DEI putting things in order for 2009 season
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.”
