Time to get the #3 back on the track.

dpkimmel2001

dpkimmel2001

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And I hope it's back in black. As a long time Dale Earnhardt fan I sure hope this comes to be. I miss seeing the #3 on the track on Sundays. For me, it would be a welcome sight.

Also, I guess I never knew that you could now run as many Cup races as you'd like without jeopardizing your rookie status as long as you're registered to receive points in another series.
Austin Dillon to move up to Cup in 2014, running #3?

It's almost a given that Austin Dillon will be NASCAR's 2014 Sprint Cup Rookie of the Year. He'll run another full Nationwide Series schedule this year before moving up to Cup. His grandfather, legendary team owner Richard Childress, plans to run him in six to eight (maybe more) Cup races this year to prepare him for 2014. With Dillon still registered as a Nationwide driver, he can run unlimited Cup races without jeopardizing his rookie status. (That's why Danica Patrick, who ran 10 races last year, remains eligible for the Cup ROTY awards this year). Dillon plans to run some Cup races for Circle Sports (the Joe Falk-owned associate of RCR) and will get some starts for owner James Finch at Phoenix Racing [at least at Las Vegas].
"We don't know how many Cup races he'll run because so much depends on sponsorship," Childress said Jan. 11 at Daytona International Speedway. "Since the old rule about seven races ruining your rookie status is gone, we might run him more than that. And that goes for Ty, too. [Ty Dillon, Austin's younger brother, will run his second full season in the Camping World Truck Series before going to Nationwide in 2014.] We're going to give them both some Cup races this year."
Childress hasn't said so publicly, but insiders say he's been thinking seriously about giving Austin the iconic, stylized #3 for this year's Cup races. Nobody has carried that number in Cup since RCR star Dale Earnhardt died on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. If Dillon runs #3 this year, it's almost a certainty he'd keep that number when he competes for 2014 ROTY.
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from jayski
 
Yep , bring back the #3 .Don't think they can keep it black for long though. Sponsors' colors dictate and sponsors are too hard to find today.Petty blue isn't always on the 43 ,is it?
 
Childress should wait until Ty, someone who ain't afraid to run wide open, is ready. Austin is just another part of what's wrong with NASCAR -- someone who has no problem running 12th every week.
 
ted@economy said:
Yep , bring back the #3 .Don't think they can keep it black for long though. Sponsors' colors dictate and sponsors are too hard to find today.Petty blue isn't always on the 43 ,is it?
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Not to fast there ted. That Bass Pro Shop has been looking pretty good sporting the #3 in the Nationwide Series. Maybe I missed the news that he lost that sponsor or something?
 
I agree with Andy...to a point, and that's painful to say. ;)

Ty's driving attitude is a better fit for the #3. Ty would whine even less than Sr did, which wasn't often.
 
AndyMarquisLive said:
Childress should wait until Ty, someone who ain't afraid to run wide open, is ready. Austin is just another part of what's wrong with NASCAR -- someone who has no problem running 12th every week.
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You're right. I can't believe how bad he sucked this past season as a rookie in Nationwide. Only 2 wins, 16 top 5's, and 27 top 10's along with 3 poles. Not to mention that he's running on grandpa's money. He's got no talent and shouldn't be allowed to run in this sport. :rolleyes:

Austin really seems to have struck a nerve with you there Andy. :D You should probably try getting your stats right first though. Here's a question or four for you. Where did Austin rank among the Nationwide contingent for the average finish this year? That's a pretty good indicator of where he runs on Saturdays. How about lead lap finishes? How about on races finished while still running? In other words, bring the car home. How about top 10's? I'll save you the time. The answer is first on each of those category's. Sure, you can come back with the retort that he didn't win the Championship. My only point is that the guy doesn't seem to be as bad as most like to profess.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
Not to fast there ted. That Bass Pro Shop has been looking pretty good sporting the #3 in the Nationwide Series. Maybe I missed the news that he lost that sponsor or something?
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Bass Pro isnt Austin's main sponsor anymore. they didnt move up with him from trucks. Advocare sponsors his NNS efforts. They do run a black car though.
 
