Another piece of the Stewart-Haas Racing puzzle will be fit into place Thursday when the race team will unveil the U.S. Army as primary sponsor of Ryan Newman’s No. 39 car for next season, sources have confirmed to NASCAR.COM. The announcement is scheduled to be made at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, site of this weekend’s Sprint Cup event.
The Stewart-Haas organization now has both its Chevrolets sponsored for next season - no small feat in this economy - with Office Depot and Old Spice set to back the car of team co-owner Tony Stewart. It’s another setback for Dale Earnhardt Inc., which had the Army on its No. 8 car this season. DEI driver Paul Menard announced last week that he and his Menard’s sponsorship would be moving to Yates Racing for the 2009 campaign.
Dale Earnhardt Inc. promoted several key industry experts and added a veteran crew chief to its roster. Dave Charpentier, current crew chief of the No. 15 Chevrolet, has been promoted to technical director, and Doug Randolph, current crew chief of the No. 43 Petty Enterprises car driven by Bobby Labonte, will take over as crew chief for Paul Menard and the No. 15. Walter Giles, current race engineer on the No. 1 Chevrolet, was named director of race engineering, and Jason Anderson was named director of design and project engineering. Giles and Anderson will report to Charpentier. In addition, Rex Garrett has been promoted to director of motorsports operations. The nine-year Dale Earnhardt Inc. veteran will oversee the day-to-day activities of the race shop.
Add Dale Earnhardt Inc. to the teams returning to the Chevrolet banner in 2008. On Friday at Atlanta Motor Speedway, Chevy and DEI announced intentions to continue a partnership with the four-car Nextel Cup operation for the forseeable future. Among those present at the news conference were DEI’s five drivers - Mark Martin, Martin Truex Jr., Paul Menard, Regan Smith and Aric Almirola - along with team owner Teresa Earnhardt. Chevrolet previously announced extended partnerships with Hendrick Motorsports and Richard Childress Racing. Another long-time Chevy team - Joe Gibbs Racing - announced earlier this season plans to switch to Toyota for 2008.
Tony Eury Jr. will leave Dale Earnhardt Inc. for Hendrick Motorsports earlier than expected, team officials confirmed on Thursday. Eury, who has been Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s car or crew chief for all but one season since the two broke into the Nextel Cup Series in 2000, will step down after the Oct. 7 race at Talladega Superspeedway. He will be allowed to take four members of Earnhardt’s No. 8 team with him under a deal made by DEI when it agreed to free him contractually to join Earnhardt at HMS in 2008. DEI vice president John Story said he met with Eury’s crew this week and only one person has mentioned leaving thus far. Eury and Earnhardt could work together for HMS as early as the Car of Tomorrow test at Atlanta Motor Speedway following the October 28 race.
Sterling Marlin, Joe Nemechek and two crew chiefs have filed breach of contract suits against Ginn Racing and Dale Earnhardt Inc. All four lost their jobs when the two teams merged in late July, and in separate lawsuits filed last week in Cabarrus County they claim they are owed their salaries. The suits don’t specify what the parties are seeking, but say “demand for payment has been made … but [Ginn and DEI] have failed and/or refused to pay all or any part.” Land developer Bobby Ginn bought the race team last summer, but merged it with DEI in late July. A week before the merger, he released Marlin, a two-time Daytona 500 winner, and Nemechek. Crew chiefs Richard Labbe and Peter Sospenzo lost their jobs after the merger.
A spokesman for Ginn did not immediately return a call for comment, but DEI general manager John Story said his organization is not responsible for the old contracts. According to the suit, both drivers were due to make $1.2 million this season, and were promised 45 percent of their race winnings and 33 percent of souvenir sales. Nemechek earned more than $4 million in race winnings last season, while Marlin made $3.2 million. Labbe, the crew chief for Marlin, and Sospenzo, crew chief for Nemechek, were earning $450,000 annual salaries.
Coors Light may become the official beer of NASCAR, replacing Budweiser, according to sources, and Coors may also become the new sponsor of what is now the Busch series tour. And also hearing Coors could be the sponsor of the No. 01 DEI team in 2008.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. indicated that his current Dale Earnhardt Inc crew chief, Tony Eury Jr., could be going with him to Hendrick. “We don’t have any announcement yet, but Tony Jr. is working in that direction,” Earnhardt Jr. said.
Dale Earnhardt Inc. has reached a verbal agreement with Regan Smith to drive the No. 01 in the Nextel Cup series next season, a NASCAR source told ESPN.com on Wednesday. Smith will fill the car driven this season by Mark Martin and Aric Almirola, who will split the 2008 season in the No. 8 currently being driven by Dale Earnhardt Jr. He will have a one-year deal with an option for a second year.
An official announcement of the entire DEI lineup with sponsor plans is expected next weekend at Richmond International Raceway. Smith, splitting time with Martin, drove the No. 01 in six Cup races this season for Ginn Racing before its merger with DEI. His best start was 10th at Watkins Glenn and best finish was 24th at Talladega.
The Charlotte Observer is reporting that Nextel Cup Series veteran Mark Martin and rookie Aric Almirola will become the drivers of Dale Earnhardt Inc.’s No. 8 Chevrolet next season, the Observer has learned. Martin and Almirola, who drive the No. 01 that was acquired by DEI through a merger with Ginn Racing earlier this season, are also expected to be joined by sponsor Army next season in the No. 8, multiple sources said Thursday.
Dale Earnhardt Jr. blames his step-mother Teresa Earnhardt, the owner of Dale Earnhardt Inc., for not allowing the No. 8 to move with him to Hendrick Motorsports next season. “She either feels too personal about the number, or the rift between me and her is too personal,” Earnhardt Jr. said Saturday. “I’m not going to sit here and get personal about this. It’s upsetting as hell and unfortunate, but that’s just what happens sometimes.” Earnhardt Jr. said negotiations broke down when Teresa asked for part of the licensing revenue, along with wanting the number back after he retired. “Just ridiculous kind of requests,” Earnhardt Jr. said.
Continue reading DEI Asks To Much To Sell The No 8 To Hendrick