[tkj24]

#1 This is what Teresa said that brought this public for the most part.

"Right now the ball's in his court to decide on whether he wants to be a NASCAR driver or whether he wants to be a public personality."


#2 If DEI wants to keep the 8 I don't have a problem with it. The thing I have a problem with is that she asked for a share of the revenue from the 8.

[beth]

[quote=Bob Tanner;167422]

Originally Posted by oncea3fan

Quote:
Originally Posted by thunderfoot
That really seems to show the tension that there is at DEI between those two. It's a shame they never could get along very well. Control freaks really ruin a good thing eh?

so do spoiled bratts![/QUOTE]

And therein lies yet another possibility!

I haven't said too much about this because I think the entire concept of a driver's identity being tied to a certain number is kind of lame and didn't merit discussion at length. But sentimentality being what it is, I guess it's just a fact of life.

So far 90% of everything I hear and read on this matter concerned the "Evil step mother." Has anyone here ever heard of the term, "Evil step children?"
Remember, Dale Sr. felt he had a valid reason for putting DEI in the hands of Teresa, a responsible adult. Teresa was his mate and business partner. Dale Sr. had the concept to build DEI and he relied on Teresa's sound judgement to make it not only a racing success, but more lasting and importantly, a business success. Teresa and Dale Sr. complemented each other's weaknesses.
Junior, during this period, as I remember it, seemed to do everything to be the "anti-Dale." I distinctly remember a couple of interviews where Sr described Jr in general "pain-in-the-ass" terms. He didn't want to listen to advice and wanted to do everything "His" way; while Sr. embraced the concept of rising early and going to bed early, Jr. bragged about his affinity for partying all night and sleeping late. Sr. was an outdoors-man and hunter; Jr went the opposite way and it appeared much of his life centered around computers and on-line gaming. Sr. had a few very close friends, but was a private person; Jr bragged about his "posse" and lived a very public lifestyle.
In short, they had a pretty much parent-to teenager relationship. A good start for a family relationship but a rotten way to foster a business relationship.
All this stuff about Jr. being "owed" a part of DEI. I don't buy it. The same with his being "owed" the number "8." That was Dale Sr's. dad's number. That was the number of the car Sr. first drove for Ed Negre in his first Cup start. That was DEI's first number. It is identified with DEI! Just as the "#5" rightfully is an icon for Hendrick; it was their first number and the the number HMS first won the Daytona 500 with. Dale will represent that number well, I'm sure.
Besides, I still haven't bought into this animosity between Dale Jr and Teresa. I think Kelley has played a major, unsung role in all of this. Besides being one of the "Evil step children," she's also a female and I've seen more than one inter-family cat fights between rival females.
Unfortunately (or fortunately) we're getting only one side of this entire saga. Teresa has chosen the high road and has said virtually nothing. Though it doesn't shed any light on the subject, I find her silence extremely dignified.

This had nothing to do with the history of the 8. Why? because she offered to sell it for a piece of the revenue.

Dale's will was 9 years old when he died. Dale was a defiant son when he was young. Dale did a good job of keeping him under control, only paying him $500 a week etc. and that was good for Jr. That also gave him equity in the family business. He could have left and made millions while Sr was still alive.

Jr. is the one who placed value on the 8. He mentioned it the day he left and many times since. He helped build DEI through his talent and his demeanor. It wasn't all him to be sure but DEI wouldn't have survived Dale's death without Jr.

All he asked for was his number, other teams have given up numbers just out of friendships.

[Gotham Dark Knight]

I don't follow Nascar that closely, so my opinion is not biased by a like or dislike for either camp...but from what I have seen on TV and read...this seems a bit more personal (and hostile) than a fight over a number and some cash...

[Racer Duck]

Originally Posted by Gotham Dark Knight

I don't follow Nascar that closely, so my opinion is not biased by a like or dislike for either camp...but from what I have seen on TV and read...this seems a bit more personal (and hostile) than a fight over a number and some cash...

yeah, they don't like each other. the interesting thing is both sides have been playing the $$$ game: how much is it worth to you? oh, it's not the money, it's personal! so negotiations are not gonna be easy nor a solution reachable when there's a personal riff between the principals unless one totally gives in which won't happen with two (or 3) strong minded individuals. both sides have lost credibility and respect over this deal. now they both need to walk away and be quiet.

[3fanforever]

I'm glad she kept the #8. Now TEI can go their own way, and Jr. can go his, with a clean and totally fresh start.
I'm looking forward to seeing what Jr. comes up with for next year. Actually, it's kind of an exciting time to be a Jr. fan.

I also think the next step for the dead beat owner should be to change the name of the organization to THI, Teresa Houston Incorporated.
That's the bed she's making. The one she'll have to sleep in.

[PettyBlue]

This dead beat owner crap is old.Who ever said Teresa was a race fan?She stood behind her husband as he did what He loved,not her.It took his life and all the crap was put in her lap.She may be doing the best she can to keep her husbands dream alive.Cut some slack here Jr. fans.

