July 3, 2007
By Brian Watkins

Brian Watkins

It’s an interesting racing world when the most popular driver in NASCAR changes teams. There are more things up in the air than on the ground when it comes to next season; sponsors, numbers, displaced drivers… the list goes on.

As I’ve stated in prior columns, I do my best to steer clear of topics that are already saturating the race mags and NASCAR rumor mill. However, the controversy of the fate of the #8 brings me to once again break my normal routine and comment on what others have already covered in one way or another.

To bring anyone who’s been sleeping the past few weeks, up to speed. The numbers, from the bottom of the heap (figuratively if not literally) #00 to the current track high number 99, NASCAR owns the numbers and leases the rights to the teams. Just one more way NASCAR has found to generate a revenue stream.

That being said, the current controversy regarding Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the fate of the number eight is an interesting one.

While NASCAR has at least once publicly stated that it doesn’t allow teams to “buy” the rights for a number from each other, rumors and reports of a deal in the works between DEI and HMS for the #8 still permeate the internet. Since I have no say in the matter I’ll just give my two-cents and let it be.

In an earlier column I speculated as to the fate of the Dale Jr. nation should he switch teams, sponsors, numbers and manufactures. I didn’t paint a pretty picture, and though that scenario never came to pass I still stand by my belief that the setbacks it would have generated for Dale Jr. would have been nearly insurmountable.

However, since that is not the case, there only seem to be two issues at hand now regarding the future of NASCAR’s golden goose; His sponsor and his number.

A number doesn’t make or break a driver. That’s obviously not to say that a number cannot be synonymous with a driver or a driver synonymous with number. I can conjure the image of a driver simply by referring to his number; 3, 24, 20, 48 and yes, 8 are as much a part of who the driver is in NASCAR as their names. But that’s not to say that numbers can’t change and the driver remain the same.

Look at Mark Martin. For years he piloted the #6. This season, it’s #01. He’s still a sentimental favorite and his performance and fan base have not suffered. Dale Jarrett drove the #88 Ford seemingly forever. Now he drives the #44 and has had just as much success….. okay, bad example, but you see what I mean.

If the department of Homeland Security suddenly deemed the number twenty-four to be a threat to our national security, forcing Jeff Gordon to drive with another set of digits on his “door”, would he suddenly drop to the bottom of the pile, or would he remain the consistent performer he’s proved to be season after season? I’m sure you’ll agree with the latter. The same is true with any driver.

Yes, there would be an adjustment, but in the end, the driver is only as good as, well, the driver is. Aside from the added weight of a more paint intensive number (06 takes more paint than simply 6) the number on the side of the car has nothing to do with the performance of the driver, the team or the owner. Besides, I’m sure NASCAR has a template or egg crate or helium-selenium ionizing trans-dimensional blue-green laser calibration system for determining number application, which a violation of it’s tolerances will cause a crew chief to be suspended and heavily fined based on a secret formula that takes into account your teams point standings, earnings potential and fan base. But that’s another column.

While instances like the Jack Daniels #07 ride we watched crossing the line upside down and on fire some five months ago provide a poignant marketing opportunity, they have no bearing on the outcome of the race.

That being said, and with Junior starting a fresh new chapter at HMS next season, I encourage him and the folks at Hendrick to let go of the #8, and even let go of Budweiser. Show the racing world that it doesn’t matter what Dale’s driving or who’s hawking their wares on his deck lid but who’s in the seat, behind the wall and in the garage that makes a champion.

The thoughts and ideas expressed by this writer or any other writer on Insider Racing News, are not necessarily the views of the staff and/or management of IRN.