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DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. - A big meeting — or just a meeting of the minds?
Whatever the case, Wednesday's tete a tete between siblings Kelley Elledge and Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the Dale Earnhardt Inc. brass has to be seen as a step forward where the future of NASCAR's most popular driver is concerned.
Though an announcement isn't likely until after the Daytona 500, at least the lines of communication between the Earnhardt children and Max Siegel, DEI's newly appointed president of global operations, are open.
Whether or not Junior re-signs with DEI, one thing is certain: Crew chief Tony Eury Jr. and the entire No. 8 Budweiser team will support their driver's decision.
"I'm standing by my man," said Eury said with a laugh. "I told him, 'Let me know what you want to do.' Whatever he decides, I'll take care of him to make sure he doesn't get into trouble (on the track).
"I've told Junior from the beginning, 'You have a big load on your shoulders. Your daddy wanted to see his kids run this place (DEI). You have to do what's best for Dale Jr., but if you leave this place, it will close down in two years.' "
Maybe that analogy sounds harsh, but there's only one Dale Earnhart Jr. He's the only driver on the circuit that can bridge the old fans with the new.
"There's a lot of people who stay at DEI just because of Dale Jr.," Eury added. "They're fans of Dale Jr.'s. Maybe they won't go under, but they'll be more like an MB2 (Ginn Racing). The legacy won't die, but it won't be the same without Dale Jr."
There's an undeniable value in having an Earnhardt behind the wheel at DEI. It's not by accident that the company recently signed both Kerry Earnhardt (Junior's half-brother) and Kerry's son Jeffrey, 17. Kerry will take on a management role, while Jeffrey will graduate to the Busch East Series this year with aspirations of NBS in 2008.
Eury says NASCAR Busch champions Sam Ard and Jack Ingram are perfect examples of how time changes the perception of drivers.
"People loved Sam Ard, but how many people today know who Sam Ard is?" Eury asked. "People loved Jack Ingram, but how many people remember him today?
"You've got Tony Stewart fans, Jimmie Johnson fans, but these guys weren't even around in the early '90s. Then there's Dale Jr. He loves the Jimmy Means of this world, but (how many of the current racers) even know Jimmy Means is?"
Eury has Earnhardt and DEI's best interest at heart. After all, it is a family affair. The two cousins have been close since their fathers — Dale Earnhardt and Tony Eury — worked on cars together when they were children. Eury Sr. was one of the first DEI employees, having led Dale Jr. to both of his Busch Series titles with Eury Jr. at his side.
And Eury applauds DEI for strengthening the operation by bringing Siegel and Kerry Earnhardt into the fold.
"I think (Teresa Earnhardt) is seeing that she needs help to do this," Eury said. "I think Max has helped her realize she needs more people to get it done, and it's good to have another racing Earnhardt around. He has the same mentality as his daddy. He doesn't take any stuff from anyone, but he really listens to what people have to say."
Marketing and PR wiz John Story, who began working at DEI last Monday after a stint with Robby Gordon, agrees with Eury's views on Kerry Earnhardt.
"He knows the legacy," Story said. "He knows what the company was founded on, and he'll be a tremendous asset. Kerry has a unique set of skills. He's his father's son. He knows what the guys need and will work as a liaison between the competition and administrative sides."
What affect Kerry Earnhardt's appointment will have on Junior's decision remains to be seen. It was Dale Sr.'s vision to have all of his family under the DEI roof, but unfortunately, he's not around to implement that plan. It will be up to the people that Earnhardt left behind to make it happen.
Whatever the case, Wednesday's tete a tete between siblings Kelley Elledge and Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the Dale Earnhardt Inc. brass has to be seen as a step forward where the future of NASCAR's most popular driver is concerned.
Though an announcement isn't likely until after the Daytona 500, at least the lines of communication between the Earnhardt children and Max Siegel, DEI's newly appointed president of global operations, are open.
Whether or not Junior re-signs with DEI, one thing is certain: Crew chief Tony Eury Jr. and the entire No. 8 Budweiser team will support their driver's decision.
"I'm standing by my man," said Eury said with a laugh. "I told him, 'Let me know what you want to do.' Whatever he decides, I'll take care of him to make sure he doesn't get into trouble (on the track).
"I've told Junior from the beginning, 'You have a big load on your shoulders. Your daddy wanted to see his kids run this place (DEI). You have to do what's best for Dale Jr., but if you leave this place, it will close down in two years.' "
Maybe that analogy sounds harsh, but there's only one Dale Earnhart Jr. He's the only driver on the circuit that can bridge the old fans with the new.
"There's a lot of people who stay at DEI just because of Dale Jr.," Eury added. "They're fans of Dale Jr.'s. Maybe they won't go under, but they'll be more like an MB2 (Ginn Racing). The legacy won't die, but it won't be the same without Dale Jr."
There's an undeniable value in having an Earnhardt behind the wheel at DEI. It's not by accident that the company recently signed both Kerry Earnhardt (Junior's half-brother) and Kerry's son Jeffrey, 17. Kerry will take on a management role, while Jeffrey will graduate to the Busch East Series this year with aspirations of NBS in 2008.
Eury says NASCAR Busch champions Sam Ard and Jack Ingram are perfect examples of how time changes the perception of drivers.
"People loved Sam Ard, but how many people today know who Sam Ard is?" Eury asked. "People loved Jack Ingram, but how many people remember him today?
"You've got Tony Stewart fans, Jimmie Johnson fans, but these guys weren't even around in the early '90s. Then there's Dale Jr. He loves the Jimmy Means of this world, but (how many of the current racers) even know Jimmy Means is?"
Eury has Earnhardt and DEI's best interest at heart. After all, it is a family affair. The two cousins have been close since their fathers — Dale Earnhardt and Tony Eury — worked on cars together when they were children. Eury Sr. was one of the first DEI employees, having led Dale Jr. to both of his Busch Series titles with Eury Jr. at his side.
And Eury applauds DEI for strengthening the operation by bringing Siegel and Kerry Earnhardt into the fold.
"I think (Teresa Earnhardt) is seeing that she needs help to do this," Eury said. "I think Max has helped her realize she needs more people to get it done, and it's good to have another racing Earnhardt around. He has the same mentality as his daddy. He doesn't take any stuff from anyone, but he really listens to what people have to say."
Marketing and PR wiz John Story, who began working at DEI last Monday after a stint with Robby Gordon, agrees with Eury's views on Kerry Earnhardt.
"He knows the legacy," Story said. "He knows what the company was founded on, and he'll be a tremendous asset. Kerry has a unique set of skills. He's his father's son. He knows what the guys need and will work as a liaison between the competition and administrative sides."
What affect Kerry Earnhardt's appointment will have on Junior's decision remains to be seen. It was Dale Sr.'s vision to have all of his family under the DEI roof, but unfortunately, he's not around to implement that plan. It will be up to the people that Earnhardt left behind to make it happen.
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