At a press conference today, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Richard Childress, Teresa Earnhardt, and Kelley Earnhardt unveiled the No. 3 Wrangler Chevy that Dale Jr. will be driving in the Nationwide Series race at Daytona in July in honor of the late Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame.
There was talk about things maybe being awkward between the Earnhardts, mostly between Dale Jr., Kelley and Teresa. Since Dale Jr. did leave Dale Earnhardt Inc. (and didn’t get to take the no. 8 with him) I’m sure it’s not all roses and kittens, but let’s all take a moment and think about it this way: Are they really all that different from us? The answer is no. Take five seconds and think about your own family’s issues and I’m sure you’d agree that we’ve all got our own stories, tensions and baggage. The only difference is they have to answer reporter’s questions about said baggage.
Anywhooo, besides all of that it was very cool to see all of Dale Sr.’s children together, Taylor and Kerry were also on hand for the unveiling. I think this — the No. 3 at Daytona — will be an awesome way to remember him.
Photos!!! 
(Left to right) Teresa Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr. share a smile Thursday during a news conference at JR Motorsports in Mooresville, N.C. unveiling the No. 3 NASCAR Nationwide Series car that Earnhardt Jr. will run July 2 at Daytona International Speedway.
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It’s supercool news sharing time! I’ll be on a panel at Blogs with Balls 3 this year. Yay! This is awesome because I really love what Blogs with Balls is all about, the future of sports media. Plus I had a great time at BwB 2 in Las Vegas last year. It’s a big deal to me to be invited to be a speaker along with some great people, including Jay Busbee of the NASCAR blog “From The Marbles” over at Yahoo! Sports.
It’s going to be a good time and you should definitely come out. Blogs with Balls 3 is June 5th at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Ill. Tickets are limited so get yours NOW.
In other news…
– I wanted to put in my two cents about the new bookazine ESPN The Magazine published about Dale Earnhardt. In “Dale Earnhardt: The Legend Lives” I learned something new (well, new to me that is). Teresa Earnhardt started dating Dale when she was 19 and he was 27. That surprised me and it was just one piece of cool little details that could be found in the special collectible-worthy issue. It’ll be on sale through June, so be sure to pick up a copy.
– The book, “The Weekend Starts on Wednesday”, has a commercial featuring its author, Andrew Giangola. It’s hilarious (this is Andrew on helium) but all of the content is totally right on. There’s a ‘Fabulous’ mention in it, too.
If you guessed England you’re correct! I know, how random right? Well it was all a part of a yearly event called Festival of Speed held this weekend at Goodwood Estate in West Sussex, England.
The three day event, hosted by none other than an actual Earl, the Earl of March to be exact, celebrates all forms of racing. This year the festival featured a 1.16-mile hill-climbing competition for all classes and types of race cars and motorcycles, plus a 2.5-kilometer course for historic rally cars. (more…)
Normally a ticket promotion wouldn’t get my attention, but this latest one from Texas Motor Speedway made me do a double take:
Beginning at 9:03 a.m. CT Saturday (August 16), Texas Motor Speedway will kick off a special promotion for the upcoming Dickies 500 in which fans purchasing four prime front stretch tickets for the Nov. 2 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race will receive a free “Dale & The Duke” collectible diecast stock car featuring American icons Dale Earnhardt and John Wayne.
Okay, so the diecast isn’t the thing that grabbed my attention it was the photos from the announcement of the promotion. The youngest daughter of Dale Earnhardt, and the only child of Teresa Earnhardt, was on hand for the unveiling of the “Dale & The Duke” car. Seeing Taylor Earnhardt’s name made me stop dead in my tracks. I can’t remember seeing a photo or hearing anything about her at all since last year when Dale Earnhardt Jr. asked for people to stop badmouthing his step-mother to protect his half-sister from having to hear those things about her mom.
I have to admit, I am intrigued and I’d like to know more about her, especially since you never hear boo about what she’s been up to since her father’s death. Not that we should know what’s going on in her life, I’m just curious like that. Actually to be totally honest I don’t want to know who she’s dating and all of that. I’m more curious about how she’s handled her father’s death and what her relationship is like with her siblings.
Yes, I’m nosey, deal with it.
(Left to right) President and CEO of Motorsports Authentics Mark Dyer, Hollywood star Buck Taylor, John Wayne’s daughter Marisa Wayne Ditteaux, Dale Earnhardt’s daughter Taylor Earnhardt and Texas Motor Speedway President Eddie Gossage took part in the unveiling of the “Dale and the Duke” program. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)
Meant to continue the legacies of both men, the “Dale and The Duke” program paired these legends together for the first time ever as part of the Legends Series that recently saw country music great Johnny Cash grace the hood of Earnhardt’s famous No. 3 Chevrolet. (Photo Credit: Getty Images)
I had fun being on “On Pit Row” yesterday. More fun than I anticipated and I really don’t know what I was worried about my voice. I think I sounded good. I know bringing up Michael Waltrip’s possible divorce might not have been in good taste, but I can’t help the fact that I want to know. And it is a big story, considering the fact that the man proposed to her in victory lane, everybody knows them and she’s listed as the owner of some of his cars. So yea I’m curious.
