Hendrick trying to buy No. 8 from DEI
07/02/07 There is nothing keeping Hendrick Motorsports from buying the #8 from Dale Earnhardt Inc. as long as NASCAR approves the transfer of the number. While NASCAR owns all numbers and issues them to organizations on an annual basis, teams sell numbers all the time. NASCAR spokesman Ramsey Poston said it is unlikely the governing body would prevent such a transfer, adding the financial terms are not a concern. ESPN.com
06/26/07 Hendrick Motorsports will not be able to purchase the No. 8 from Dale Earnhardt Inc., nor is DEI allowed to sell it to Hendrick or any other team. NASCAR on Monday reiterated its long-standing policy that the sanctioning body owns and assigns all car numbers, and spokesman Ramsey Poston said a team cannot sell its car number to another team on its own accord.
"NASCAR owns the numbers and licenses them to teams on an annual basis," Poston said. "A team may allow another team to use the number for that year pending NASCAR's approval."
The numbers, however, are not for sale, Poston said.
06/23/07 Car owner Rick Hendrick has let it be known to officials at Dale Earnhardt Inc. that he’d like to purchase the No. 8 for Dale Earnhardt Jr. when he begins driving for his organization in 2008.
“I’m not sure what their position is or what they want for it," Hendrick said Saturday between practices at Infineon Raceway. Earnhardt said last week he would like to stay in the No. 8 if a deal can be reached with DEI owner Teresa Earnhardt, who has the rights to the number and his long-time sponsor, Budweiser. Max Siegel, the president of global operations at DEI, said he will not act until there is a formal proposal. Hendrick doesn’t expect any sort of announcement for at least a few weeks.
“Honestly, we’re leaving everything open," he said. “It’s just so early. If you say you’re going to do something and you really think you are, six weeks from now we might change our mind again. “We’re working through our sponsors and everything."