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Bidding for Dale Jr. with or without Bud
Beyond Bud
Kevin from Omaha, Neb.: Do you really think Dale Earnhardt Jr. will give up Bud as a sponsor?Larry McReynolds: I'm still not sure where Budweiser falls. It's hard to believe that they would let him get away, but if they can't work out something, there's probably a dozen or more companies standing in line, saying, "Pick me! Pick me! We'll spend every bit Budweiser is spending or more if that's what it takes to get this deal done." How in the world could you go wrong with that deal?
There's no question that he felt a sense of relief when he finally announced to the world that he wouldn't be back at DEI. Soon, he'll be able to say, "This is the organization that I'm going to be working with. These are my teammates for next year. This is who we're going to have for a crew chief."
When you have the level of notoriety that Dale Earnhardt Jr. has attained, it takes a while to make sure you put together your team and sponsorship deals in the right way. There's a lot to sort out before we get to Daytona Speedweeks in 2008. So look for that decision to come down between now and Fourth of July.
Martin Truex Jr. may become the senior member at Dale Earnhardt Inc. Obviously he's earning that right at a rapid pace when you look at how he ran at the tailend of last year — finishing 2nd at Homestead — and how they've done this year, dominating the Dover race.
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Penske to Toyota?
Fernie from El Paso, Texas: Will Joe Gibbs Racing switch to Toyota? I don't think Chevy would want to lose Tony Stewart or Denny Hamlin. Why don't they go after Dale Earnhardt Inc.?Larry McReynolds: I just don't see any of those Chevrolet teams going to Toyota. It's just a gut feeling. I just don't see Hendrick, Childress, Gibbs or DEI leaving Chevy. DEI just did an engine deal with Richard Childress Racing, which takes them out of the equation. Darrell Waltrip believes that Penske Racing South may be the team that will make a move. I wouldn't be surprised, but I don't think Penske would replace any of Toyota's current teams. They'll still keep Bill Davis Racing, Michael Waltrip Racing and Red Bull Racing and rightly so. But Nextel Cup's newest manufacturer has realized that they need a top-notch, established and winning operation to get where they need to be at a faster pace. They wanted to do it with the three teams, but they've come to realize it's a steep climb.
FOX race analyst Larry McReynolds has more than 25 years of NASCAR experience as a mechanic, crew chief and broadcaster. He and his fellow Crew Chief Club members take you behind the wall at www.crewchiefclub.com.
"How to Become a Winning Crew Chief" is on bookstore shelves, or you may order your own autographed copy from www.DWStore.com.
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