Hot Topics:

DEI putting things in order for 2009 season

By Bob Pockrass - Associate Editor

Saturday, July 05, 2008

Article Rating: 4.0
Rate this Article

Chris Graythen / Getty Images

Mark Martin (left) talks with Aric Almirola at Daytona International Speedway.

Latest Headlines

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – It’s been an interesting week at Dale Earnhardt Inc.
 
First came the announcement that newcomer Aric Alimrola will replace veteran Mark Martin full time in the No. 8 car, then the No. 1 team of Martin Truex Jr. had its car confiscated by NASCAR and then DEI drivers Paul Menard and Mark Martin swept the front row for tonight's Coke Zero 400 at Daytona International Speedway.
 
The week has been a microcosm of the season for the company, which has tried to rebound after Dale Earnhardt Jr. left after the 2008 season.
 
DEI especially needed to show some strength on the track.
 
“Paul Meanrd getting the pole is really, really exciting,” DEI President Max Siegel said Friday afternoon at the track. “The improvements we’ve seen in that program this year are awesome. There’s a lot of chemistry on that team. The 8 car [with Martin] is right there and the 01 [with Regan Smith] is in the top 10 as well. The DEI cars had a great showing.”
 
The great Friday followed a very disappointing Thursday after which  Truex faces the prospect of losing 100 or 150 points as penalty for his team presenting a car that didn’t meet NASCAR’s roof templates. Truex entered the race 14th in points, just 71 points out of 12th with nine events remaining before the Chase begins.
 
DEI likely will learn its fate Tuesday as far as how big a penalty it will face.
 
“We’re all disappointed with that,” Siegel said. “We’ll … see what happens next week.”
 
That was a step back in a week that was about moving forward. DEI management opted, with Martin’s blessing, to put Almirola in the No. 8 car full time next season. Almirola and Martin had shared the car this year, and that meant that Martin had to find another ride.
 
Martin ended up taking a full-time ride at NASCAR power Hendrick Motorsports.
 
“Mark is a tremendous asset to our organization and definitely to the sport,” Siegel said. “We’re just happy for Mark and we all sat down and tried to do what was in everybody’s best interest. It will be exciting for him and exciting for DEI as well.”
 
Siegel is excited to see what Almirola can do.
 
“I've followed Aric’s career since he was in the diversity program with Gibbs,” Siegel said. “He’s incredibly talented, a very driven guy. Mark saw a lot of him the whole time and really brought him along fast, so we’re excited about what he’s capable of doing.
 
“I think Aric has the total package – he’s a student of the sport, he’s really good with the sponsors. He understands the commercial
responsibilities. He’s hungry. He’s at the races. He’s trying to learn.”
 
What DEI didn’t announce was a sponsor for Almirola, but Siegel indicated that the team has solidified those plans. Currently, the U.S. Army sponsors that car but it has not announced whether it would remain with DEI next year as it goes through its annual bidding process.
 
“We’re fine,” Siegel said. “We’ll make the announcements of who it is over time.”
 
Siegel said the team is still looking for sponsorship for the No. 01 car of Smith to be able to keep that car on the track and he said there was nothing new to report on Truex’s status for next year.
 
Nothing would boost the team more than a win at a track where the organization traditionally has had success.
 
“I knew Mark would get in the car and run well,” Earnhardt Jr. said about his former organization. “I thought Martin [Truex] would have had a better year up to this point. But they just seem to not be able to shake the bad luck.
 
“And Paul has really turned it up. He’s run so much better this year if you really look at the overall statistics and his average in qualifying and finishing order and how he runs over the distance of the race. He’s doing a lot better. And Regan is showing why he got hired to do the job he’s doing. So, it’s tough to field four teams for any organization; and even tougher I think, for DEI and the situation they are in, or we’re all in really, with the economy. And so their stretching the buck and man they’re doing a great job really, financially, budgeting themselves to be able to compete like they are. I’m not really surprised, but it is nice to see.”

Average Rating: 4.0

Comments

10 responses to "DEI putting things in order for 2009 season"
  1. 1
    Anonymous said:
    Jul 5, 2008 at 12:14 PM

    I have watched with great interest to see what would happen with DEI after the death of Dale Sr .It does not appear to me as well as many other's that DEI is going in the direction that Sr would have wanted .With Mark Martin leaving and the fate of Truex pending it seems like Teresa has a sinking ship.The decisions made before Jr left put a very black cloud over DEI and I am not sure they can get out from under it.I think even though Sr is gone more thought should have been put into what he would have wanted for HIS company.He was very passionate about that.I had the honor of meeting and talking with the man and the way he talked about his company and his families role in that company is nothing like I see being done.Maybe everybody needs to take a step back and reconsider what is being done.Maybe then DEI will be able to put things in order but until then I am worried.

    Report as Abuse
  2. 2
    jerry swiatek said:
    Jul 5, 2008 at 12:41 PM

    I dought that Dale would have Teresa to give majority ownership to JR. I also have talked with Dale at charlotte and Daytona, I have many pictures of him with my sons and he ask one son to help push his car out for Qualifying at Daytna once, He was also a serious jokester and loved Aunt Catfish's tiliapia, on A1A and the entercoastal.

