Next week is shaping up to be big week for NASCAR and the beverage business, with two major sponsorship announcements scheduled.
First, on Tuesday, Gillett Evernham Motorsports has set a 10. a.m. news conference at the team's shop near Statesville to announce the primary sponsor for Kasey Kahne’s Dodges for 2008.
Numerous sources and published reports have said that Budweiser will be that sponsor, moving to Kahne’s team after being on Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s No.. 8 Chevrolets.
Earnhardt Jr., of course, is moving from Dale Earnhardt Inc. to Hendrick Motorsports next year, and the final pieces of that puzzle will come together the next day in Dallas, Texas.
The Hendrick team has schedule a news conference for 1:30. p.m. on Wednesday to announce Earnhardt Jr.’s primary sponsor and to reveal the car number and paint scheme.
Why Dallas? ESPN.com reported Thursday that there is a major meeting of Pepsi Cola Company executives there on Wednesday. That would jibe with sources who have told the Observer that Pepsi-owned Mountain Dew and Amp, an energy drink affiliated with the Mountain Dew brand, will be featured on Earnhardt Jr.’s cars.
As for the number, as of now that remains a question.
Hendrick Motorsports has applied for trademarks on several numbers, most recently the No.. 28 adding that to a list that includes the 38, 51, 58, 81 and 82.
Team owner Rick Hendrick said last week in Richmond that the new number would "likely have an 8 in it."
The 88, currently used by Robert Yates Racing, also can’t be ruled out. Driver Ricky Rudd is retiring at the end of the year and Travis Kvapil, who will take over that ride in 2008, said earlier this week he doesn’t know what his number will be.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Dale Jr., Kahne announcements coming soon
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18 comments:
I do not understand why Hendrick is not running #5 for Junior.
Monkees....you aren't a NASCAR fan obviously! He's going to run a number of his own, he won't just take the 5. And if you haven't been following along, Mears is moving to the 5 next yr.
anonymous - why is it "not being a NASCAR fan" to question why Junior will not be assigned #5 for his racecar? The number he is to use is being treated as some kind of moral crusade, that if he doesn't drive a car with an 8 in it it will be some kind of sacrilige. He can drive #5 - what's wrong with that?
Monkeesfan not a NASCAR fan?? ROTFLMAO. Anon 8:12, if you only knew...if you only knew... Suggestion: look at his profile & follow the link to his musings. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how much he DOES know about NASCAR.
Its up to Hendrick what driver goes with any number, however like any other sport, they try to honor the request of the athlete that the number is synonomous with, and numbers are retired all the time. The 42 is Jackie Robinson, 23 is Michael Jordan, 43 is Richard Petty, on an don. When the Boston Bruins retired the number 7 of Phil Esposito, Ray Bourque switched to 77. It may not be a big deal for HMS, but it is with Dale Jr as it was his grandfathers Ralph's number, and it is to the members of Earnhardt nation.
The Patriots homer doesn't know enough about nascar to know that Jr. is driving the 25 car next year and not the 5. He still says the Patriots did nothing wrong and they were only fined and docked draft picks because everyone in the universe is jealous of his favorite team so I'm sure he'll tell us we're all wrong for saying that Jr. is moving to what is now the 25 car too.
Earnhardt asked if he could have a number with an '8' in it to honor his grandfather and Rick Hendrick said yes. If Rick Hendrick is okay with it what business is it of anyone else to tell him he is wrong for changing the number? That's his decision to make not yours.
Monkeesfan that was cute to post under a different name to defend yourself. Random people come on here all the time and defend the credibility of other posters they know nothing about, and are always so passionate about these other random people that they use phrases like ROTFLMAO.
Next time you make an argument can you please go back to using links to your own blog to use as evidence to prove your point? Thanks.
Looks like the announcement has been leaked! Junior in the 88 is much better than the 51 or 58 (yuck).
Um, no, toomuchmonkeesfanforbreakfast (wink, wink - we know you're not Monkeesfan.) He thinks that he knows a great deal about NASCAR. If you actually read - and comprehend - his musings, you'd realize that they aren't worth squat. That's why I won't waste my time on his blog OR his articles at Catchfence. He's nothing more than a self-promoting blowhard. He's all foam and no beer. He doesn't even understand why Hendrick isn't running the #5 for Dale, Jr.
I agree, Why can't Dale Jr use the #5?...Instead let's upset the apple cart and move Mears to the 5, and give Dale the #88...
Monkeesfan DOES know his Nascar, Just wished he'd bring it up to the Nextel Level...MD I still have no clue what the "Autumn 500" is? Can seasons really sponsor a race?...#5
Lest anyone be confused, let me clarify. I am hardly monkeesfan. And I didn't add a blog link to my name because I don't have one. I read blogs...a lot of them...but I don't post one. Didn't realize that was a requirement to drop a note here. But the cat has been watching this stuff a lonnnngggg time, knows his history, and posts his opinions - which often run contrary with others' opinions - including referring to today's races by their former unsponsored names. (A longing for the old days, satire, cynicism - you pick the adejective.) In my mind, his opening comment was rhetorical as in why can't Jr use what is already there vs. having to create a new number. After all, remind me again who OWNS the team he'll be driving for? Finally, I love the way I get called out to add a blog link by someone posting anonymously. While I prefer to use a handle for fun, you can also contact me if you'd like at nashville dot native at hotmail dot com. I think you'll find it to be a different mail address than used by the fan.
