Chip Ganassi explains why ‘Earnhardt’ is no longer part of team name

http://motorsportstalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... team-name/

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – For the first time since 1996, there will not be a team in NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series with “Earnhardt” in its corporate name.

The string began in 1996 when the late Dale Earnhardt formed Dale Earnhardt Inc. In less than a decade, it had become one of the premier teams in Cup competition, with son and namesake Dale Earnhardt Jr. as its on-track figurehead.

During his tenure with DEI, Junior earned 17 of his 19 career Cup victories, including a season-high six wins in 2004, beginning with an emotional victory in the season-opening Daytona 500.

But once Junior left DEI for Hendrick Motorsports in 2008, the once-feared company began by the man they called The Intimidator began to slowly disappear.

Now, the Earnhardt corporate name is essentially extinct.


It's sad to see one greedy, thoughtless individual run something into the ground, that was built by a legend. As time passes, it becomes more clear why Dale, Jr. had such hard feelings against Teresa Earnhardt. She sounds like the step-mother that you wouldn't wish on even your worst enemy.