Junior launches a ProCup team

By BRANT JAMES
Published February 12, 2005

DAYTONA BEACH - Dale Earnhardt Jr. has tried to do things his own way as a driver since he began racing. He continues to do things like his late father as an owner, announcing on Friday that his JR Motorsports organization will field a full-time Hooters ProCup team he hopes can eventually graduate to the Busch or Nextel Cup series.

Earnhardt owns with his stepmother, Teresa, part of the Dale Earnhardt Inc./Chance 2 Motorsports Busch team that won a title with Martin Truex last year. This venture is all Earnhardt, down to the checkbook.

"I don't think Teresa is aware of any of the things as far as building this team and what we're doing," Earnhardt said. "As it gets to a point to where it has some affect on me or my decisions, she'll be involved in maybe consulting me or advising me in certain ways to handle things."

Earnhardt Jr. is using his father's template right now.

Dale Earnhardt Sr. began his venture in ownership by dabbling in the Busch Series. The lessons learned about personnel in cramped garages and sponsorships in meeting rooms allowed him to create Dale Earnhardt Inc. in 1996 - the same year his son made his Busch debut - while still racing for Richard Childress.

"It's the exact same thing," Earnhardt Jr. said. "It's just an egg we've hatched. Hopefully, it will grow and be successful. That's basically the guideline I have for building anything like that.

"This wouldn't be something I drummed up on my own. It's just a blueprint of what I've seen happen many times. Especially when dad was working with us, doing limited schedule. Lot of decisions I make regarding this program related to those they made and how they were successful."

Earnhardt Jr. said he will "never separate from DEI," though he did not specify if that meant as an owner or driver.

CAN'T HURT: The Budweiser Shootout doesn't pay points in the Nextel Cup season, but has been a precursor to success. Four of Earnhardt Sr.'s seven titles came in years he won the Shootout. Tony Stewart (2002), Jeff Gordon (1997) and Darrell Waltrip (1981) won titles after claiming the unofficial first race of the season.

HELP: Team owner Ray Evernham would probably love to see the new Dodge Charger give his two full-time teams a major advantage over their Chevrolet and Ford competitors. But NASCAR template rules dictate that Nextel Cup cars are basically identical aside from the nose and tail. And that's a good idea, Evernham said.

"People have to decide what they want," he said. "If you want good racing, you have to have a lot of the cars alike. If you don't do something and the cars aren't aerodynamically matched, then somebody is going to be spending the money to develop new cars and to try to outdo someone else, and the racing's not going to be as good. I think right now the aerodynamics match between the cars is pretty balanced and I think the racing's good, so I think it's good for the sport."

Evernham expected the new nose and tail to offer an improvement over the phased-out Intrepid on superspeedways.

SPARK PLUGS: Lakeland native Joe Nemechek had the fastest laps in both Bud Shootout sessions on Friday, posting a 191.290 mph lap around the 2.5-mile track in the evening after reaching 191.083 mph in the afternoon. ... Casey Mears brushed Ricky Rudd's No.21 Ford during the second session when he misjudged the distance between their cars while attempting to pass. Mears spun through the grass and both cars sustained minor body damage. Rudd quickly accepted Mears' apology, but Rudd crew chief Michael "Fatback" McSwain had harsh words for Mears in the garage. "Ricky was cool when I went to apologize, but (McSwain) needs to calm down a little bit," Mears said. "Stuff happens."

[Last modified February 12, 2005, 08:02:13]