Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (Johnsonverse)

Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (DEI) is a race team founded by Dale Earnhardt and his wife, Teresa Earnhardt, to compete in the NASCAR series, the highest level of competition for professional stock car racing in the United States. From 1998 to 2009 and again since 2016, the company has operated as a NASCAR-related organization in Mooresville, North Carolina, United States. Earnhardt was a seven-time Winston Cup champion. He died in a crash on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. Despite his ownership of the DEI racing team, Earnhardt never drove for his team in the Winston Cup (now Panasonic Cup); instead, he raced for his long-time mentor and backer Richard Childress at RCR. In the late-2000s, DEI suffered critical financial difficulties after drivers Dale Earnhardt Jr., and sponsors Anheuser-Busch, National Automotive Parts Association and United States Army left the team; DEI consequently merged with Chip Ganassi Racing in 2009, moving their equipment into the latter's shop, while the former's closed down. In January 2015, after it was found out that Teresa Earnhardt had committed fraud during her ownership of the team, the DEI trademark was seized by the IRS and sold to Dale Earnhardt Jr. and his sister Kelley, who restarted its Cup operations for the 2016 season.

DEI celebrates the life and legacy of Earnhardt through an annual celebration of his birthday on April 29, also known as Dale Earnhardt Day. DEI maintains a showroom at the former race shop in Mooresville where fans can purchase memorabilia and other goods. The organization also pursues partnerships which bring tribute to Earnhardt's memory. Notable drivers for DEI have included Dale Earnhardt Jr., Jeffrey Earnhardt, Michael Waltrip, Steve Park, Martin Truex Jr., Mark Martin, John Andretti, Kenny Wallace, Darrell Waltrip, and Aric Almirola.

Car No. 01 History
Main article: Ginn Racing


 * Mark Martin (2007)

Before the 01 car ran under the DEI banner, the team ran as MB2 Motorsports, with their cars driven by drivers such as Ernie Irvan, Ken Schrader, and Joe Nemechek. Veteran Mark Martin, coming off his final year with Roush Racing, was signed drive MB2's No. 01 car for 23 races (21 points races plus the Budweiser Shootout and Nextel All-Star Challenge) in 2007, with Joe Nemechek moving over from the 01 team to the team's new 13 team. Regan Smith was pinned to fill the remaining 16 races of the season, while driving in the Busch Series for the team as well. MB2 Motorsports also changed its name to Ginn Racing to reflect Bobby Ginn's new majority interest in the team. Martin was leading in the final turn of the season-opening Daytona 500, after lining up on the final restart with former Roush teammates Greg Biffle and Matt Kenseth behind him. Coming down the front stretch, and with the field wrecking behind him, Martin looked to have finally come through at Daytona. But the caution was not called, and Kevin Harvick caught Martin on his outside, beating him to the line by two-hundredths of a second. Martin put together more strong finishes, and after the fourth race at Atlanta was leading the points standings in what was supposed to be his first season of semi-retirement. Resisting the chance to capture his first championship, Martin did step out of the car as scheduled, breaking a streak of 621 consecutive starts. In 24 starts for the team, Martin scored 11 top 10s, and finished 27th in points despite missing 12 races.


 * Regan Smith (2007-2008)

Rookie Regan Smith meanwhile made his debut at Bristol Motor Speedway in March, finishing 25th. Smith would run 6 more races in the car, with a best finish of 24th at Talladega Superspeedway. On July 17, it was announced that Smith would move to the 14 car on a full-time basis, replacing veteran Sterling Marlin. Meanwhile, 23-year-old Aric Almirola, who was granted his release from Joe Gibbs Racing after being pulled out of a car he qualified on the pole during a Busch Series race in favor of Denny Hamlin, signed on to be the new co-driver of the 01. With the merger of Ginn and DEI not long afterwards, Smith was left on the sidelines while Almirola ran 5 races. Aric's results were not much better than Regan's, with a best finish of 26th at Phoenix. Martin and Almirola would move to the 8 car for 2008.

In 2008, Smith was named the full-time driver of the 01 car (now fully operated by DEI), with Martin and Almirola as well as sponsor U.S. Army moving to the 8 car to replace the departing Dale Earnhardt Jr. Principal Financial Group was signed as the primary sponsor for the Daytona 500 and Brickyard 400. Principal often ran as a secondary sponsor on the sides of the car, with a DEI logo on the hood in lieu of full sponsorship. Steak-umm and Coors Light were also sponsors in one-race deals. Ron Fellows replaced Smith at the two road course races, scoring a 13th-place finish at Watkins Glen. Smith almost won the 2008 AMP Energy 500, passing Tony Stewart on the final lap and crossing the finish line in first. Smith, however, was found to be passing below the yellow line upon video review, and per NASCAR had his position revoked, leading to an 18th-place finish (though this was later reversed in 2016, with Smith now being considered the winner). Though he finished 34th in points with no top 10 finishes, Smith became the first rookie to finish every race he entered during the 2008 season and was named Rookie of the Year at the season's end. The 01 team disbanded after DEI merged with Chip Ganassi Racing with Felix Sabates, and Smith moved on to Furniture Row Racing.

