Notes and Quotes from Dale Earnhardt Jr.

From Chicagoland Speedway Friday

On his sponsorship with Budweiser coming to a close at the end of the 2007 season

“It would be cool if they did stay at DEI, but wherever they decide to go, will be the right choice for them. They always make the right decision."

Will you still have a personal services contract with Budweiser?

“My association will be over at the end of ’07. Budweiser and we came to an agreement on that. So I think that will help us and them. But as far as our future, our future’s apart. But you don’t have to pay me to drink beer. It’s good beer and I’ll always drink it. And I enjoy it. That’s part of my life. The relationship I had with Budweiser and the partnership we’ve had for all these years is a big huge chunk of my life and it’ll always be very memorable to me. And they’ll always be a huge part of that and that success that I’ve had and the races that we’ve won. And when I look back on it in 20 years from now, it’ll be a real positive thing for me."

Does the Budweiser deal affect what your car number will be? Do you still want to be No. 8?

“I would still like to be No. 8, but that’s between the owners and obviously NASCAR. I don’t have any influence, I reckon."

On racing at Chicagoland Speedway

“I enjoy it. This track is starting to age really well. The shade of the asphalt has changed quite a bit. The track is going to really come in with a second and third groove during the race, just like it did last year. Those are fun race tracks. And I look forward to it. I really do. It’s a fun track.

How do you expect your relationship with Jeff Gordon to go next year?

“I think we’ll be fierce competitors on the track. I think we’ll race each other like we do now. We like to beat each other. I like to outrun Jeff any chance I can. I think he feels the same way about me just because of the fan base and the differences between the two. But we’ll be teammates and we’ll be in team meetings together. We’ll be doing things like that were we’ll be essentially working toward the same goal. But when we get out on the race track; when we pull out of the garage and out on pit road and get ready for practices and things like that, that’ll still be a high level of competition between me and him. I think that has to remain. That’s can’t go away. I don’t want it to go away. But I like the rivalry him and my dad had and I’d like to continue that." Rick Schenk