Junior Leaves No. 8, But Drivers Like Team Control Of Car Numbers

Saturday, August 18th 2007, 4:11 pm

By: News On 6

BROOKLYN, Mich. (AP) _ With all the talk about Dale Earnhardt Jr. leaving his No. 8 behind when he departs Dale Earnhardt Inc. for Hendrick Motorsports next year, some believe the drivers _ not the teams _ should have the option of keeping a number throughout their careers.

In the current system, NASCAR owns all the numbers and leases them to the teams.

Earnhardt and his representatives tried to make a deal with DEI to allow him to take his number to Hendrick. But the negotiations ended this week with no agreement, leaving Junior to ponder other numbers, perhaps in the 80s.

Earnhardt said Saturday he hadn't held out much hope in the negotiations with stepmother Teresa Earnhardt, owner of the team founded by his late father.

``I knew that this was the way it was going to be,'' he stated on the Web site of NASCAR Scene. ``I just didn't have the guts to tell my fans because they were holding out and hoping it would work out. I just didn't have the guts to tell them that it was a waste of time hoping that it would happen. I had already been working in this other direction and got some pretty good ideas. We're going to look at every one and see which one we like the best.''

While some fans, particularly those who follow Earnhardt, are upset that he will have to change numbers next year, a lot of Nextel Cup drivers like the way the numbers are handled now.

``I think I kind of like the number being with the team more so than with the driver,'' said four-time NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon, whose No. 24 is part of his image. ``It's just there's certain instances where that number and that driver become synonymous _ Dale Earnhardt (3), Dale Earnhardt Jr. (8), Richard Petty (43), myself _ and that just doesn't happen a lot. So, now, I think that when it does happen, it makes it tricky to work around.''

Mark Martin, who drove the No. 6 for Jack Roush for 18 years before moving to the No. 01 at Ginn Racing _ now part of DEI _ at the start of 2007, said he agrees with the way the numbering system is done now.

``In this business, the standard has always been that the number stays with the owner and the driver has his superstardom to carry wherever he may,'' Martin said.

``All I know is that it's standard procedure for the owners to build equity in the number (and) that's what stays with them,'' he added. ``Dale Earnhardt won the rookie of the year and his first championship in the No. 2, then raced the No. 15 and then he raced the No. 8 on Dale Earnhardt Inc. (Busch Series) cars all through the 80's.

``Dale Jr. made a choice to make a change in his career, to change his path and to give it a new start and to go put himself in a position to win his first championship, and I think that's great. But that also came with the chance that the number would stay with Dale Earnhardt Inc., where it has been since 1984.''

Martin Truex Jr., Earnhardt's DEI teammate and friend, said, ``I think your name is the biggest thing. As long as you've got your name, you've got the only thing that matters.

``These numbers have been on millions of other race cars before we even started racing. What's the big deal?''

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STAYING PUT: Despite failing to qualify for eight races, including Sunday's 3M Performance 400 at Michigan International Speedway, and having no finish better than 22nd in those he has made this season, Dale Jarrett says he is not ready to leave Michael Waltrip Racing or change his retirement plans.

``We are committed through next year,'' said the 1999 Cup champion, the subject of rumors that he would leave the No. 44 Toyota after this season.

``I was standing in a restaurant with some friends last week and a guy tapped me on the shoulder and said, 'I didn't realize you were retiring at the end of the year.' I said, `Well, I didn't, either.'

``I had been on the golf course for a couple of days but didn't think things have changed quite that much. I have no ideas of making a change. I'm committed. I knew this was going to be a process _ a process to help this race team and Toyota _ to make it a seat that someone wants to get into.''

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FOURTH DRIVER: Richard Childress said Saturday a decision on whether or not to run a fourth Cup car next season will be made ``in about 30 to 45 days.''

And who would drive that car, if it is added to the lineup?

``We're down to only a couple of scenarios that would work,'' Childress said.

Asked about recent rumors that Indianapolis 500 winner and IndyCar Series points leader Dario Franchitti could be in one of those scenarios, Childress smiled and said, ``We're really good friends.

``I really respect his driving and his talent and, at some point, he's going to want to look at this series. And, when he does, I'll be there to talk to him. If we don't have anything, I'll be there to help him.

``But I think he's got some other things he wants to accomplish over there (in the IndyCar Series) right now,'' Childress added.