Junior With Another Potential Project On His Hands

Image details: NASCAR Sprint All-Star Race Practice served by picapp.com

He’s a full-time driver for Hendrick Motorsports in the Sprint Cup Series, he owns JR Motorsports and runs the car himself part-time in the Nationwide Series, he’s a part owner of two race tracks, owns a television production company, a clothing line, and a real estate company. During the course of the year, he’s added two more daunting tasks to his hectic life when he opened up his new bar, Whiskey River, and joined up with the US Navy to open his own boot camp division, the Dale Jr. Division.

Now, the Lead Lap and Scene Daily are both reporting that Dale Earnhardt Jr. may have plans to bring JR Motorsports to the Sprint Cup Series level sooner than expected … in 2009 as a matter of fact. Earnhardt immediately discounted any rumors that he might pursue his good friend and former teammate over at Dale Earnhardt Inc, Martin Truex Jr.

Earnhardt said, “For the first year coming out of the box, man, we’ll struggle like hell. He’s going to have deals offered to him by these great companies around here, and from DEI. I’ll be at the bottom of that list, right there with Haas CNC Racing and a couple of other people.”

Truex has raced for Earnhardt in the past, and the two have remained good friends since parting ways at DEI, however Earnhardt doesn’t seem to believe that him joining JR Motorsports at the beginning of the company’s venture in the Cup Series would be in Martin’s best interests. DEI recently picked up a one-year option on Truex that secures him with the company for the 2009 season, but Martin and his attorney dispute the legality of the wording in the contract. This could be a sign that Truex is unhappy and wants to leave the company, but if a seat happens to open up over at Penske or Roush-Fenway Racing, I would expect him to pursue options there first.