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Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s sister on Thursday said that she hopes to have her brother re-signed with Dale Earnhardt Inc. by mid-season.
In an interview on Sirius' Morning Drive, Kelley Earnhardt Elledge said that "it is our hope and intent that we can remain a driver there for Dale Earnhardt Incorporated."
Elledge handles Earnhardt's business affairs and said that Junior and DEI have been discussing a contract extension for about four months.
"It's our hope that we have something about mid-year that we can announce our direction and maybe even sooner, if we can get things worked out," Elledge said. "It's just a very lengthy process. There are a lot of variables for all of us to contemplate.
"We've been negotiating for about four months, I would say, and there's just a lot to think about on both sides of the plate. So, to date we haven't come to terms on any kind of agreement but we're working diligently at it and we hope to be able to announce something in probably mid-year of 2007."
This is the third consecutive year that DEI will have to go to the negotiating table and re-sign driver talent. The team declined to extend Michael Waltrip's contract in 2005 but re-signed Martin Truex Jr. last year.
Both occurrences happened around the Pepsi 400, which is the Nextel Cup Series' mid-season point.
Even though Earnhardt's contract expires at the end of the year, Elledge said that rival owners have not been quick to inquire about his services. By contrast, both Kurt Busch and Jamie McMurray announced new moves in 2005 despite a year left on their contract. Both drivers eventually moved to their new teams a year early.
"It's actually pretty interesting. We haven't had a lot of calls [from other owners] in that regard," Elledge said. "I think most everyone in the sport believes and would like to see Dale continue at DEI.
"It's obviously the perfect fit in terms of family, in terms of the fans, in terms of the sport and what all that means to the sport. So I think the reason that people haven't called is because of that, because they automatically think, 'Hey, that's the best place for him.' "
In an interview on Sirius' Morning Drive, Kelley Earnhardt Elledge said that "it is our hope and intent that we can remain a driver there for Dale Earnhardt Incorporated."
Elledge handles Earnhardt's business affairs and said that Junior and DEI have been discussing a contract extension for about four months.
"It's our hope that we have something about mid-year that we can announce our direction and maybe even sooner, if we can get things worked out," Elledge said. "It's just a very lengthy process. There are a lot of variables for all of us to contemplate.
"We've been negotiating for about four months, I would say, and there's just a lot to think about on both sides of the plate. So, to date we haven't come to terms on any kind of agreement but we're working diligently at it and we hope to be able to announce something in probably mid-year of 2007."
This is the third consecutive year that DEI will have to go to the negotiating table and re-sign driver talent. The team declined to extend Michael Waltrip's contract in 2005 but re-signed Martin Truex Jr. last year.
Both occurrences happened around the Pepsi 400, which is the Nextel Cup Series' mid-season point.
Even though Earnhardt's contract expires at the end of the year, Elledge said that rival owners have not been quick to inquire about his services. By contrast, both Kurt Busch and Jamie McMurray announced new moves in 2005 despite a year left on their contract. Both drivers eventually moved to their new teams a year early.
"It's actually pretty interesting. We haven't had a lot of calls [from other owners] in that regard," Elledge said. "I think most everyone in the sport believes and would like to see Dale continue at DEI.
"It's obviously the perfect fit in terms of family, in terms of the fans, in terms of the sport and what all that means to the sport. So I think the reason that people haven't called is because of that, because they automatically think, 'Hey, that's the best place for him.' "
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