Thompson in Turn 5 · Tommy Thompson · Tuesday June 5, 2007
This past weekend at Dover, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. set the record straight on previous allegations both stated and implied that his stepmother Teresa Earnhardt was not providing needed resources to the race teams at Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Thank goodness for that; Junior's clarification of the problems between him and his present employer came just in the nick of time to keep a reputation for honesty intact. As it was apparent to all that witnessed this weekend’s Nextel Cup performance by the D.E.I. entries, the equipment Teresa Earnhardt was providing to her organization was indeed nothing less than top-notch. Not only did Junior qualify second for the race, but his stablemate, Martin Truex, Jr., won the Autism Speaks 400 in a runaway. Winning by over 7 seconds, Truex put on a dominating performance, leading 216 of 400 laps with a race car that was clearly superior to the rest of the field. It was a victory celebration indicative of a strong future for Dale Earnhardt, Inc., a future Earnhardt realizes now would not have been as bad as originally perceived.
During the recent highly publicized contract negotiations for controlling interest of Dale Earnhardt, Inc., insinuations were made that the team was not sufficiently equipped to be competitive. Earnhardt, Jr. and his sister, Kelley Earnhardt Elledge, serving as Junior's Business Manager / Spokesperson, reasoned that if Junior were victorious in being given reign over D.E.I.'s racing division, needed changes in providing missing resources would occur that were likely to create more wins and championship possibilities for her brother down the line.
Back then, Earnhardt Elledge claimed the reason for their desire to gain majority control was very much competition-related. "There hasn't been someone solid in the business putting the resources back into the race team,” she explained as the reasoning behind making this move. The daughter of D.E.I. founder Dale Earnhardt concluded that the attempted takeover was essential because, "We want Dale to drive 10 or 12 more years. We've got to get on the racetrack and win and get competitive and win championships. We have to have a situation that provides that for him."
However, as Junior continues to make his rounds of potential new employers’ shops, he has apparently come to the realization that perhaps D.E.I. and Teresa, the much-maligned owner and manager of the company, may have indeed been more attentive to business than both he and his sister had given her credit for. Never much exposed to other "big league" race shops outside of his stepmother’s, the immensely popular driver observed that he hasn’t noticed any “golden eggs” anywhere else.
“I was surprised at how on par in some places D.E.I. really is,” Earnhardt, Jr. said. “I never really felt like me and crew chief Tony (Eury), Jr. had any trouble being competitive at D.E.I. The reasons why I left were truly personal and not competition related." Of course, this reasoning is a departure from earlier statements from the driver of the No. 8 Budweiser Chevrolet, in which he had explained that his split from Eury during the 2005 season was in part due to Junior wrongly holding his crew chief responsible for performance issues that were actually a result of Eury not having the proper shop resources.
Well, at least now we start to get to the truth behind the most talked about owner and driver split in stock car history. Junior’s desire to leave was personal, and not really related to any lack of effort or desire on Teresa Earnhardt's behalf to provide competitive equipment. While his admissions come after the fact, credit needs to be given to Junior for coming clean on this issue, as he and sister Kelley had painted quite a different picture of their stepmother's management of the race team in recent months.
The allegations behind those ill-fated comments were clear, and I believe intentional in nature. Teresa was being accused of not putting resources (i.e. – sponsorship money) back into the organization and that she had not been solidly behind the race business. Of course, that leads to the obvious conclusion that the teams were not competitive. These charges were certain to cast their stepmother in a negative manner before the public, giving Junior’s negotiating team the upper hand as they pursued their mission to wrestle control of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. right out of her hands. It was an impossible mission, of course, to snag a company that their deceased father left 100% of to Teresa upon his tragic and untimely death.
Though ultimately the stepchildren were unsuccessful in gaining control, the unwarranted condemnation of their stepmother lingered and became a rally cry for many that became convinced that Junior was not being given adequate equipment to race as competitively as his talents are deserving of.
