Earnhardt Jr. to leave DEI after 2007 season

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is holding a news conference at 11 a.m. ET from his JR Motorsports race shop in Mooresville N.C.

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11:58 -- News conference ends.

11:55 -- "I'm going to look at everybody from a competition standpoint but I want to be comfortable with the teammates I have. I want to feel welcome by the employees at that place wherever that my be. And I need to find a way for it to compliment this building here and the employees. Its got to give me the opportunity to take care of my family. I won't allow myself to try and narrow it down because I feel I wouldn't be giving myself the whole opportunity."

Earnhardt Jr. leaving DEI at end of season

In a news conference at his JR Motorsports race shop on Thursday, Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced he will leave DEI at the end of this season.

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11:52 -- "I love driving cars. The business itself gets pretty hard sometimes outside the car but that motivates me behind the wheel. I can't wait to race Saturday. I'm gonna work hard. I think for me personally it's to go out there and be ridiculous about my effort and leave a good impression on those guys. I don't expect everyone to have their entire heart into it but when I'm behind the wheel, I'm racing. I think we can have a successful season."

11:48 -- "I've always been interested in the opportunity to race Busch cars and I'm going to look into that becoming a reality. We've been trying so hard in working with DEI that we haven't really looked into it. But I would love to drive in Busch out of here."

11:43 -- "I don't think that would be wise to put any other individuals in this. Tony [Eury] Jr. will make his decisions and I will support whatever decision he makes. I expect him to do the same. As far as Martin [Truex Jr.], it's the same thing. I will support Martin in whatever he wants to do. It's really up to him and his father. If he wants to stay at DEI and thinks that's best for him then I will support him in that."

11:38 -- "[Teresa Earnhardt] said she wasn't surprised because she had read it all night last night. I think that she is focused on keeping the morale of the employees as high as possible. I think she is focused on doing what she needs to do in hiring a driver and being prepared for 2008. I told her what my decision was and that is was final and she thanked me for what we accomplished up to this point."

11:34 -- "I don't think my fans have to worry about that part of it. I'm disappointed so I expect my fans to be disappointed. Hopefully I can go accomplish the things that I want to accomplish and put on the show that I think I can put on and give my fans more to celebrate. I feel like over the last year or two I've short-changed my fans. I'm hoping to win some races and win some championships to give those guys what they are paying for."

11:29 -- "I've drove for DEI my entire career, there is something to be said for that. There's a great bond there not only with the employees but with my father's vision. I really wanted to have a larger, more personal interest driving at DEI. Through the contract negotiations we were unable to come to terms that would give me that. We danced around that bush for quite a long time." (Continued)