Childress, DEI partner for engine-building program

CONCORD, N.C. -- In a sense at least, maybe Dale Earnhardt Jr. isn't completely done driving for Dale Earnhardt Inc. after all.

Friday's announcement that Richard Childress Racing and DEI were combining their Chevrolet engine departments sent mild shockwaves through the garage area at Lowe's Motor Speedway, where Nextel Cup teams were preparing for Saturday's All-Star Challenge.

It was public knowledge that DEI was looking to partner up with another organization to bolster its underperforming operation, but it had been thought that Robert Yates Racing was the frontrunner to become that partner. Max Siegel, president of global operations for DEI, had confirmed that talks with Yates had taken place -- but had also said that DEI was looking at all options available.

The announcement came just eight days after Earnhardt announced he would no longer drive for DEI when his contract expires after this season, in effect making him a free agent. Among those who have publicly said they are prepared to bid for his services is the RCR operation where Junior's father carved out his reputation as a NASCAR legend.

Now RCR and DEI are going to be joined together in a major partnership that both hope will help improve the overall performances of their teams on the track.

"I didn't know anything about that until I was on my way here [to the Lowe's Motor Speedway]," said car owner Ray Evernham of Evernham Motorsports, a Dodge operation. "I guess it makes sense. I know DEI was looking to do something with somebody. I'm surprised it's just the engine thing; maybe it will end up going a little bit deeper than just that.

"But I think it's good for both of them. Maybe now Junior ends up back there with them. I'm just waiting to see what happens."

Whether Earnhardt ends up behind the wheel of an RCR car with a RCR/DEI engine in it remains to be seen, but the others involved in making the engine department merger reality said that they are excited about the possibilities it presents regardless. Childress said that the combined engine development program would begin immediately, and said that he looked forward to working with Teresa Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt's widow and the stepmother of Dale Jr.

"With the direction this sport has taken over the last few years, Teresa and I began talking about ways we could partner together to gain a competitive advantage and, at the same time, expand our resources," Childress said. "Both

RCR and DEI have proven that a three-car team can build its own engines and compete at the top, and combining the resources of both companies gives us even greater efficiencies and the competitive advantages we're looking for."

This is not the first time RCR and DEI have worked together in a technology partnership. RAD, an acronym for the three teams owned by Richard Childress,

Andy Petree and Dale Earnhardt, was formed in the mid-1990s as an aerodynamic consortium between the programs. The partnership was considered wildly successful with the three teams dominating the aerodynamically sensitive restrictor-plate tracks Daytona and Talladega for the next few years.

"It is a great day for us to be able to work closely again with Richard and

Junior leaving DEI

Dale Earnhardt Jr. announced he will leave Dale Earnhardt Inc. at the end of this season.

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RCR," Teresa Earnhardt said. "Both of us are in the middle of developing and building Chevrolet's new R07 engine, so this is a perfect time to establish this company to combine resources and work together to get the most [possible] out of this package. Richard and I both have committed substantial resources to this new company and we share the No. 1 priority to win championships."

Dale Earnhardt and Childress earned six of Earnhardt's seven Cup Series championships together at RCR. Over a 20-year span that began when Earnhardt replaced Childress behind the wheel of RCR's No. 3 Chevrolet for the final 10 races of the 1981 season, they paired together to earn 67 of Earnhardt's 76 career victories.

Construction of a permanent stand-alone facility located between RCR and DEI will begin later this summer with completion expected by mid-2008. A specific site has not been announced, although a location has been identified pending zoning approval. Until that facility is complete, all work will be divided between RCR's engine shop in Welcome, N.C., and DEI's shop in Mooresville, N.C.

It is anticipated that all six RCR and DEI cars will run the first common engine at Daytona in July. Earnhardt-Childress Racing Technologies will develop and build engines for the Nextel Cup Series and Busch Series teams campaigned by the two companies, all of which run Chevrolets. A long-term goal of the joint venture will include an engine leasing program for teams in NASCAR's top three divisions.

The partnership also has long-term plans to diversify and expand beyond NASCAR by providing race engines to teams competing in series such as the Grand American Rolex Sports Car Series, various off-road and stock-car series, and sports-car series.

Sources confirmed that talks of the merger were under way long before Earnhardt announced he was leaving DEI. And Steve Hmiel, technical director of DEI, said that it is important to remember that life at DEI will proceed forward regardless of where Junior ends up.

"We love Dale Earnhardt Jr. We wish he'd have never gone away. But it's not all about Dale Earnhardt Jr.," Hmiel said. "We're putting two companies together that have like ideas that are going to spend a fortune on development [and] are going to end up in the same place anyway.

"If you imagine racecars like a Boston Marathon, if two of you are running alongside each other and you look over at the other guy and say, 'Man, why don't you run half and I'll run half, we'll both end up at the same place holding hands at the end?' That's basically what it's all about.

"The basic premise of it all is we don't think we're going to rule the world, but we're trying to work together to become a stronger company and also better utilize the financial assets that we have."