Of course, any such accusations are nothing short of ridiculous. At best, it is accurate that efforts on the part of D.E.I.'s management have not resulted in any championships for Dale Earnhardt, Jr. That’s a goal that Junior and many within his “Red Army” of supporters desperately want to see him achieve, and to that end, the organization has not been successful. Yes, if winning championships becomes the litmus test as to whether an owner is operating their teams properly, Teresa Earnhardt is guilty as charged. But it is important to point out that only three NASCAR Cup owners have been successful in attaining that goal in eleven of the last twelve years. With the exception of Dale Jarrett's 1999 championship season, achieved while driving for owner Robert Yates, all of NASCAR’s previous twelve titles have gone to owners named Rick Hendrick, Jack Roush, and Joe Gibbs. Meanwhile, giants of the sport as Richard Childress, Chip Ganassi, and Roger Penske would all need to pull up a chair next to Teresa Earnhardt at the “bad team owners” table.
Clearly, a championship should not be a barometer from which the level of success a team can achieve should be judged. D.E.I. has provided Junior with good equipment, and, despite popular opinion to the contrary, race cars and team personnel that have been capable of winning races and championships. Junior has been eligible for two of the first three Nextel Cup Chases for the Championship, and has career numbers that are befitting those of a champion. It is worth noting that Earnhardt, Jr's. career wins eclipse by two the total of fifteen recorded by 2003 Winston Cup Champion Matt Kenseth. Conversely, Kenseth has tallied merely two more Top 5 finishes than Junior, with seventy-two in 268 career Cup starts for both drivers. As comparable as the two drivers’ on-track performances have been, there has never been a hint of criticism that Roush-Fenway Racing is not providing to Kenseth's No. 17 Ford race team the needed resources to compete.
It was further apparent, even before Monday's rain-delayed race, that D.E.I.'s Car of Tomorrow program is top-notch. While racking up solid runs on the race track, their progress had simply been overshadowed by the phenomenal success that the Hendrick Motorsports entries have experienced during the first four races in which the new generation of race car had competed. Development of the CoT by all race teams has been a huge undertaking, involving a three-year commitment to manpower, equipment, engineering expertise, and money. When Martin Truex, Jr. wheeled the D.E.I.-owned No. 1 Chevrolet into Victory Lane, he affirmed, even without confirmation on Junior’s part, that Teresa Earnhardt has succeeded at every item on that checklist, providing the necessary resources to the teams to not only be competitive…but win!
In the meantime, Junior's weekend comments should be accepted as they were offered. I am convinced that the strife between him and his stepmother that resulted in him attempting to take control of her company, as well as arriving at the decision to leave D.E.I. at season’s end, was a "truly personal" long-term disagreement. No decision was made because he "had any trouble being competitive at D.E.I." – no matter how much he’d have made you believe that just a few short months ago.
Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is not known as one to shift blame or fail to accept responsibility for his actions. He is rightfully widely regarded and respected as a "stand-up guy" both on and off the track. Well, this weekend he once again "stood up" and told the truth.
You can't ask for any more.
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Teresa Earnhardt is a sharp business woman, and the brains behind all of Dale, Sr’s business interests. That has been widely known for a long time. She is from a racing family, the Houston’s, and knows both sides of the business. This whole mess is a typical stepmother/stepson and daughter spat. The kids want what daddy had and was smart enough not to leave them. I’m glad that Dale, Jr. showed his true nature as a truthful and fair young man. I wonder how much of those values came from his “evil” stepmother’s teachings.
tommy, the bottom line is jr. is not or will ever be a driver of the same caliber as his father was.
Jr. is just a down to earth nice young man wich is happy getting in a race car every weekend a drive around the track and then go home and hang out with his buddy’s.
No matter were he goes I believe he’ll end up in 15 years just like Mark Martin close but no cigar to a cup championship and I also believe he’ll end up back to dei in the next 5 to 7 years.
All and all jr. is a nice guy if he could just thing and make decisions for himself without his sister input.
I don’t think this was all about seven-post shakers or computer-controlled milling machines.
A number of years ago, I was fortunate enough to get taken on a tour of Hendrick Motorsports by Papa Joe. As we went through the HMS complex, Papa Joe spoke to every HMS employee we passed. And it wasn’t just a polite, “Good morning.†He called them by name. He asked about their families. He asked one guy if he had had any luck fishing at the pond out by the shop during lunch hour the day before. He asked another how he was liking his new motorcycle.
