Dale Earnhardt Inc. still actively involved in NASCAR; plans to help Jeffrey Earnhardt race
Jeffrey Earnhardt is preparing to attempt his NASCAR Nationwide Series debut at Dover International Speedway. // David Griffin, NASCAR Scene
Dale Earnhardt Inc. has a piece of both an engine business and a NASCAR Sprint Cup team. But there’s nothing on the race track that DEI can truly call its own.
But there are plans for DEI to get back to racing.
The first step in that plan is for 19-year-old Jeffrey Earnhardt, grandson of the late Dale Earnhardt and son of Kerry Earnhardt, to attempt to make his Nationwide Series debut in the May 30 race at Dover International Speedway in a DEI-prepared car.
He will have to qualify on speed in the Rick Ware Racing entry, and the goal is to eventually put the Earnhardt name back on the track full time with Jeffrey Earnhardt in a DEI entry with DEI-built cars, said DEI Executive Vice President and General Manager Jeffrey Steiner.
“With Jeffrey’s career emerging and looking at him as he makes his way into Nationwide and perhaps even some Truck races, it’s important to us that it is a DEI team and that’s our goal,” Steiner said May 23. “We’re putting our plans together for 2010 and beyond. This year, we’re working with some affiliate teams. It’s our hope to have him in DEI [equipment], and the car he’s racing at Dover was built at DEI.”
Steiner, who took over the day-to-day operations at DEI in April, said he has three priorities for the company.
“Making sure we are good stewards of Dale’s legacy is probably first and foremost,” Steiner said. “We’re looking at doing different special events and philanthropic activities through the Dale Earnhardt Foundation.
“The second is making sure we’re managing all of our businesses in a profitable manner. … The third piece is finding unique opportunities for the Earnhardt family – Jeffrey, making sure we give him the best opportunities we can as well as with Taylor Earnhardt on the equestrian side.”
Among the companies that Steiner oversees is Champion Air and Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet. The team currently is involved with two racing programs with Earnhardt Ganassi Racing and the engine company, Earnhardt Childress Racing Technologies.
Steiner said that about 50 people currently work in the DEI shop that used to be considered the mecca of auto-racing shops. Many of that is administration for the various DEI ventures and people who help take care of the museum.
DEI also still owns the race shop where it housed and worked on its cars last year. The shop, which DEI acquired when it bought Ginn Racing, has a seven-post shaker rig in it.
Steiner said DEI plans to sell the shop and then possibly lease the seven-post from whomever buys the building.
But if DEI can, it certainly would want to use the seven-post, which tests how a car will handle at various tracks. It is key in the development of race cars, and DEI apparently is getting ready to get back in the racing business with Jeffrey Earnhardt.
Earnhardt has competed in the NASCAR Camping World East Series the last two years. The plan is for him to run seven Nationwide races this year to preserve his rookie status for 2010.
“Certainly [Dover] is big,” Steiner said. “I think there probably will be some bigger events for Jeffrey down the road for his career. We’re excited for him. ... We’re very excited.”
