saltysurprise
11th May 2007, 03:51 PM
After 7 plus seasons with his family team, NASCAR's most popular driver has called it quits with DEI, the team founded by his late father.
With support from his sister and manager, Kelly Earnhardt Elledge, Dale Jr. announced at a press conference on thursday that he will leave the team at the end of the '07 season and seek out other opportunities, making him the most attractive free agent in the history of the sport. After a year of intense negotiations, his stepmother Teresa refused a 51% ownership of the team to Jr.
"We both worked extremely hard to find a common ground, but as the negotiations continued, one thing became evident," Earnhardt said. "We both want to get to the same place, but we both simply had different visions on how to get there."
With support from his sister and manager, Kelly Earnhardt Elledge, Dale Jr. announced at a press conference on thursday that he will leave the team at the end of the '07 season and seek out other opportunities, making him the most attractive free agent in the history of the sport. After a year of intense negotiations, his stepmother Teresa refused a 51% ownership of the team to Jr.
"We both worked extremely hard to find a common ground, but as the negotiations continued, one thing became evident," Earnhardt said. "We both want to get to the same place, but we both simply had different visions on how to get there."