Jeffrey00 said:
Bass Pro isnt Austin's main sponsor anymore. they didnt move up with him from trucks. Advocare sponsors his NNS efforts. They do run a black car though.
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Yes, not the main sponsor week to week but he still run's it occasionally. I think that's a pretty good looking car.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
You're right. I can't believe how bad he sucked this past season as a rookie in Nationwide. Only 2 wins, 16 top 5's, and 27 top 10's along with 3 poles. Not to mention that he's running on grandpa's money. He's got no talent and shouldn't be allowed to run in this sport. :rolleyes:

Austin really seems to have struck a nerve with you there Andy. :D You should probably try getting your stats right first though. Here's a question or four for you. Where did Austin rank among the Nationwide contingent for the average finish this year? That's a pretty good indicator of where he runs on Saturdays. How about lead lap finishes? How about on races finished while still running? In other words, bring the car home. How about top 10's? I'll save you the time. The answer is first on each of those category's. Sure, you can come back with the retort that he didn't win the Championship. My only point is that the guy doesn't seem to be as bad as most like to profess.
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Oddly enough, Andy used to rant about Ty and swore Austin had the real talent.
 
There was talk of retiring the number 3 but I don't think that is the way to go. The 43 wasn't retired and I had a hard time seeing someone other than The King driving that car. There will always be die hard fans who won't accept anyone other than an Earnhardt in the 3. The 3 should come back but any sponsor who tries it too soon will have the wrath of a lot of Earnhardt fanatics to deal with.
 
i'd love seein the black 3,n only black,owned by RCR ,but no wuss driver.
 
A black number 3 Dodge racing for RCR.

Who'da thunk it?
 
FenderBumper said:
Me, but I thought Ganassi and DEI would be part of the deal.
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I would hate to see DEI put the number 3 back on the track after Teresa destroyed something the man worked so hard to build.

That is JMO.
 
Smoke14 said:
I would hate to see DEI put the number 3 back on the track after Teresa destroyed something the man worked so hard to build.

That is JMO.
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Not on a DEI car. My theory was that Dodge needed an engine builder, so DEI could be a good fit if their engine customers (mainly Ganassi and RCR) could be enticed to join the Dodge camp.
 
dpkimmel2001 said:
And I hope it's back in black. As a long time Dale Earnhardt fan I sure hope this comes to be. I miss seeing the #3 on the track on Sundays. For me, it would be a welcome sight.

Also, I guess I never knew that you could now run as many Cup races as you'd like without jeopardizing your rookie status as long as you're registered to receive points in another series.


from jayski
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YEP.
 
Yeah baby!
Richard Childress still plans to run Dale Earnhardt’s No. 3 in Sprint Cup

WELCOME, N.C. – The way Richard Childress talks, he sounds pretty convinced that Austin Dillon will drive Dale Earnhardt's famous No. 3 in the Sprint Cup Series.

It’s just a matter of when.

Last November, Childress said he didn’t think Dillon would drive a No. 3 car in select races in 2013 but it is a possibility when he moves to Cup full time in 2014.

Not much has happened in the last couple of months to change Childress’ mind about bringing back the slanted No. 3 made famous by Earnhardt, the seven-time Cup champion.

“This past season, with Austin running it in Nationwide as much as he did, it’s kind of re-energized a lot of the fans,” Childress said Monday during the Sprint Media Tour stop at his shop. “The fans come up and the cards and the calls and the emails we get, when we said he was going to run the 33 at Daytona, overwhelmingly people wanted to see the 3.

“Who knows? We haven’t made any decisions at this time.”

Childress said it’s probably 85 percent in favor of him running one of his grandsons (Austin or Ty Dillon) in the No. 3 car in Sprint Cup.
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The rest can be read here.
 
I don't think Childress owns the number 3. I thought any unused number can be used by any team. The only times I've heard of a number being sold is for numbers in use by a team.
 
Zerkfitting said:
I don't think Childress owns the number 3. I thought any unused number can be used by any team. The only times I've heard of a number being sold is for numbers in use by a team.
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There's no talk of selling the 3. The numbers are assigned by NASCAR. Childress doesn't own the number but it still remains assigned to them.
 
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