Sources: Earnhardt Jr. to drive for Hendrick in '08

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. on Wednesday will announce his intent to move to Hendrick Motorsports Chevrolet in 2008, multiple sources with intimate knowledge of the negotiations told ESPN.com Tuesday on condition of anonymity.

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Dale Earnhardt Jr. likely won't be Driver 8 anymore, but will he still pilot the Budweiser Chevrolet?
Hendrick Motorsports declined comment, and e-mails and calls sent to Earnhardt's representation were not returned. A news conference was scheduled for 11 a.m. Wednesday to officially announce the deal.
Kelly Earnhardt Elledge, who has handled contract negotiations for her brother, declined to comment on the report.

There was some speculation that the wheels are already in motion to plant Earnhardt in the No. 5 now driven by Kyle Busch before season's end, but Dale Earnhardt Inc. president Max Siegel, contacted by phone Tuesday, discounted that scenario, saying Earnhardt would remain in the No. 8 through season's end.

Sources said there are indications that Busch may not finish the year in the No. 5. Busch is under contract with HMS through the end of next season, and Hendrick had been working to sign the 22-year old driver to an extension.

Jeff Dickerson, an attorney for Busch, told ESPN.com that "a lot of things may or may not occur. Out of respect for Hendrick Motorsports, we're not really sure what's going on yet. But we're trying. I don't think anything's changed yet. I cannot tell you that Kyle is out of the No. 5 for 2008."

Meanwhile, one potential scenario would be Casey Mears moving to the No. 5 and Earnhardt moving to the No. 25 currently being driven by Mears.

Earnhardt announced last month he was leaving Dale Earnhardt Inc. at season's end to compete for a more competitive organization.

Joe Gibbs Racing and Ginn Racing, both considered contenders to land Earnhardt, said Tuesday they are not part of the press conference. Richard Childress, whose team was also thought to have an opportunity to sign Earnhardt, is out of the country.

It is unknown whether sponsor Budweiser will follow Earnhardt to Hendrick.
 
E to the 25........:eek: with the luck of that number I wouldn't do it. Why not leave the 25 alone and put E in the 5?
 
Bucky Badger said:
E to the 25........:eek: with the luck of that number I wouldn't do it. Why not leave the 25 alone and put E in the 5?
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I say go ahead and switch them now. Let them get used to their teams this year for a good run at the title next year.
 
Maybe because Kyle has shot himself one to many times in foot when it comes to patiently driving a race car. The kid has the maturity of my five year old when it comes to things not going his way. Sorry, Jr. could probably do just as well in that car if he were to drive the damn thing into the ground week in and week out. Hendrick is probably real tired of having to put up with that whiny little brat. Just what do you base your claim that Junior is a "worse" driver then Kyle in the first place?
 
N2racin44 said:
Maybe because Kyle has shot himself one to many times in foot when it comes to patiently driving a race car. The kid has the maturity of my five year old when it comes to things not going his way. Sorry, Jr. could probably do just as well in that car if he were to drive the damn thing into the ground week in and week out. Hendrick is probably real tired of having to put up with that whiny little brat. Just what do you base your claim that Junior is a "worse" driver then Kyle in the first place?
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Hmmm so when Jr got in the 5 after Busch took off and drove for a few laps that was really A SIGN OF THINGS TO COME ?:rolleyes:
 
N2racin44 said:
He's left the track in a tissy many times.
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Yes he has and Mr. Hendrick does not take kindly to that. What a line up of drivers he would have huh? Gordon, Johnson, Jr., and Mears. Kind of like the whos' who of nascar there.;)
 
N2racin44 said:
We are not talking about "Jerret" whoever the hell that is :) We are talking about Kyle the crybaby Busch.
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You know it really is a shame that some one with all that talent does not appreciate what he has. His brother Kurt is the same way, everything handed to them , never had to work for it, there is no substitute for achievment by working hard for it...no better feeling than getting something knowing you deserved it through hard work IMO.
 
Mopardh9 said:
You know it really is a shame that some one with all that talent does not appreciate what he has. His brother Kurt is the same way, everything handed to them , never had to work for it, there is no substitute for achievment by working hard for it...no better feeling than getting something knowing you deserved it through hard work IMO.
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I agree with you there.
 
