Earnhardt to Childress?

UPDATE #4 If Junior [Dale Earnhardt Jr.] is gonna drive the No. 3 car someday, could it happen under the DEI roof? If so, Childress would have to give up ownership of the number — and all the potential business opportunities that accompany it. "He's always said, ever since his daddy got killed, one of these days he's gonna drive a 3 car," Tony Eury said of Junior. "Just a remark he made a long time ago. Someday Richard might give us the number and we'll run it out of DEI. Depends on how long Richard wants to keep doing it, you know." Richard? Any chance of giving up the No. 3? "No. As far as the 3, it's registered," Childress elaborated. "It's one of those deals . . . we're gonna keep doing what we've been doing, what Dale and I talked about years ago. We knew it was our number, and we had plans of doing things with it after he retired. We're gonna put those plans in effect soon." Daytona Beach News Journal 06/28/05 DEI, founded by Earnhardt Sr. when he was driving for Richard Childress, is now run by Earnhardt's widow, Teresa. Earnhardt Jr. and his stepmother have had a rocky relationship. In an interview in Saturday's Orlando Sentinel, Earnhardt reiterated the notion that he might someday leave DEI. Reached Saturday at the track, Earnhardt said he was simply restating his desire to drive for Childress "years and years" down the road. "Nothing's going on, I promise you that," he said. USA Today 06/25/05 Does "Little E" ever wonder if it might be better if he had moved on out of the DEI team his father founded and went to the Childress team his father drove for? "Yeah!" he says, cheer suddenly rising in his hoarse voice, his eyes brightening. "And I think about that. And that's still — that's always an option." As the only man alive who could carry "3" on his door panels with public approval and indeed celebration, and with his Bud sponsorship willing to follow him wherever he goes, it would seem he could pick up the phone and virtually be there. "Right," he confirmed. "Yeah. Richard and I haven't really sat down at a desk to talk about it, but he owns the number '3' and I want to drive the No. 3 race car before I retire. I've told Richard I want to finish my career in his race car, or in a No. 3 car if he and Teresa [Earnhardt] can come to some agreement or whatever." He means a transfer of ownership of the number. His stepmother, Dale's widow Teresa, owns Dale Earnhardt Inc. and has the ultimate say, although Richie Gilmore runs the company for her. She rarely comes to races or appears in public and doesn't speak with the media. Earnhardt Jr. is under contract to her through 2007. But could something be worked out? And how long would it take? "Oh, if everybody was for it, less than 24 hours, I would assume," Earnhardt said. "But I don't see that happening. I mean, not everybody's going to be cool about it. I don't think Teresa would want me to leave, in the first place." Read more at the Orlando Sentinel 06/25/05 Also hearing that Budweiser may move with Earnhardt Jr. to the famous No. 03 in 2006. We predicted that Jr. would drive his famous father's No. 3 many years ago and NASCAR would make it happen at the right time. Now is the right time because Dale's career is going downhill fast (based on the performances he has had this year.) NASCAR, never one to miss out on a marketing opportunity, will play this one to the hilt, and Earnhardt's legion of sheep, er…we mean fans, will cheer wildly. 06/24/05 Richard Childress does not see Dale Earnhardt Jr. leaving Dale Earnhardt Inc., after the season, but if that happens, his door is open. “Junior has his own deal working good at DEI, and I hope it all works out for him," said Childress, who won six Nextel Cup championships with the late Dale Earnhardt. “I think it will (work out), ’cause it’s a really good organization. I also would say if he ever left there, I’d sure hope he’d come this way. I know what Dale Sr.’s vision and dream was with DEI," Childress said. “It was to build that operation for Dale Jr., (sister) Kelly and his family. Dale Jr. has done a great job of representing DEI and what they want to do, so it’s a good deal." The State