On Junior's Sponsor, 'It Won't Be in a Red Can'

Former NASCAR Nextel Cup Series driver and current FOX & SPEED NASCAR analyst Darrell Waltrip was on Wind Tunnel with Dave Despain this past weekend, discussing Dale Earnhardt, Jr.'s well-documented move from Dale Earnhardt, Inc. to Hendrick Motorsports for 2008 and beyond. Many things were discussed, including a hint at a new sponsor.

The following are highlights from the interview with Waltrip…

Despain: Did you get it right (prediction of Earnhardt, Jr. going to Hendrick) because you're a great NASCAR analyst, or did you know because you were part of the deal and Junior invited you down to his race shop to provide moral support the day he announced his departure from DEI. We're you a trusted advisor telling him he ought to go to Hendrick?

Waltrip: I know you're going to find this hard to believe, but I listened. And I listened well. We talked about a number of scenarios and he used me as a sounding board. What do you think about this? What do you think about that? The one thing that came out of that is we talked about the (No.) 3; and how the black car, the three and driving for Childress. I told him that I always thought, as a race fan, that the racing world would finally be right when he was driving the black No. 3. He dropped his head and said, 'I don't want to do that.' You got to understand that there's an entire amount of emotion tied up into that. With Teresa, Dale, Jr., Kelly, Rick Hendrick, Richard Childress…there's so much baggage that goes with all of that I think it would take a Dr. Phil to figure it all out. I walked away from that meeting and told him that, 'then you only have one option, and that's to drive for someone that will take car of you and that's Rick Hendrick. That is what Rick's a specialist at; he takes care of his people, he loves his people, he bonds with his people - that's what Junior wanted.

Despain: Talk about the emotion between the two?

Waltrip: I think Rick and Dale, Jr. will be able to fill the voids each other have felt from the losses they have shared. Dale, Jr. is going to go to another level now. He wants to be his own man. He doesn't want to live in the shadow of his father. He wants to say, 'Are you a Dale Earnhardt fan, or are you a Dale Earnhardt, Jr. fan?' Junior really wants to know, and that's why he's doing what he's doing.

Despain: Talk about Rick making all three cars equal and competitive among three superstars (Jimmie Johnson, Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt, Jr.)

Waltrip: Everyone in the sport knows this, you can't fix a race. Our races are so unpredictable and there are too many variables. The thing it does is elevate Hendrick Motorsports that much more. If Dale Earnhardt, Jr., is racing, I would want him on my team. Now, maybe there will be some team orders that come down at some time - I don't know - but I want him on my team because he's going to bring sponsors, fans and attention while raising the profile of the team.

Despain: Do you think Teresa will give Hendrick the No. 8?

Waltrip: I don't think that's very likely. I really think he's going to be stuck with 08, if he wants to keep 8.

Despain: Well, with the magic of the Internet, there's already a Budweiser No. 5 car painted up. Here is what it might look like…

Waltrip: Well, I don't think that will be true; I don't think it will be Budweiser.

Despain: Do you know who it will be?

Waltrip: It will still be probably something you can drink - that would be my guess. And it won't be in a red can.

SPEED is the nation's first and foremost cable television network dedicated to motor sports and the passion for everything automotive. From racing to restoration, motorcycles to movies, SPEED delivers quality programming from the track to the garage. Now available in more than 75 million homes in North America, SPEED is among the fastest-growing sports cable networks in the country, the home to NASCAR on SPEED and an industry leader in interactive TV, video on demand, mobile initiatives and broadband services.