    Report as Abuse
  3. 3
    Gregory Pope said:
    Jul 5, 2008 at 4:32 PM

    I have but two questions. 1 What does DEI stand for? 2 Why would Dale Sr. not want his name sake to own controling interest in a company that most everyone knows was started for him (Dale Jr.) to begin with? DW said it all over a year ago.

    Report as Abuse
  4. 4
    Barb Kinney said:
    Jul 5, 2008 at 5:15 PM

    Jerry, I agree with you totally about giving Jr. 51% no way.I wish DEI the best and hope they get that big turn around they so well deserve.Forever a BIG FAN OF DEI AND IT'S DRIVERS and to Teresa for holding her ground with the SPOILED RICH KID THAT LEFT.

    Report as Abuse
  5. 5
    Millporter said:
    Jul 5, 2008 at 6:15 PM

    Yeah, Junior really loved those blown motors when he was at DEI. As far as Theresa goes, where is she if she's the boss of DEI? Maybe she ordered the cameras to stay away from her when she attends the races. I haven't seen her. Junior told us to give her some slack. That speaks volumes of class to me. After all, Taylor is his sister. Count me as one of many Jr Nation members! 88 88 88

    Report as Abuse
  6. 6
    conor toole said:
    Jul 6, 2008 at 8:42 AM

    these comments are so typical on anti-Teresa fans. First, Earnhardt left the company to her. Secondly, to insinuate that DE cared more for Junior than the rest of his kids undermine his credibility as a human being and is something no true Earnhardt fan would ever suggest.Third, DEi replaces primary sponsors with other ones, their drivers are showing improvement and so are their engines. ECR engines are outstanding. At the end of last year, it was Junior running engines into the ground because hew as the only one blowing them up late in the year. For years, it was junior and his sister who warred with teresa and she's handled it with class despite the vitrolic comments from fans like here. DEI has sured up it's finances, improved engines and it's shops and it's young drivers are getting better, all without JR. It's a fitting end when the reuslts begin to show

    Report as Abuse
  7. 7
    Timothy Schultze said:
    Jul 6, 2008 at 5:22 PM

    Well said Conor as for the rest of you it must really suck to go through life with that much hatred over nothing you can control. Richard Childress employed Dale Earnhardt as a driver and he was also a friend look how the death affected him and his team he was ready to close the doors. Dale Earnhardt was the husband father and founder of DEI dont you THINK it would effect them more and take even more time to recover?

    Report as Abuse
  8. 8
    emily bagwell said:
    Jul 6, 2008 at 6:02 PM

    I'm with you Millporter. I guess you nay-sayers don't remember the articles that came out when Junior was making his way into racing about Dale Senior's tough love. I don't think Junior is the spoiled rich kid. Teresa earnhardt has never cared anything about the racing part of DFEI---all she worked with and cared about is the moneuy made on the marketing side---turuth may hurt, but so be it. If she was concerned about the welfare of DEI, she would have stayed off the yacht and stayed at the track, supporting her teams and spending some of those millions she made off of Junior on improvements at DEI. There is no way you can justify what she did, and I'll guarantee you that I have as much Dale Earnhardt stuff as any of you---I was obsessed with him, but right is right, and Teresa isn't right. Junior has a right to drive decent equipment. As far as the improvements, they should have come sooner---maybe he would have stayed at DEI.

    Report as Abuse
  9. 9
    4da88 said:
    Jul 7, 2008 at 7:04 PM

    Sirius NASCAR Radio’s Sirius Speedway is reporting today that Teresa Earnhardt has enlisted the services of Bear, Stearns and Company to find a buyer — or at least a major financial investor — for Dale Earnhardt, Inc. Bear Stearns is an investment bank, securities trading and brokerage firm based in New York City, and has been charged with finding a buyer for the entire operation.

    Report as Abuse
  10. 10
    emily bagwell said:
    Jul 8, 2008 at 8:42 PM

    Just read it too, 4da88. Then Jayski's came back and said it was rumors---of course. Guess not having the sales of the Junior's geer is beginning to show at DEI. Looks like the business mogul is not doing too well. I personally don't think Teresa has the business head everyone gave her credit for--- It was all Dale Earnhardt that built DEI. Of course, she probable has enough cash to continue with the racing side if she wanted to. She doesn't want to---she just wanted to show Junior---her loss!!

    Report as Abuse

Leave a Comment

Promotions

Latest Videos

Where should the NASCAR Sprint Cup awards banquet be held?

Where should the NASCAR Sprint Cup awards banquet be held?

NASCAR celebrates the 2008 Sprint Cup Series season in New York this week, culminating in a black-tie awards banquet at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. But is there a better location for the banquet? Would Las Vegas with all its glitz and glamour be a better fit? Or would Charlotte, the home to most NASCAR teams, be an ideal location? SceneDaily.com's roundtable discusses the issue and where the banquet should be held.

 

Most Rated Stories

Poll Position

Which NASCAR competitor should be Driver of the Year?

view the results

Don't have an account yet?

Insiders Guide to NASCAR

Register with SceneDaily.com and get access to the following features:

  • FREE Insider’s Guide to NASCAR (available as a PDF download)
  • Daily NASCAR news updates delivered directly to your e-mail
  • Pre-race and Post-race emails delivered each race week
  • Ability to comment on blog and news articles
  • Information on new website features and upcoming contests
Create my Account

Login

Forgot Password?

Login or Create an Account