Rick Hendrick, Save Your “Eight” Money
This oughta send the Dale Jr. sycophants into a tizzy fit.
Just when Junior is once again named as one of “America’s Favorite Sports Stars” and Rick Hendrick has expressed an interest in grabbing the #8 from DEI (”We gave them a signal… that we’d like to have it but, you know, I’m not real sure what their position is and what they want for it,”) NASCAR has rained on the Eight Parade.
“NASCAR owns the numbers and licenses them to teams on an annual basis,” spokesman Ramsey 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.
DEI spokesman John Story said Monday they were aware of the policy that NASCAR owns the car numbers and they cannot be sold.
Well then, seems there is only one solution to this.
If as NASCAR says it’s up to “a team decide to no longer request a number’s use” both Rick and Dale Jr. will have to bow down before the Evil Step Mother, beg forgiveness for any previous transgressions, suckle a couple “Royal Toes” and hope for the best.
Fat Chance!
DEI, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Sports, Hendrick Motorsports, NASCAR, NEXTEL Cup, Auto Racing, Motorsports, Full Throttle
Couldn’t Hendrick simply pay DEI six or seven figures for a DEI chasis or set of Hoosier tires-something totally, and in no way related to an exchange of numbers (wink)?
Not based on what NASCAR is saying Mike.
That’s not to say something under the table won’t occur to loosen DEI’s grip on the number, but it won’t be anything “official.”
What I read between the lines is the #’s aren’t for sale - unless of course the Daytona Mafia gets a cut of the action. Actually, I see no reason why the 8 even needs to move. Jr has had it for about 6 years. I think the Stavolas had it for longer than that. He’s leaving DEI, DEI didn’t leave Jr. He’s signed to drive for HMS. Take the friggin’ 5 or 25 (or some other # and move on). Much ado about nothing from the Red Nation IMO.
I agree, a number has never won a race at any level, the Junior fans need to give it a rest.
If 8 fades away, his new number will feel right as soon as he takes to the oval in Daytona in January!
Mother Thersa will ball and chain the 8, but I agree that Jr. and Big Rick should move on and a new number will ultimately go with Jr.’s new image.