[LSC9901]

I think it is emotions that are speaking the loudest now. Many, many,many drivers have moved from one team to another and have left numbers behind. Mark Martin 6, Dale Jarrett 88 and so on. I understand Jr.'s desire to retain the number but it was never his to begin with. It would be nice if we did hear from Teresa and KNOW what her side of the story is but the fact is she owes us nothing. Whether she knows anything at all about the business is irrelevant. The business was thrust into her lap and with the help of many others she is keeping the business alive to the best of the companies ability. Jr has been the only one talking so we've heard just one side of the story at this point in time.

As fans we need to decide if it is the driver, the car, the number, the sponsor or just who or what it is we are cheering for.

[PettyBlue]

Originally Posted by LSC9901

I think it is emotions that are speaking the loudest now. Many, many,many drivers have moved from one team to another and have left numbers behind. Mark Martin 6, Dale Jarrett 88 and so on. I understand Jr.'s desire to retain the number but it was never his to begin with. It would be nice if we did hear from Teresa and KNOW what her side of the story is but the fact is she owes us nothing. Whether she knows anything at all about the business is irrelevant. The business was thrust into her lap and with the help of many others she is keeping the business alive to the best of the companies ability. Jr has been the only one talking so we've heard just one side of the story at this point in time.

As fans we need to decide if it is the driver, the car, the number, the sponsor or just who or what it is we are cheering for.

I agree and would add race company to the list.

[jks812]

What I don't get is people( and at one time I was one of em) think she shouldn't have the company. I did think she should have gave him part of the race team but not half of all of DEI. People think she shouldn't have no part of DEI, but she's the one that helped Sr build it into what it is. Yes I understand Jr helped make it successful, as a driver. Mark Martin helped make Roush successful, as a driver, I didn't see anybody saying he should have been given part of Roush Racing. Yes DEI was a family business. But I think maybe Sr knew what he was doing, leaving it to her and not the kids. Doesn't matter if his will was 9 years old when he died, he could have changed it at any time.
LSC I as a fan cheer for the driver. Don't matter to me who the sponsor is, or the number on the car. And thats why I don't care if he got the 8 or not. It's a number, not magic powder to make him win or lose.

[jks812]

Originally Posted by PenelopePitStop

Interesting. I had no idea that there was such a strong rift between Jr. and Teresa ... of course, how could I?

If she's hanging on to the 8 for financial reasons, she's SOL. If she does use it next year, there's no way novelty sales will be what they were when Jr. was in the car. Hendrick, however, is about to hit the mother lode.

She's really making DEI look bad. Heartless.

Jr. has a good perspective on this entire thing. He wants a clean break, and that's what he'll get. I'm actually excited to see the number and design that he comes up with. I think 83 would be good.

Thats true. But Jr is what sold the novelties, not the number. If she puts a driver in the #8 that I like, I'll still buy the stuff. Not because of the number but because of the driver.

[3fanforever]

Originally Posted by PettyBlue

This dead beat owner crap is old.Who ever said Teresa was a race fan?She stood behind her husband as he did what He loved,not her.It took his life and all the crap was put in her lap.She may be doing the best she can to keep her husbands dream alive.Cut some slack here Jr. fans.

Sorry, sometimes my emotions get the better of me.
But actually, you're right. It's time for me to move on, just like Jr. is doing.
It's time to put her in the past and look to a better and brighter future for Jr. without his step-mom getting in the way.
Thanks for helping me to realize that
Next year, he'll have an owner who's at the track every race supporting him,
which was one of the personal reasons he gave for going with Rick Hendricks.

[PettyBlue]

Originally Posted by 3fanforever

Sorry, sometimes my emotions get the better of me.
But actually, you're right. It's time for me to move on, just like Jr. is doing.
It's time to put her in the past and look to a better and brighter future for Jr. without his step-mom getting in the way.
Thanks for helping me to realize that
Next year, he'll have an owner who's at the track every race supporting him,
which was one of the personal reasons he gave for going with Rick Hendricks.

No problem but Rick is not at every race either.

[jks812]

Originally Posted by PettyBlue

No problem but Rick is not at every race either.

But he is at about 90% of them and when he isn't there, he at least calls and congratulates them. I don't think the owner has to be at every race. But they should be at the majority of them. It does, in my opinion, keep team moral and all of that up, when the owners there.

[PettyBlue]

Originally Posted by jks812

But he is at about 90% of them and when he isn't there, he at least calls and congratulates them. I don't think the owner has to be at every race. But they should be at the majority of them. It does, in my opinion, keep team moral and all of that up, when the owners there.

That is true and I agree for the most part but as an owner you may have other interest to look after as in sponsers,contracts does the race shop restroom have toilet paper etc... lol.

[thunderfoot]

My question is, How can NASCAR claim to own the numbers? Thats like BF coming up with a new plan to rent air to the fans to breathe at the track. "Well the oxygen would be mixed with the molecules of spent race fuel so we own it."