I came away with the distinct impression that the people at HMS get out of bed in the morning and go into work wanting to win races and championships. For a reason.
I don’t think you can scrap the last almost 4 years of sub par horsepower, bad management decisions (taking Richie Gilmore out of his post as head engine builder), engineering cutbacks and an overall fall from elite status as a race team with one win by Martin Truex Jr. in the new car of tomorrow. I think Eury Jr. has figured something out with this car and it may just be that this new car fits the driving styles of both Dale Jr. and Truex Jr. Earnhardt made it clear that he was worried about this car because DEI was behind in the development of the car at the beginning of the year. It is now in Theresa’s best interest to spend some money and give her race teams the resources they need to win. That is the only way she’ll be able to secure the sponsorship and quality personnel needed to compete without Jr. and maybe Eury Jr. I don’t think this sense of urgency to perform well has ever been felt by Theresa until now. Why would she ever feel threatened as an owner with solid sponsorships like Budweiser, NAPA, Pennzoil and Bass Pro Shops. With a star like Dale Jr. and a marketing personality like Waltrip; winning could easily become less important to just being able to compete and get into victory circle every so often. No one can argue that it has been obvious that her focus has been more on marketing the legacy of Dale Sr. I don’t disagree with reaping the benefits of his marketing machine, it’s what helped Dale and her build the company in the first place, but it takes investment in resources and a continued effort towards championships to keep this company growing.
No company or at least no top tier company is in business to just hang in there and win a race here and there. To be considered a top tier competitive team they have to judge themselves by winning championships; that is the ultimate goal of every team. Dale Jr. left his team because he saw nothing that proved to him that Theresa was concerned first with winning championships over making a dollar with interests outside of racing. This difference in philosophy between Dale and Theresa is most likely the core reason behind a relationship that fell apart. It boils down to respect and she didn’t show that she had much for him. The comment about DEI being on par with other teams in certain areas is probably true. The difference between DEI and top tier teams may be the management behind the company. Is the company organized and run the same as other teams? Probably not, Gibbs is known for its very structured and efficient manner for which it operates, as well as being a family atmosphere. Hendricks is known for it’s wealth of information shared and Rick Hendricks commitment to providing whatever resources that are needed to win, because winning championships is his first goal. From an initial walk through of different garages there may not be a whole lot of difference from the naked eye, because the most important differences may be management, company culture and ownerships goals. Dale Jr. stood up and told the truth about his reasons behind his departure with both statements, because both reasons for leaving are true.
No way does this vindicate Teresa. She was smart enough to start making things better,only after Jr decided to leave. Maybe Jr has done good in spite of bad engines and other junk. One win for Truex does not put him in the same category as Jr anymore than one win for Casey Mears Puts him up with Jeff or Jimmie. I think Truex has a way to go before he’s the next star.
The explanation is simple. Teresa never got along with Dale’s kids from the start. Jr. got shipped off to school and Kelly went also as she feels a lot of responsibility for him. Dale and Kelly knew nothing had or would change so what can one really do?
Don’t fool yourself. All of a sudden an engine deal is made with RCR and Eury Sr. is now heading up an R & D team. A little late don’t you think? So why did it happen? Easy, Jr. is gone so I better get off my, you know what, and do something.
If not for Kelley, I think Jr would have already signed a new contract with DEI and not thought anything of it.
Kelley hates Teresa, and the best way to rally public support? Accuse her of not providing Jr with the equipment he is capable of. What else could she say? “I just want control”? At least it would have been honest.
I have a feeling Spencer spoke for a lot of people in the garage those weeks ago.
I think although Jr. stated the reasons were personal, it is evident that since his departure the admited lack of up to date resources has been proven.
1. Engine program merge with Childress.
2. Ordering of the 7 post shaker.
3. Developement of a dedicated test team.
If these had been done prior to the contract then possibly the thought of the need to control would have not been there. Jr. wants to be competitive and those were some of the missing parts. Could be a loss on both parties. I do agree that DEI does miss the personal touch with is not part of Teressa’s make up.