Ok, I find myself in an odd position - defending monkeesfan. Although I often disagree with him and his postings, I will admit that he has ben around for a while and does know more than the average fan. I re-read his comments and it doesnt say he didnt know Jr was not in the 5, but it just asked why he isnt... a question many people who dont care about Jr are probably asking. I am a Jr fan and even I am beyond sick of the discussion and all the theories of what he should run (like 53, because 5+3 is 8). Regardless, monkeesfan is a passionate Nascar fan and anyone who has ben reading this blog can at least acknowledge that fact.
I will refrain from my opinion on the Patriots for now, as its obvious that being from New England, if I dont jump up and down accusing them of cheating, then I am not entitled to an opinion on the subject without being called a homer.
And I say, with pride and 3 championships for my team that I am indeed a homer and PROUD OF IT!
After all, no other champion in football or other sports ever did anything questionable, ever...
Whats a homer?
I am disappointed that Dale Earnhardt Jr. asked Rick Hendrick to dump one of his two numbers, 5 or 25, because he wanted to choose a number of his own (certainly the 24 and 48 numbers were never in any danger so the 5 or 25 would have to go).
I can not recall a time in the history of the sport where an already existing team has changed its car number for the sole reason of pleasing its new incoming driver. To please a new sponsor, yes, we've certainly seen owners change numbers (the 30 car was re-numbered to 07 at Jack Daniel's request, every time Philips 66 sponsored a team their number was changed to '66', etc.) but I've never seen an owner dump its exisiting car number to please a driver. MB2 changing to #14 for Sterling Marlin is not applicable because they had already sold the number 10 to Evernham for Valvoline and NEEDED to choose a new number. Only then did they pick a number that Sterling preferred. They didn't just dump the 10 number because Sterling didn't like it and wanted to choose a number of his own.
Rick Hendrick is a great guy and as such certainly wasn't going to tell Jr. "no". I'm just disappointed that Dale Jr., who respects the history of the sport more than any other current driver, would break tradition and even ask Mr. Hendrick to give up either his #5 that he entered the sport with in 1984 or his #25 that was Papa Joe's number, and a number that has been used by Hendrick since 1986.
I guess I'm old school and I just respect the history of associating car numbers with certain owners. Richard Petty & 43, Richard Childress & 3, Junie Donlavey & 90, Junior Johnson & 11, Robert Yates & 28, etc. As an old school fan I'm just disappointed that a piece of NASCAR history - the #25 of Papa Joe Hendrick - is going to disappear because Earnhardt Jr. wants a number that he likes.
I agree with the anonymous poster that it's none of my business and I have no right to tell Earnhardt Jr. or Rick Hendrick what to do. I do have the right though to express my disappointment in Dale Earnhardt Jr. for breaking tradition by asking his new car owner to throw out the history and tradition of his pre-existing car number because the new driver views his own number history as more being far more important than his new owner's.
As for the football, the Patriots did cheat, ended up getting caught, and paid the price. There's no ifs, ands, or buts. End of story. ESPN's NFL Insider Chris Mortensen reported that the rule the Patriots broke was clearly black and white, with no gray area.
Chris Mortensen and Roger Goodell say the Patriots cheated and Patriots fans say he did nothing wrong. Is there any doubt which of the two groups has more credibility?
John Andretti and BAM Racing got caught with their car being too low after qualifying and got thrown out. I'm sure there is some Andretti or BAM Racing fan out there somewhere crying foul, saying its all a conspiracy by NASCAR to please Boris Said because he whined about qualifying rainouts earlier this year. I'll say the same thing to this type of fan and as I do to the Patriots fans that say their team did nothing wrong, despite being caught red-handed and punished severely for their "phantom crime". You are all ridiculous homers, your favorite driver/team got caught doing something illegal and got punished for it. There is no gray area or conspiracy going on. GET OVER IT.
A homer is someone that is biased towards their own hometown team when making statements or giving opinions.
If a sports writer in Cleveland wrote an article saying "My pick to win this year's Super Bowl is the Cleveland Browns", he or she would be quickly labeled a "homer". The other poster that claimed the Patriots didn't cheat and that they were only punished out of jealousy (LOL) is also a homer, because he lives in Boston and is obviously just saying that because he is biased towards his hometown team.
Homers have no credibility whatsoever, so their opinions are basically worthless.
Stricklinfan82...you ruined it for me! I thought a "Homer" was like Homeer Simpson...DOH!... #5
Mabye he wants to help us poor rednecks that have 8s tattooed on us!!!!
Well,,, good luck Dale for your coming.Wishing you all the best in your team. Also to the sponsors you have. More power to you and your team.!!!
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