Mopardh9 said:
You know it really is a shame that some one with all that talent does not appreciate what he has. His brother Kurt is the same way, everything handed to them , never had to work for it, there is no substitute for achievment by working hard for it...no better feeling than getting something knowing you deserved it through hard work IMO.
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What was exactly handed to them?
 
All this speculation and nothing to back it up, but in many ways, I hope it's true. And why not the 25. That car was in the past, one top contender when a great driver was wheeling it. Also, it's had in the past the Budweiser decals on it, so those old souvineers just might come back again. BTW, for those of you who are questioning who wheeled the #25 to wins, it was none other than Tim Richmond, who many have said was a better driver than old Ironhead.

So when do the teams have to get "down" to that four car team limit? If it isn't next year, HMS could still field what they have with Jr in another car and make a dicision as to whom to drop next year.

I'm still saying that it'll be JGR.
 
buckaroo said:
All this speculation and nothing to back it up, but in many ways, I hope it's true. And why not the 25. That car was in the past, one top contender when a great driver was wheeling it. Also, it's had in the past the Budweiser decals on it, so those old souvineers just might come back again. BTW, for those of you who are questioning who wheeled the #25 to wins, it was none other than Tim Richmond, who many have said was a better driver than old Ironhead.

So when do the teams have to get "down" to that four car team limit? If it isn't next year, HMS could still field what they have with Jr in another car and make a dicision as to whom to drop next year.

I'm still saying that it'll be JGR.
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The way I get it, nobody can have 5 teams from now on. Just Roush because he already had 5 and they were grandfathered in.
 
Bucky Badger said:
What was exactly handed to them?
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Pretty much everything always had the best of everything in Vegas and coming up . Neither of them have had to deal with driving there way up, always had good equipment throughout their careers.
 
Tomorrow will be a very interesting day!!!!!
I, for one, am gonna get a good night's sleep and turn on SPEED......... EARLY!!!!!

LOL
 
Mopardh9 said:
Pretty much everything always had the best of everything in Vegas and coming up . Neither of them have had to deal with driving there way up, always had good equipment throughout their careers.
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Sounds like 90percent of the drivers;) Whats the big deal;)
 
Okay, if that's the case, and I don't have any reason to doubt it, that means that if Jr. is going to HMS someone there is going to have to lose his ride. If Jr is indeed going to tell the nation tomorrow that he will be with HMS, then someone will know that he is history. Hmmm could it be Johnson? Mears? No wait, Jeffy, right? Well of course, that leaves Busch. So you must all believe that Kyle will be looking for a ride next year.

Okay, let's take that for the real deal, then I say that Jackie boy Roush will be looking to take this boy to the championship in the future. Afterall, Jack was the one who was courting him when he was still a teenager, and there has been press that has said that Kyle is twice the driver that Kurt is. That should translate into a couple of titles since Kurt the bad boy has one.

Okay, let's take that for the real deal, then who's going to leave the Roush camp, and it has to not be just one, but a couple since Jackie boy has to get his number down to four. Greg Biffle could very well go to DEI and win a title there, and then of course, that old #6 team could be history, or could that be the new number of the car that Kyle Busch drives? Maybe the age of newbie drivers moving up to the Cup series coming to an end, and well, where does it all end? :cool:
 
I think Kyle has something in mind. I am hearing he is wanting out of his contract. Maybe RCR?
 
well, why would kyle want to leave hendrick? He's getting by no question the best cars in the series right now. The only thing that could make him leave? Try money.

I'd start looking at toyota's pocketbooks. Specifically, those of germain racing (perhaps kyle and jarret on the same cup startup team after he leaves mwr?) or red bull.
 
dannynascar said:
maybe nascar can fix a few races for jr!!
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Ahhh...I remember those days with their "special" plates :cool:

Seriously, I would be pretty happy to have Junior join the HMS stable. He has greatly improved as a complete driver over the last few years. I don't know if he could win a title with Hendrick or not, but it seems more likely there than anywhere else with the way HMS is dominating lately.
 
Remind me again who the driver was that got Rick Hendrick his very 1st Nascar win?

Hint: It wasn't Bodine
 
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