Under ArmourThere’s a new rivalry in town and it’s not what you’d expect. No, it’s not Hendrick Motorsports vs. Everybody or Tony Stewart vs. Everybody. No, this is between Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Carl Edwards. Dale signed a kinda big deal with adidas last year and Carl is promoting Under Armour.

Under Armour is shelling out big bucks for a Super Bowl ad, in which Carl appears with other notable professional athletes like the New York Giants’ Brandon Jacobs and the Cubs’ Alfonso Soriano, to promote its brand new performance trainers (aka sneakers). This is a big deal because with this new non-cleat shoe UA will now battle the big boys like Nike and Dale’s sponsor adidas in the footwear market. “I am really looking forward seeing the commercial. I’m going to the Super Bowl and I hope that they show the commercials at the game,” said Carl. “The scale of the production was huge and I’m looking forward to seeing the end product.” Apparently news of the purchase of this huge Super Bowl ad caused the company’s stock price to fall down, way down.

adidasThings look much cooler, literally, for Dale and the folks at adidas. The Daytona 500 will serve as the debut for Dale’s three stripes, the symbol of adidas apparel, on his new race suit that also incorporates ClimaCool technology.

With extreme temperatures in the car, ClimaCool will lower Dale Jr.’s body temperature and combat fatigue, allowing him to be more alert and responsive in those final laps.

Two days prior to the debut of the three stripes on the track, Dale Jr.’s exclusive adidas fan gear will go on sale at The Sports Authority available first in Daytona. Dale Jr.’s official adidas fan apparel line, which includes a variety of men and women’s clothing such as t-shirts, jackets, hats and jerseys, will be available at The Sports Authority in Daytona on February 15 in conjunction with Speed Week. The fan collection features the same adidas ClimaCool technology that allows Dale Jr. to stay cool on the track.