When Jimmy Spencer first made his comments about Kelly I thought he was way out of line. Now after digesting all that has happened it’s starting to look more and more like Spencer nailed it correctly. Jr. is going to do whatever his sister says to do, and just maybe she has led him astray.
Sorry to say one win isn’t going to change the fact that DEI is behind on power as compared to RCR, HMS, Gibbs, and Roush That is a fact. When Ty Norris was forced out and Richie Gilmore took over, things fell apart. Gilmore should have stayed in the engine shop, that is where he was best. DEI as a whole is not the greatest of teams, both Dale Jr and Martin Jr are far better drivers than what they have been given. I think people read too much into what Junior says. First of all, the last time people criticized Teresa for saying what she did, Junior defended her! So its the same, when people speculate that Junior is leaving because he wants better equipment, they blame Teresa and again, Junior defended not so much her, but the men and women who bust their tails on those race cars. I have heard and read of how low the team morale is at DEI over the years. They need a cheerleader and Teresa sends other people to do it for her. She needs to be active. I know it can be difficult, but that is part of her job and responsibility. Junior said he wants to be competitive and win championships, maybe he just needs a better working relationship with his owner…...
Theresa started this with her quote before this season started. She obviously has no respect for Jr. I think it is now an even bigger slap in the face to make needed improvements after Jr.‘s decision to leave DEI. She doesn’t want him there, so he’s better off gone. And as for Sr.‘s wishes…when his will was written, his kids (Jr. included) were not mature enough to handle the business. But I don’t think he intended for his son to be disrespected like this by Theresa and given no choice but to leave DEI. As for me, I will not be buying anything with Earnhardt Sr.‘s name on it because I don’t want to add a penny to Theresa’s bank account.
The voice of reason – thank you Tommy. I suspected all along that Junior’s supposed unhappiness with DEI was not due to lack of competitive equipment. It was a greedy power play and that is all.
And I have to laugh at the idea some have that ALL OF A SUDDEN DEI has become competitive because of Junior’s leaving. Wow – must be some kind of miracle!
Turning things around in an organization takes more than a few weeks, people. LOL
When Junior signs with a new organization his blindly loyal fans will have no Teresa to blame when he doesn’t set the world on fire. Hope Junior’s new boss knows what he’s getting into.
Thank you D. Kingsley. I have been saying this for the past 3 years. One win does not a championship make. Again, thanks for saying it all!!!
I’m an Earnhardt fan, & was a fan of Dale sr.However I have to say I think Jr. is a little over rated, not near as much as Michael Waltrip though.I’m also beginning to suspect that Teresa was right in her statement that he needs to make up his mind.I think he should resign with DEI, if he goes to RCR he’s stuck trying to live up to his father’s legacy even more than now.As far as driving the 3 car forget it.No one could even come close to driving that car like Dale sr. did.Jr. is no where close to being the driver his dad was, but then who is?
Theresa did not start this… some of you have selective memories. Last fall it was Jr. or should I say most likely Kelly that started leaking criticism of Theresa ownership style. The move by Jr. and his sister to extort DEI out from under Theresa was motivated by pure vindictiveness and reckless greed.
Really what kind of courage and judgment does it take to have a temper tantrum and walk away from the family business… The lack of responsibility that allows one to do that and endanger the jobs of hundreds of people employed by DEI is astounding.
Dale Jr. had best get his sister away from running his life before she ruins his career.
DEI has been running under performning cars for a long time. The hook – up with RCR and DEI was because Theresa knew that DEI could not run with the big guns as they stood. I feel Dale decided to leave on two counts. 1.) Theresa is and has never been a loving parent towards either Kelly or Dale Jr. her interest in is keeping seniors legend alive, and 2.) He does want a championship, DEI is not and never will be a championship organization. Do I think he is as capable and talented as his father …No! There is only one racer out there today that is.
Dale Jr. can still win championships, but DEI was not the place to do it.
Harry hit the nail on the head. Since Jr announced he was leaving, DEI management has stepped up and implemented the changes Jr has been trying to get them to do for the last 2-3 years.