Car No. 1 history

 * No. 14 (1996-1997)

In 1996, DEI debuted in the Winston Cup Series for the first of two appearances at Pocono Raceway with the No. 14 Racing for Kids-sponsored Chevrolet driven by Jeff Green. Robby Gordon also drove the car in an appearance for DEI at Charlotte Motor Speedway later in the season. In 1997, sponsored by Burger King, Steve Park, a Busch Series standout, drove the car in four races, with the team failing to qualify in another four.


 * Steve Park (1997-2003)

In 1998, the team switched the car number from No. 14 to No. 1 in an agreement with Richard Jackson $100,000, another car owner. DEI received sponsorships from Pennzoil and Park and made a bid for NASCAR Rookie of the Year honors. In the third race of the year at Las Vegas Motor Speedway, Park failed to qualify. The following week, Steve suffered a broken femur, collarbone and shoulder blade in a severe crash during practice at Atlanta. Ron Hornaday Jr. failed to qualify the car in the following weekend at Darlington before the team brought in 3-time champion Darrell Waltrip. He drove the car for 13 races while Park recovered from his injuries and finished in the Top 10 twice. Park returned at the Brickyard 400 and following a crash, he finished 35th. In 1998, Park posted two 11th-place finishes and finished 42nd in points.

In 1999, Park finished in the Top 10 five times and 14th in points. In 2000, he won his first two Bud Pole awards and won his first race at Watkins Glen International, his home track. He finished the season 11th in points. In 2001, in the first race after Earnhardt's death, he beat Bobby Labonte in a photo finish at North Carolina Speedway. Park's career encountered difficulties at a Busch Series race at Darlington Speedway. During a caution, his steering wheel became disconnected from the column. The car immediately veered to the left and was impacted by the quicker-moving vehicle of Larry Foyt. Kenny Wallace drove the car while Park recuperated and won second place at the Pop Secret Microwave Popcorn 400 at the North Carolina speedway. Park gradually recovered from his injuries and returned, ironically, at the 2002 spring Darlington race. Park ran strong in his return, taking the lead at lap 18, and proceeding to lead 19 laps. Park, however, crashed when trying to pass Stacy Compton's lapped car, and proceeded to collect polesitter Ricky Craven. Park would finish 39th, 160 laps down. This was one of many signs the accident was still affecting Park, and he struggled to regain his form. Park would suffer another hard crash on the opening lap of a race at Pocono, in which Rusty Wallace collided with Park exiting turn 1. The No. 1 then turned dead left and dragged teammate Dale Earnhardt, Jr.'s No. 8 car through wet grass towards the short and relatively unreinforced inside guardrail (prior to SAFER Barriers). Park hit the metal rail, then proceeded to flip several times and land on the driver's side. In mid 2003, he was relieved of driving duties and was replaced by Jeff Green. (Park took over Green's No. 30 AOL Chevy at Richard Childress Racing, previously Earnhardt's car owner)

In a last-second decision in June 2003, Ty Norris suggested a former student of Earnhardt's, Ron Fellows, to drive the No. 1 for the road course events as a road course ringer. In 2001 Fellows was finalizing a deal to drive a Dale Earnhardt Inc. car full-time in 2002 but Earnhardt's death left this invalid. Using advantage of this rare opportunity, Fellows almost won the 2003 Dodge Save/Mart 350 in which he controlled the race late in the event and lost when he waited too long for his final pit stop.


 * Part time (2004-2005)

Both Green and Pennzoil left DEI when the 2003 season finished and the team moved to a part-time status with Pete Rondeau as the crew chief. They occasionally fielded cars for John Andretti, a two-time winner. Ron Fellows returned to the No. 1 for the 2004 Watkins Glen race bringing sponsorship of Nilla Wafers and Nutter Butter with him. During the race, Ron qualified 43rd after qualifying was cancelled due to rain. Despite this, Ron put up an amazing drive through the field in which he charged from 43rd place to finish second behind winner Tony Stewart.


 * Martin Truex Jr. (2005-2009)

In the 2005 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series, DEI ran a part-time schedule with Martin Truex Jr. making seven starts in the No. 1 Bass Pro Shops Chevrolet. The team returned to full-time status in 2006, collecting five Top 10’s and finishing 19th in points. On June 4, 2007, Truex scored his first career NEXTEL Cup victory in the No. 1 car at the Dover International Speedway in a COT race. Truex also qualified to race in the Chase for the Nextel Cup that year. He was DEI's only representative in the 2007 Chase for the Cup and his qualification is, to date, the last for a driver in a DEI car. At the end of 2009, Truex left the team for Michael Waltrip Racing to drive the No. 56 NAPA Auto Parts Toyota Camry.

Car No. 8 History

 * Dale Earnhardt Jr. (1999-2007)

The No. 8 car was DEI's second cup series entry, the team was formed to bring Dale Earnhardt Jr. to the Winston Cup Series and opted to use the No. 8 which was formerly used by Stavola Brothers Racing, who ceased operations in 1998. Earnhardt Jr. drove the Budweiser-sponsored No. 8 in five Cup races in 1999, making his debut at Charlotte in the 1999 Coca-Cola 600. He finished in the top ten once and led one lap.

