Reinvented: Dale Earnhardt, Jr.'s New Ride, Number & Attitude

There’s nothing like a fresh start. And that’s exactly what Dale Earnhardt, Jr. got this year as he headed into the 2008 Sprint Cup Season. What’s more evident than anything else is the fact that Junior is a changed man.

Maybe it’s the new team. Junior moved from Dale Earnhardt Incorporated after his stepmother, Teresa Earnhardt, refused to give him 51% ownership. Realizing he would be unable to build the team as he envisioned, Junior decided to take a chance and leave DEI to see what would happen. That’s when Hendrick Motorsports stepped in. And the rest has been a whirlwind of media buzz, speculation, and promotion.

Maybe it’s the new car. Time and again last season, Junior’s car would give out on him before he could finish the race. In a season fraught with frustration and disappointment, it appeared that the DEI team was not fully behind him by not providing him with the best equipment possible.

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Maybe it’s the new look. With Junior’s new 88 car rolling along the track, it’s hard not to stop and check it out. It is a radical change for Junior whose number 8 Bud car was hard to miss and the Amp look is more cutting edge, more fitting of Junior’s “against the grain” attitude. From carrying camels to knocking over gorillas, Junior appears determined to show he’s a new kind of guy and he has the confidence to match.

No matter what it is, it appears to be working. So far, Junior has placed 9 th in the Daytona 500 (after a dismal race last year where he was unable to finished and ended up placing 32 nd). Not to mention the fact that he’s already logged a win in the Budweiser Shootout.

Nothing has been more evident of a changed Junior than his interviews of late. He’s relaxed, joking, almost (dare I use the word?) jovial. His sense of humor has returned and the dark Junior that we witnessed for most of last year doesn’t seem to be around anywhere. Even after this year’s Daytona where Junior was leading up into the final laps of the race and barely made a top 10 finish, his interview was upbeat and gracious. The frustration that generally accompanied Junior last year has not been seen this year. And his fans are thrilled.

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No doubt the sales of his merchandise have gone through the roof since everyone who previously had #8 gear now needs to shift to the #88 items. And with a whole new set of sponsors, Junior is continuing to emerge from his father’s shadow and make a name for himself.

From frustration to relaxation, the many faces of Junior seem to be melding into one of confidence. Racing fans will be anxiously watching this year’s races to see what Junior ends up pulling out from up his sleeve next.

By Angela Moore
Pro Racing Fans Staff Writer

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