Thread: JR signs with Henderick

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for 2008 to replace Kyle Bush. Didn't say where Bush is going.

Jack

Officials with Anheuser-Busch's Budweiser brand, current sponsors of Dale Earnhardt Jr., released a statement saying the beer company is looking into its future options with the driver and Hendrick Motorsports following today's announcement that the driver would join that team in 2008.

Earnhardt Jr. answered questions about his future team this morning by announcing he will join Hendrick Motorsports. Now the next question is whether his long-time sponsor, Budweiser, will follow NASCAR's most popular driver. The company has a personal services contract with Earnhardt Jr. through 2008.


"Anheuser-Busch has enjoyed a remarkable relationship with Dale Earnhardt Jr. since our sponsorship commenced back in 1999," said Tony Ponturo, vice president of global media and sports marketing for Anheuser-Busch. "Dale Jr. is an excellent ambassador for the sport and our company, and we look forward to exploring options with Hendrick Motorsports and JR Motorsports to continue Budweiser's relationship with him as he enters this new stage of his racing career."


It'll be interesting to see if Jr. will be popping a tab or opening a box of Corn Flakes in 08?

And then there is the number game.



Dale Earnhardt Jr. says that there are still a lot of things to be worked out and that he plans to have an input into things like which number he drives and how his 2008 car looks at Hendrick Motorsports.

Although it was announced today that Earnhardt Jr. would join Hendrick in 2008, the number of the car and sponsorship for it have not been confirmed.


Earnhardt Jr. expressed interest in keeping the No. 8 currently adorning his Dale Earnhardt Inc. car but said there are a variety of numbers he would have interest in. He says he's discussed his role in these decisions with team owner Rick Hendrick.

"I'd like to be No. 8, but we have to obviously talk to [DEI owner] Teresa [Earnhardt] about that and see what her interest is there," he said. "Other than that ... there's other numbers that I have interest in. We'll just have to sit down.

"I want to have my hands in the design, what the look the car looks like. Rick's said that I'll have some ability to have some influence on what the car looks like, the number, things like that. We'll just have to sit down and see what looks cool."

Earnhardt Jr. is replacing Kyle Busch with the team. Busch drives the No. 5 Chevrolet and is sponsored by Kellogg's, but the lineup for Earnhardt Jr. has not been clarified. Budweiser sponsors Earnhardt Jr. at DEI in one of the most high-profile pairings in NASCAR, and Hendrick was asked if could take on additional sponsorship.

"We have several sponsors on our cars that are multiyear deals," the team owner said. "Our first, I guess my responsibility, is to those people, and we've got to look at how the teams are going to look at the end of the year going into next year, what spots on those cars are available and where they want to be.

"We do have some space, but we have sponsors in place."

I read today they are talking to Teresa about swapping the numbers, but I expect she will want a BIG price for the # 8.

Jack