July 2007
Dale Earnhardt Jr. was blunt:
“It is time for me to continue his legacy in the only way I know I can – by taking the life lessons that he told me: Be a man, race hard and contend for championships.”
Clearly Dale Jr. could not follow in his father’s footsteps if he stayed at DEI. His stats bear it out – no wins in 36 races, one top five in 2007’s first 10 races.
So when he and his stepmother, Teresa, never came close to terms for a new contract – he wanted controlling interest – Dale Jr. jumped ship. He noted at his press conference that the time had come, that he was 32, the same age his father was when he signed with Richard Childress Racing.
Monte Dutton was on the story immediately. “Breaking Away” gives you all the details of Dale Jr.’s departure from his father’s company.
Dale Earnhardt was already on every fan’s mind because in April Jeff Gordon tied his record of 76 wins at Phoenix and then topped it a week later in Talladega. We have the two race reports that highlight these milestone moments in Gordon’s career as well as “6th and Still Climbing,” which enumerates the career highlights of both Earnhardt and Gordon.
Dale Jr.’s not the only driver who hasn’t had a good year. Penske’s duo struggled in 2006 and didn’t begin well this season. Lewis Franck’s “Growing Pains at Penske Racing” delves into the problems at Penske, but notes that Roger himself isn’t panicked. He believes his drivers will be contenders soon, and indeed at Richmond, Kurt Busch and Ryan Newman finished fifth and sixth.
Uploaded: May 23 2007 14:25
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