As the wealthiest driver in NASCAR, if he can’t do that already, no one can.

I guess that’s what he meant earlier in the year about “the magnitude of me.”

Clint Banner
05/11/2007 07:53 AM
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The description above of Teresa as the “beloved wife” leads me to suspect that Mr. Thompson has a shrine to Saint Teresa on the dashboard of his Karmann Ghia.

Interestingly, the real Saint Teresa, Saint Teresa of Avila, is the patron saint of headaches (among other things.) This is quite a coincidence; the Teresa-skewed nature of Tommy’s conclusions resulted in some cranial discomfort of my own. To be honest, said discomfort was caused by my banging my head rather sharply against my desk in a vain attempt to banish the image of the all-knowing and beloved Saint Teresa that was conjured up by Mr. Thompson’s prose.

My observation is simple: None of the members of the Earnhardt family are saints. Do not attempt to judge this situation by lionizing or demonizing a specific party in this dispute. Take the high road (as Jr. did) and do not wish that anyone “larn their lesson.”

Rather, let us all hope that Dale Jr finds success, and that Dale Sr’s legacy and empire remains strong.

Begone, St. Teresa!!

Does anybody have any sunglasses I can borrow?

falcon325
05/11/2007 08:10 AM
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Tommy:

You wrote, “Teresa, not Junior, became the sole owner of D.E.I. upon the tragic and untimely death of her husband, and has been the sole person in charge of the company from that point on.”

Whatever help DEI provided in launching Little E’s career, it had reached the point where Junior was generating a huge amount of value for DEI. From a purely business perspective, he deserved more than his siblings or his stepmother. He had every right to negotiate for an equity share. If the owner of DEI refused to cut him in, then he had every right to take his services elsewhere.

Teresa Earnhardt has shown herself to be a ruthless, unscrupulous person (just ask Pete Rondeau). What guarantee did Junior, Kelly and Kerry have that, in the end, Teresa wouldn’t just will the ompany over to Taylor Marie?

Junior made a rational decision and I wish him the best.

Connie
05/11/2007 09:04 AM
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Ed said it the best Dale Earnhardt had the racing knowledge and Thersa had the brains. BUT Ed it takes both and Thersa does not have the racing knowledge. She has chosen to spend her $‘s (that she made off Jr.) on anything but developement to better the cars. She figures she has the most popular driver and makes a ton of money off him why bother! She hired Max who has NO racing knowledge and then added DEI Entertainment Division to run within DEI. How dumb is that? Will that make the cars better? Taylor must be interested in a music career. Jr going into this year had 17 wins and there are only 8 drivers currently running that had more wins than him. Only one of those drivers is younger than him (JJ). The rest are older some close to retirement (Rudd Martin and Jarrett). So people who say Jr is over rated are nuts. Jr needs to be on a team who’s main focus is racing. He has said it himself that money is not the issue he has plenty of money. DEI has even lost their edge on the super speedways. Thersa has never liked Jr – BUT she never had a problem getting richer off him. Some people say she talked Sr into giving Jr a chance. As if Sr would have to EVER have to be talked into giving his children a chance. Its more like she finally agreed to it.

Dave
05/11/2007 09:25 AM
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Sure they have been some what competitive this year, key on somewhat. They are running as a top 15 team, what have Truex and Menard done this year….nothing. I believe Junior wanted control cause he saw how things are being done else where and wanted to make those changes at DEI. Sure she may have the business smarts, but this is a race team as well and as noted this team as suffered greatly the last few years. Would Sr. be happy about their plate track program right now? I doubt it, Junior stated at Daytona that they didn’t have the horses to keep up with the front runners. I think he finally realized this year that DEI’s ability to put him in the championship he so wants is not going to happen. Look at Hendricks and Gibbs, they have dominated the cup scene for the last several years. Sure he’ll make the chase year in and year out but when it comes to the big prize it won’t happen. Money is not an issue, its about winning a championship and after much sole searching he realizes that this will not happen at DEI. I think Thersea has made one of the greatest blunders of all time, that is until she switches to Ford which will make Sr. roll over. He’s on record as saying his two years with Bud Moore and his Fords were the worst two years of his life. DEI has suffered under her leadership amd now she has lost the biggest piece in the DEI puzzle. DEI will become a third teir team struggling to stay afloat and Junior will have greater success where ever he ends up. Good luck Junior.

Justin
05/11/2007 11:46 AM
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teresa wasnt going to give him DEI in the first place. who thinks that she was going to give the buiesness to him she probably wouldnt she was being rude about it. jr knew he wasnt going to have any chance he made the right choice of leaving i hope he starts his company up in nextel cup and him and truex go for it all and believe me they can do it. his father would be proud of him in his decision not teresa’s i really believe that. she knew what earnhardt wanted and she isnt doing that!

Leadfoot
05/11/2007 06:56 PM
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What if during all this media “feeding” frenzy,and Jr. shopping around for anther team and all, hat DEI and Jr. actually come to term’s and re-up’s with each other? Has anyone thought of that?

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