Dale Earnhardt Jr. makes a major revelation about JRM Cup plans
Dale Jr. has been actively campaigning for JRM’s Cup return over the last few years.
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Dale Earnhardt Jr. (Credits: countrymusicnation.com)
NASCAR Hall of Famer Dale Earnhardt Jr. has revealed the current status of his Xfinity Series team, Junior Motorsports’ plan to move to the Cup series. He and the team co-owner Kelly Earnhardt-Miller has been working behind the scenes to make the move happen without taking a huge financial hit.
Dale Jr. and his sister want to see the Earnhardt name again in the Cup series. Dale Earnhardt Inc’s ended following the drama surrounding Dale Sr.’s third wife, Terresa Earnhardt. Junior and his sister carried on the legacy with JRM in the second division of NASCAR. They field four cars full-time and a car part-time. They are regular contenders for wins and are multiple times champions.
The major hurdle Dale Earnhardt Jr. is facing in his efforts to join the NASCAR Cup series full-time is the charter market. To enter the Cup series, they must buy one of the full-time Cup charters in the locked 36 full-time entries. The major investment from the outside to the sport following the introduction of Next-Gen cars has put the charter prize in a position where it can financially unsettle the Earnhardt’s.
“There’s zero movement on our end. We’re always looking at opportunities to move to the Cup Series, and we’re interested in that but it has to make sense,” Dale Jr. told SiriusXM NASCAR Radio in a recent interview, confirming they have halted their Cup plans due to unfavorable conditions in the market for charters.
“I think beyond just trying to get into the Cup Series, I think about my own family, my kids, their future, and what I need to do. What’s smart for me personally, and financially, to make sure that long after I’m gone, everything is in good order. For me personally to take such a large risk, financially, I feel like I’m being a bit selfish,” he added.
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Dale Jr. and his sister are open to partnerships but under one condition
One way Dale Jr. can make his way to the Cup is by buying shares of a particular organization that has established a Cup set up and rebranding it with his name. But it is an idea NASCAR’s richest driver ever, and his team partner don’t entertain.
The sibling-owner duo wants a complete role over any team they are part of in the Cup series. Dale Jr. and Kelly want to partner with a group where they have control over the personnel in the team, and it should operate from their facilities. The duo doesn’t want to be poster owners, and that’s the reason they have refused offers from suiters.
“Me and Kelley would be more interested in a partnership of some kind to get ourselves to that level. There are opportunities there, but they haven’t felt just right. We don’t want to slap our name on a current product, or current organization; they have their own shop and all that. We want to run the team out of our building and manage the decisions on personnel…,” Dale Jr added.
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Justin P Joy
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