DEI crew members work on Michael Waltrip's No. 15 Chevy during practice Friday at New Hampshire. Credit: CIA Stock Photo

Earnhardt Jr. lamenting Waltrip's split with DEI

LOUDON, N.H. -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. said obliquely Saturday there's no telling what the future holds for Dale Earnhardt Inc.; but his emotions about the upcoming departure of his teammate, Michael Waltrip, were obvious.

"I'm sad because Michael has been my teammate for all my Cup career," Earnhardt said. "He's taught me a lot and he's just a fun guy to be around -- and he's been around, you know?"

Earnhardt and Waltrip's exploits were most known on Cup's restrictor-plate tracks, where they won 10 of 13 races in one stretch, including finishing one-two in the 2001 Daytona races.

	Credit: Autostock
	DALE EARNHARDT INC. •   DEI team page •   Gillette Weekly Challenge ALSO •   DEI, Waltrip parting ways at conclusion of season

"It's going to be weird, I guess," Earnhardt said. "I'm looking forward, I guess, to the rest of this season (but) he'll be missed, you know?"

Waltrip and DEI announced Friday at New Hampshire International Speedway that Waltrip's five-year tenure with DEI -- which opened with the victory in the 2001 Daytona 500 -- would end at the conclusion of this season.

Earnhardt's comments came after he qualified his No. 8 Chevrolet 24th for Sunday's New England 300.

Earnhardt refused to be pinned down on much else, including whether or not he would make the Chase and if Tony Eury Jr. would be with the No. 8 team as crew chief in 2006.

Earnhardt and Waltrip swapped crews -- including crew chiefs -- and cars before this season. The change was made despite Earnhardt having a career year in 2004, with six wins and finishing fifth in the standings.

Earnhardt started the season with Pete Rondeau as his crew chief, but Rondeau was re-assigned within DEI in May and DEI technical director Steve Hmiel has served in the position ever since.

"We'll let you guys worry yourselves about what we're going to do in the future," Earnhardt said of media speculation. "We're just going to concentrate on one week at a time. I think once we get to the end of the season, we'll have a real clear picture about of what might be the best for us to do."

Dale Jr. qualified 24th for the race at New Hampshire Junior hopes his recent success will earn him a Chase berth Sign up for TrackPass now BUY YOUR NEXTEL DRIVER PHONE

DEI's option to retain Waltrip being was up on May 1 and Friday's announcement came at the end of a protracted and futile negotiation centered around, Waltrip said, a lack of commitment to maintaining Eury Jr. as his crew chief.

"I think there will be some changes for us," Earnhardt said. "Things can't stay the same forever. I really need to sit down and talk with Michael a little bit about it to understand it a little bit more.

"I was hoping, personally, that we would have three race teams next year -- and with Michael, because Michael has always been my teammate. Of course I only want the best for him.

"He's taught me a lot about how not to take everybody in this sport and yourself so seriously and to really enjoy life while being involved in this sport as a racecar driver."

Earnhardt credited Waltrip with shaping a good bit of the man Junior currently is.

"When I came in here I was pretty uptight and running pretty hard on myself every week," Earnhardt said. "He's just got a different attitude and he's a real fun guy to be around. I appreciate the time I've been with him.

"I'm really looking forward to the last half of the season working with him and being around him because I know when he's gone we definitely won't see each other as much -- although we'll still call each other friends.

"That's just the way it goes. I'm going to miss him."

Earnhardt finally said his future with Eury Jr., his cousin, is also undetermined.

"We haven't even talked about it," Earnhardt said. "Michael has been around this business a long time and apparently he feels like he has some good opportunities in other places. There is definitely a lot to it that will be understood down the road as it all unfolds."