Some people don’t realize just how “smartâ€, yes I said “smart†Jr is when it comes to Nascar and all that is involved in having a winning race team. Jr’s been very vocal about the lack of horsepower in the engines at DEI for the last 2 years, did DEI do anything about the lack of horsepower?? I’m sure the guys in the shop worked with what they were given, and have made improvements, but were still not up to par. Jr announces he’s leaving and suddenly there’s an announcment that DEI has formed a new partnership with RCR to develop engines (RCR having been in the same lack of horsepower boat just a few short years ago). Jr’s been telling DEI management for 3 years that they needed a dedicated testing team like Hendricks and the other elite teams have to gather data and stay ahead of the field. He was told that they couldn’t justify the expense and did not see where that would be benefitial to the team. Jr announces he’s leaving and a few weeks later DEI announces that Eury Sr will head up a new dedicated testing and development team at DEI. And don’t forget the 7 post shaker machine, which has gotten a lot of press lately, but it was two years ago that Jr first mentioned that he had seen this piece of equipment and thought it would be a great tool to have at DEI. Once again he was told it wasn’t needed and was an unproven piece of equipment at the time, very expensive to purchase setup and maintain. Jr announces he’s leaving and voila, DEI is ordering a 7 post shaker…..hmmmmmm.
I don’t blame all this on Teresa, she doesn’t have a clue what it takes to keep a team competitive and how to stay ahead of the curve, that’s what she has a management team for. They have failed her miserably the last couple of years. Something or someone has finally got DEI back on the right track, I think it took Jr’s leaving to make this happen so maybe this will turn out to be a win-win situation. Jr can go somewhere that he feels he is appreciated, and DEI has gotten the wake up call they needed to get back on the right track to be a force to be reckoned with in the future.
I look for good things for both parties involved here next year, DEI should be stronger and more competitive week in and week out, and Jr should be in proven equipment, which will be his opportunity to show whether he has the talent to really be a superstar in the sport. Good luck to both parties.
Ps- all this talk about Kelly running Dale Jr’s life…. you obviously don’t know Jr very well, he is very much his own man and makes his own decisions, but make no mistake, Kelly and Jr are very tight, and both look out for the others best interests.
*I’m a little taken back by the sudden defense of Teresa based on Truex’s win last weekend, and Jr.‘s good qualifying effort. It doesn’t mean that Jr. and Kelley were incorrect in their assessment that the proper resources were not being funneled into the competition program. It means to me that only SINCE that statement by Jr. and his sister, Teresa has resorted to only one defense, i.e., putting the resources where they are required to win races. She has in no way redeemed herself in my mind or in that of most Dale Jr. fans. Let’s not forget, and I’ve said it many times, (1) she lacked the grace to merely wish her step-son well in his futre, and (2) the two have not even spoken since he announced his resignation. Am I the only one who recognizes this for what it is?
No Nina you are not the only one who has noticed this. All of a sudden the changes Jr asked for have happened and Truex is the fair haired boy. As a fan of Dale Sr for many years and now of Jr, I will never support TEI in any way again. I also will never support Truex as long as he drives for the witch. I just heard Truex on Trackside. He said Teresa gave him a 20 min. phone call congradulating him and she had luncheon at TEI for him and his team. How sweet. Did she ever do that for the son of the man she supposedly loved so much?
All you people have failed to realize one very importaant concept.
When Dale Earnhardt started driving race cars he was motivated to win by an empty pocketbook and a hungry belly. Pretty good motivators.
Todays racers are richer than most even if they finish 43rd in every race they start.
That being said, we don’t know what kind of parent Dale was, what kind of stepmother Teresa was, or how the kids got along with them. None of that matters now.
Here is the situation, Dale is dead and gone, he won’t be coming back. DEI belongs solely to Teresa. For whatever reason, Dale Jr does not feel comfortable there. Employment is a lot like a marriage. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. The reasons don’t matter. There is nothing necessarily wrong with Teresa, Dale Jr or Kelly. They just can no longer work together.
If it was a little street sweeping company in Kannapolis noone would notice and noone would care. But this is high profile and everybody wants to get his 2 cents worth in.
If Jr drives for Childress, that is OK, if he drives a dump truck for the county, that is OK too, if it makes him happy. I know he wants to win championships and races, and for whatever reason he feels he has to look elsewhere. Remember, just like a failed marriage. The divorce will be final in November.
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