Blame Teresa

kat2220

kat2220

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Blame Teresa Earnhardt
by Jeff Owens

Fans of Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr. must be outraged right now, furious over the fact that Junior is leaving the team his father founded and the team that was built to help him succeed.

But they should not be angry at Dale Earnhardt Jr. Their anger should be directed at one person – Teresa Earnhardt, Dale Sr.'s widow and Junior's step mom.

It is because of her that Dale Earnhardt Jr. had no choice but to leave DEI and will now wind up driving for another Chevrolet team.

So when you have to throw away your red No. 8 T-shirts and buy new Junior gear (with part of the proceeds going to Richard Childress Racing or Joe Gibbs Racing or Hendrick Motorsports, and not into the Earnhardt coffers at DEI), don't blame Earnhardt Jr.

It's Teresa Earnhardt who just cost you money and spit on your loyalty.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. driving for the family team his father founded was one of the most special relationships in sports. Not anymore. Now it's being busted up like a bad marriage.

It was Earnhardt's dream for Dale Earnhardt Inc. to develop into a NASCAR powerhouse that could lead Earnhardt Jr. to a Nextel Cup championship.

His vision was for Dale Jr. and Kelly Earnhardt Elledge and Kerry Earnhardt to one day run DEI, carrying on his dream.

Now that dream is dead. Dead because Teresa Earnhardt wouldn't budge and give Earnhardt Jr. and his siblings what was rightly theirs.

Earnhardt Jr. wanted majority ownership and control of DEI. He wanted it not only to fulfill his father's dream, but to also help ensure that DEI was headed in the right direction.

"If he were still here, we would all be in a different place right now," Earnhardt Jr. said Thursday, stopping just short of saying what everyone else is thinking – that Earnhardt Sr. would roll over in his grave if he knew what was happening.

Instead, Earnhardt Jr. is about to do the unthinkable – drive for a rival team. And he will do it with a heavy heart.

"I'm disappointed, so I expect my fans to be disappointed," he said.

Earnhardt Jr. fans should be more than disappointed. They should be outraged and furious.

Since Earnhardt Sr.'s death, Teresa Earnhardt has talked about the importance of preserving her husband's legacy.

Instead, she just let it walk out the door.
 
I'm not sure what the deal was with Dale Earnhardt and what he left to whom and why, but unless someone can specifically show, in writing, what his final wishes were upon his death, Dale, Jr., Kelley and Kerry have the same interest in DEI today they had when Dale,Sr., died.

Everyone is quick to jump on the bandwagon as to what Dale,Sr., did or did not want, but if Dale, Sr. was as astute a businessman as so many people say he was, Dale, Sr. was specific in the wishes and desires expressed in his last will and testament as to distribution of his assets. Including the controlling or total ownership of DEI and what he bequeathed to his family.

In the event Dale, Sr., did not have a last will and testament, he was not as good a businessman as many believe, and it is Dale, Sr., who is responsible for setting up the potential for a volitile family dispute. If Dale, Sr. failed to have a will, Dale Earnhardt, Sr., is to blame for this fiasco.

At this point, unless someone knows for sure that Dale, Sr., did in fact have a will, then the will of Dale,Sr, spelled out exactly who, what, when, where, why and how his assets were to be distributed. Those wishes were executed when the will was probated six years ago.

It is amazing that a reporter as respected as Jeff Owen can turn this situation into a "bash Teresa", commentary unless he and Dale, Sr., discussed, one on one, such personal information as to what he wanted in the event he died. Considering Earnhardt, Sr was such a private person, this is something I doubt very much.

If there is a will, unless someone knows differently, the terms of the will have never been contested in six years.
If this be the case, it is a positive indication there was no dissention over the terms of the will and everyone was satisfied the terms were as desired by Dale Earnhardt, Sr..
 
One thing that I find interesting in this whole soap opera is the fact the SR. didn't feel he could be an owner/driver but Jr does.

IMHO, I don't believe that Teresa is under any obligation to sign over the company she and Sr built. Not to some spoiled step kids or anyone else.

If people want to throw away their #8 shirts, that's their own choice - not hers.

Jr. could've signed a contract and opted not to. His choice - not Teresa's.
 
The only thing I have to say is DEI is not where it should be. Jr is the only one doing anything and he ain't doing much.
 
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