In 2000, Earnhardt Jr. moved to the Cup Series on a full-time basis. That year, Earnhardt Jr. won two poles and three races (including The Winston, where he became the first rookie to win the event), but finished runner-up to Matt Kenseth in the competition for NASCAR Rookie of the Year. On July 7, 2001, Earnhardt Jr. won the Pepsi 400 at Daytona, the first Cup race at Daytona after Earnhardt, Sr.'s death. Using the No. 8, Earnhardt, Jr. set a record by winning four consecutive races at Talladega.

In 2002, Earnhardt Jr. had a roller-coaster season. He struggled after enduring an April concussion at the NAPA Auto Parts 500—an injury he did not admit to until mid-September. In the three races following Fontana, he finished no better than 30th. However, Earnhardt Jr. rallied to sweep both Talladega races (leading a dominating 133 of 188 laps in the spring race), a pair of Bud Pole Awards and an 11th-place finish in the standings with eleven Top 5s and sixteen Top 10 finishes.

In 2003, Earnhardt Jr. became a true title contender, scoring a record-breaking fourth consecutive win in the Aaron’s 499 at Talladega, after being involved in a 27-car crash on lap 4. He struggled for most of the race, and was at points a half-lap down, only catching back up to the pack through a caution. The win was controversial because on the last lap, it appeared that Earnhardt Jr. went below the yellow line to gain position, but NASCAR ruled that Matt Kenseth had forced Earnhardt below the line, making it a clean pass. Earnhardt Jr. scored a victory at Phoenix in October, recording a career best 3rd-place effort in the standings, with thirteen Top 5s and twenty-one Top 10 finishes.

On February 15, 2004, 6 years to the day after his father's win, Earnhardt Jr. won the 2004 Daytona 500. He won a further five races that season. Though he failed to qualify for the Chase Cup in 2005, he did race in 2006 when he finished fifth. On May 10, 2007, Earnhardt Jr. announced that he would not return to DEI for the 2008 season; on June 13, 2007, officially announced his move to Hendrick Motorsports (HMS); and on August 16, 2007, that he would not retain the No. 8 car number.


 * Mark Martin and Aric Almirola (2008-2009)

On September 12, DEI announced Mark Martin and Aric Almirola as co-drivers of the No. 8 U.S. Army Chevrolet with crew chief Tony Gibson for the 2008 season, both finishing 28th and 42nd in points respectively. Martin left DEI after the 2008 season to replace Casey Mears in the No. 5 Kellogg's/Carquest Chevrolet and join Dale Jr. at Hendrick Motorsports. In 2009, the Army withdrew their support in favor of Ryan Newman's No. 39 car at Stewart-Haas Racing.

Almirola was engaged to drive the No. 8 Guitar Hero World Tour-sponsored Chevrolet for the full 2009 season but the sponsorship lasted only four races. Following the 2009 Samsung 500 at Texas, Earnhardt Ganassi Racing announced that the operations of the No. 8 team were being suspended indefinitely due to a lack of sponsorship (which had been operating on a race to race basis). Almirola sued Earnhardt Ganassi Racing but the matter was settled out of court. Crew chief Doug Randolph would depart and join Richard Childress Racing for the remainder of 2009, while Almirola joined Billy Ballew Motorsports for 16 races in the 2009 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series.

Car No. 15 history
Michael Waltrip drove the No. 15 from 2001 to 2005


 * Michael Waltrip (2001-2005)

In 2001, the team raced the NAPA sponsored No. 15 (a possible reference to the No. 15 Ford Thunderbird that Earnhardt drove in 1982 and 1983 for Bud Moore Engineering). Michael Waltrip was announced as the driver for the 2001 season. In his first start for DEI, Waltrip won his first race in his 16 year career at the 2001 Daytona 500. An estatic Waltrip's dream come true soon turned into a nightmare, however, as his win was overshadowed by Dale Earnhardt's death. Waltrip soon proved to have prowess at the superspeedways, leading laps at most Talladega and Daytona races. Between 2001 and 2003, Waltrip won four races (three at Daytona and one at Talladega). However, he often struggled to find speed outside of those two tracks. After two disappointing seasons without a win, including a 25th place points finish in 2005, Waltrip announced he would no longer drive for DEI, taking his NAPA sponsorship to Bill Davis Racing for one year before creating his own race team. No. 15 Menard's Chevrolet in 2006 2008 racecar


 * Paul Menard (2006-2008)

For 2006, the No. 15 team moved to a part-time status, entering ten races but only qualifying for seven. Paul Menard, DEI's Busch Series driver drove and sponsorship was provided by Menards and PPG Paints. Menard finished seventh at the Atlanta Motor Speedway and moved to full-time in 2007. After the merger of Ginn Racing and DEI, the No. 15 team absorbed the owner points of the No. 14 car (formerly driven by Sterling Marlin), so they would be guaranteed a spot in each race for the remainder of the 2007 season. After the 2008 season, Menard took his talents and sponsorship to Yates Racing driving the No. 98 Ford. The DEI No. 15 team was disbanded.