DEI could dump Earnhardt Jr.
"Before we come back here in February [for the Daytona 500] would be my wish [to have a deal done] so we wouldn't have the distraction of that every week," Gilmore said during the first day of preseason testing at Daytona International Speedway. "I would say, realistically, probably May."
Gilmore said losing the most popular driver on the Nextel Cup Series and the son of seven-time Cup champion Dale Earnhardt never has been a consideration for anybody at DEI, including owner Teresa Earnhardt.
"He's just like Derek Jeter to the Yankees," Gilmore said. "He's our star player. It would be fair when you compare Junior to other famous athletes like Michael Jordan with the Bulls. He's a franchise player.
"We feel confident we're going to get it all worked out and we'll have an announcement shortly."
Gilmore discounted comments in the Dec. 14 edition of The Wall Street Journal in which Teresa said: "Right now the ball's in [Earnhardt's] court to decide on whether he wants to be a NASCAR driver or whether he wants to be a public personality."
"I'm around Teresa pretty much every day and I've never heard her comment that way," Gilmore said. "Teresa doesn't get out there a lot to the media, but when I talk to her, it's never negative against Junior that way."
Gilmore said every conversation he's had with Teresa involved re-signing her stepson.
Richie Gilmore "That's what's best for the company," he said. "That's what's best for Junior and that's what's best for DEI. We'll get the deal done and move forward."
Gilmore said Teresa has tried to remove herself from negotiations as much as possible "because she thinks it will happen faster maybe if she takes the personal side out of it." ESPN.com
12/21/06 Don't be completely shocked if, a year from now, Dale Earnhardt Jr. walks away from his famous No. 8 Chevrolet, and possibly even his popular and lucrative Budweiser sponsorship, to drive for another Nextel Cup team.
It's unlikely, but not out of the question given the tense relationship between him and his stepmother, Teresa Earnhardt, the owner of his Dale Earnhardt Inc. team.
The relationship between Dale Earnhardt Jr. and step mom/boss Teresa has been frosty at times. Their relationship has always been a bit rocky. Since his father died in 2001, Junior's boss has been Teresa, and he has not always been happy with the way she runs the team that bears his father's name.
Three years ago, the two had an ugly contract dispute, with Earnhardt Jr. at one point saying it was difficult to negotiate when Teresa was rarely around.
A year ago, Earnhardt Jr. had to battle the company just to get the rights to his own name.
Now, Teresa has fired the latest salvo when she questioned Earnhardt Jr.'s commitment, telling the Wall Street Journal that he needed to decide "whether he wants to be a NASCAR driver or whether he wants to be a public personality." More at CBSSportsline.com
12/20/06 Now we know why Theresa Earnhardt was questioning whether Dale Earnhardt Jr. really wants to be a race car driver or just a celebrity. Here he is posing with Playboy's Dahm triplets, and we warn you do NOT click the link if you are offended by naked woman. He's even seen taking some photos of the naked woman himself, perhaps for his own collection. NASCAR isn't the 'family' sport it once was when its biggest star is seen as a porn lover. AutoRacing1.com finds the website linked rather disgusting, but since it relates to auto racing news we provided it. In no way do we endorse such smut.
12/15/06 Dale Earnhardt Inc. team owner Teresa Earnhardt appears to be questioning stepson Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s commitment to racing in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.
The story in Thursday's edition says Earnhardt Jr.'s contract with the team founded by his father, the late Dale Earnhardt, expires after the 2007 season, but Teresa Earnhardt expressed uncertainty about his future.
"Right now the ball's in his court to decided on whether he wants to be a NASCAR driver or whether he wants to be a public personality."
Earnhardt Jr., who drives the team's No. 8 Chevrolet in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series and finished fifth in the standings this season with one win, "was not available for comment" on the statement, the story said. DailyScene