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Is it surprising to me that in a little over a year after Dale Earnhardt Jr. left DEI for Hendrick Motorsports that situations appear worse at DEI? Absolutely not. I said even before that the bricks now have apparently began to crumble, and that something was wrong behind those closed doors.

Each year it was taking longer for Dale Jr. to get a signed contract. It is pretty obvious to me now that I was right along with thousands of others who had the same feelings about things going haywire or not the way the one in charge demanded them to be. It is more like wanting to be so vindictive that you cut off your own nose to spite your face. Granted, no matter what all went on behind closed doors Dale Jr. did not strike back as he could have. I admit, he handled all of the many changes including leaving better then I or any of his fans did or have.

Perhaps if I had not been a diehard fan of his Dad for twenty five years plus I would not have the sick feelings that I hold so deeply inside my heart. His children, DEI meant the world to Dale. It was always family first but that did not last long once he was gone. Sad but true. I also wonder if those who stuck by Mrs. T and I am sure they felt they were doing the right thing that Dale would have wanted things to be still feel the same way?

I can’t imagine anyone feeling that Dale would be happy of what all has went on at DEI since we lost him. In my heart I knew once Dale Jr. made the decision he did which had to be one of the hardest he has or will ever make in his life, (hopefully) to leave DEI, his father’s corporation was the beginning of the end in my eyes for DEI and ‘The Legacy.’

I agree it was a very bright idea of someone at DEI to bring on Mark Martin to drive the famous number 8 in 2008 . It was good business strategy. Everyone including me knew Mark is a driver who is liked, respected and who could hit the track driving the number 8 at Daytona with no repercussions from Dale Jr. fans. It worked and it has all year.. The number 8 meant a lot to Dale Jr. being the car number that was his grandfather’s. The price was too high for Mrs. T or DEI to ever let it go. Why do a last ditch nice thing for Jr.? It was another way of making emotions run high for Dale Jr. which to me was the ultimate goal of everything that led on for years before Dale Jr. left DEI at the end of 2007. If anyone thinks Dale would be proud of to see how his children for the most part, Dale Jr. was/is treated, you are very wrong.

I am very happy that my trips to DEI were made when Dale was still alive as I for one including hundreds of my NASCAR buddies will never return. Most owners or lets say probably 98% of them are at the tracks each weekend if possible. Very seldom did or do we ever see Mrs. T at the tracks standing beside Dale Jr., Martin Truex Jr. or anyone else who drove/drives a DEI car. That stopped when we lost Dale. I don’t want to hear that is the reason she stayed away was losing Dale. Look at Richard Petty and Kyle Petty who lost a grandson and a child on the track practicing at Loudon, NH. It was a horrible tragedy for the Petty family to endure but they are at the tracks each weekend. On top of everything else Kyle took over driving the number 45, his sons car. Victory Junction is a wonderful family tribute created in Adam’s memory and will be for years to come.

Excuses, really poor excuses but it proved to me that very little was cared about the horsepower of a stockcar. The only horsepower that seems to interest Mrs. T is the Equestrian 4-legged kind as Taylor is a expert rider and competes in what now is an Equestrian Division owned by DEI.. I guess it is called branching out into all kinds of horsepower. This is the link that tells about the 4 legged division of DEI and the talented Equestrian rider, Taylor. (www.ginnracing.com/content/news/default.aspx?StoryID=2129).

Back in 2007, besides DEI, Sharpie came on board as a sponsor of Taylor’s Equestrian Barrel Racing Circuit. Taylor has chosen her own way to try and continue The Legacy of her father. She is to be admired for this. I just feel Mrs. T should share the love with all of Dale’s children as they each have the one thing in common, the Intimidator was their father. Some time spent at the tracks, the stockcar kind where drivers are racing to win and bring in money for DEI would also have been nice if Mrs. T would take some time to attend perhaps a handful out of 36 races.

I wonder how much Mark Martin was really paid just to jump in and drive the # 8 for DEI for just a year until the waves calmed down? I am sure it had to be a lot. I admit, I am happy he was the one who has taken on driving it the first year. Perhaps if the number 8 is back on the track in 2009 it won’t matter who is behind the wheel. Dale Jr. is the man of his own and it does not matter to me if he drives a car with NO number. I am a Dale Jr. fan even if he raced a lawnmower. DEI retaining the number 8 meant absolutely nothing to me as long as Jr. could deal with their decision as best as he could. I kind of like the 88. After all Dale Jr. is continuing a tradition of making that Dale Jarrett number still famous and perhaps taking the number even further into racing history.

Rumors are flying that this might be Mark Martin’s last year with DEI and he may be making a move to drive for Hendrick Motorsports in 2009. Isn’t that interesting? All kinds of rumors are going around as to where Mark Martin might land for 2009 if he leaves DEI. Another rumor is that he might drive for JR Motorsports and share a ride with Keselowski or even become a teammate of Tony Stewart. The very latest rumor I read on the Internet this morning is that Stewart and Truex might team up together. Truex whose contract is still being negotiated with DEI and nothing agreed on to date ends this year. Sometimes it is best to move on. DEI will be fortunate if they can retain three full-time Sprint Cup drivers for 2009 the way things look now.

Things look dim at DEI. To me they have looked dim at DEI for a long time the day the lights went out at Daytona in turn 4 on February 18, 2001. It will never ever be the same. I hope what Dale intended The Legacy to be will one day return for his children if nothing else and I do mean ALL of his children. No one will ever leave behind at DEI what Dale, a Seven Time Winston Cup Champion did. If it were not for Dale and his talent behind the wheel there would never have been the creation of DEI, The Legacy. Dale, the Man in Black made DEI and it is SAD that we all lost out, especially his children when we lost him.

A disgruntled Earnhardt fan, you might call me that and perhaps more but it is as plain as the writing on the wall. Those of us who have been around for a long time knew what Dale wanted for his children and what heart went into building DEI for his children and their children for generations to come. Someone behind the doors at DEI never intended to strive to continue doing that. If so, things sure would be different now. Having a birthday celebration each year won’t bring in the money lost when Dale Jr. moved on. I have friends who attend and they truly do it each year with a lot of heart and love for the ‘Man in Black.’ Just like this past birthday celebration for Dale, I’d rather be in Talladega watching Dale Jr. race at a track his father dominated and loved to race at more then any other track.

I own all of the Intimidator’s memorabilia I need and I do own a lot. Each was purchased prior to February 18, 2001 except for some special die-casts Dale Jr. drove in honor of his father while being a DEI employee. The only place you will find me is standing in long lines buying souvenirs is for 88 merchandise along with some memorabilia for a handful of other favorite drivers. I am either in line or on the Internet making my purchases. My Dale Jr. collection probably surpasses what I have of his Dad as I began collecting his memorabilia in his beginning years. Granted I’m sure the reason for that is that the industry in souvenirs has quadrupled since the days when this sport began. At one time you could not even get a T-shirt let alone a cap or sticker of your favorite driver.

I do hope that someone turns the lights back on at DEI before they shutdown forever. That can happen but the memories of Dale will live in each of we fans as long as we live. I miss him every race day and always will.

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