It’s true too that I could care less which team this guy or that guy is going to in a general sense. I feel like it’s all really important when things are said and done, what’s the point of speculating on something that makes no difference to me? There are certain topics that are interesting like Tony Stewart co-owning Haas CNC or just the idea that Teresa Earnhardt would take on partners. Those are definitely conversation starters. But where Ryan Newman is going isn’t something I think about.
The “On Pit Row” experience got me thinking though and I’ve got an idea I want to try out. Once I figure out how to do it I’ll let you know what it is. How’s that for being vague?
In other news…
– I’m sad, deeply sad that I’m not going to Indy this week and not for the reasons that you might think. The Goo Goo Dolls are performing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Saturday in the infield on Turn 10 of the road course. I looove them. Johnny Rzeznik. *sigh*
– If you’re a lucky person and you’re going to the Allstate 400 at The Brickyard or you just happen to live in the area you can meet Kurt Busch at Scotty’s Brewhouse (located at 3905 East 96th Street in Indianapolis, IN) from 6pm to 7pm on Friday. He’ll be serving Miller Lites of course.
– During the week off, Ryan Newman went to his hometown of South Bend, Indiana where they named a road in his honor. To visit Newman Way you must travel the half-mile stretch of highway near the South Bend Regional Airport.
– Casey Mears will participate in a Q&A session with other Chevrolet drivers during Chevrolet’s annual Fan Day at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. He’ll also sign autographs and drive Chevrolet winners around the track in the official Chevy pace car.
– Do you want to question Jimmie Johnson about his season or about his hair (seriously, what’s going on there?)?? Well here’s your chance:
Starting today (Monday, July 21), The Jimmie Johnson Foundation and Richmond International Raceway Cares are auctioning off the opportunity to pose questions to Johnson on The Final Round with McElroy on Sports Radio 910 from 4:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST. Proceeds from the auction will benefit both charitable foundations and the winning donation is tax deductible.
For those who would like to bid on this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, please visit www.sportsradio910.com. The winner will be awarded with a seat next to Johnson, driver of the #48 Chevrolet, where he or she will be able to ask questions. The winner also receives two tickets to the Chevy Rock & Roll 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Richmond International Raceway on Saturday, September 6. The auction closes on Monday, July 28, at 7:00 p.m. EST.
Trevor Hoffman, the all-time saves leader in Major League Baseball, was a guest of Mike Wallace at Saturday night’s race at Gateway International Raceway. Hoffman (far left) and his San Diego Padres teammates were in town for a series against the St. Louis Cardinals. Joining Hoffman on Wallace’s pit box were Chase Headley, Kevin Jarvis and Trevor’s son Quinn. (Photo Credit: Padraic Major for NASCAR)
Landon Cassill (L), a native of Cedar Rapids, Ia., and Carl Edwards, who is from Columbia, Mo., lead fans on a charity track walk Saturday at Gateway. Proceeds from the event went to the American Red Cross and its outreach to Midwest flood victims. (Photo Credit: Padraic Major for NASCAR)
My favorite saying is “shut up!” It’s the thing I say when someone says or does something that amazes, stupefies or shocks me. It’s interesting, I’m saying, “shut up” when what I really want is for that person to continue and tell me more. Anyway, I was muttering “shut up!!!” to myself all day long as I came across various bits of news.
Let’s review:
– There’s a report out that Teresa Earnhardt has been courting potential investors for Dale Earnhardt Inc. I knew this would throw Dale Earnhardt fans into a tizzy. From a financial standpoint I can understand why the would do this, but at the same time it’s kind of irritating because she wouldn’t give Dale Earnhardt Jr. half of his father’s company. DEI president Max Siegel is saying that they don’t have plans to sell the company at this time. Mmmhmmm.
– The Navy is ending its sponsorship of JR Motorsports’ No. 88 Nationwide series car at the end of this year. Really? Wow. I’m surprised about this one just because they’ve been with them from the beginning and Dale Jr. has been super supportive of the military community. It’s interesting, but then again I’m kind of glad they’re not sponsoring a car anymore, only because I don’t think that our military should be sponsoring racecars. I mean, aren’t there other more important things they could be doing with that money? I’m just saying.
– So I just read that Tony Stewart is set to announce (tomorrow) his plans to leave Joe Gibbs Racing and start his own team, taking over at Haas-CNC Racing. I guess this isn’t surprising, since people have been talking about it for a while now. It would be nice if one of these so-called rumors would actually not come true for once.
– Okay, so here’s the best piece of news today. Actor Brendan Fraser will be on hand for the Lifelock.com 400 at Chicagoland this weekend. He’ll be there to promote his upcoming movie The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor (they’re really wringing the life out of that franchise, aren’t they?). Ryan Newman’s No. 12 Kodak Dodge Charger will carry a special paint scheme for the movie and Fraser will also serve as Grand Marshal for the race. He’ll be signing autographs, along with Ryan, at the No. 12 souvenir trailer at 1:30 p.m. CT. on Saturday.
Uhm, okay, I have sort of a small, tiny, wee crush on Mr. Fraser and I’m so disgustingly excited at the prospect of seeing him in person. Dare I ask a question at the press conference on Saturday? I’m not sure of what I should ask, it needs to be clever and smart and fabulous. If you can think of something let me know!
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