March 20, 2008
By Rebecca Gladden
No, not really. But almost.
Last fall, I wrote a column titled "Dale 'Entrepreneur' Jr.", in which I listed some of Junior's many and varied business ventures away from the racetrack.
These included his Big Mo candy bars, Whisky River Nightclub, JR Motorsports retail and online stores, his Hammerhead Entertainment production company, Voodoo Ride (his vehicle appearance products company), the Infield Parking social networking site, his co-ownership of Paducah International Raceway, investment in Alabama Motorsports Park ("A Dale Earnhardt Jr. Speedway"), and even more.
Though I didn't mention it in that article, I did ponder in a subsequent column whether Earnhardt's many enterprises might be distracting him from the big task at hand, at least in terms of being a NASCAR Cup driver - winning races and seriously competing for his first championship.
I took a lot of heat from the Junior Nation for daring to go there - actually suggesting that Earnhardt should consider dropping at least some of his extracurricular activities to focus more fully on his racing career.
I felt somewhat vindicated a few weeks later when three-time Cup Series Champion Darrell Waltrip interviewed Earnhardt Jr. about his shaky start to the season in the Daytona 500, which included a wreck with Brian Vickers that took out many of the race's top contenders. Earnhardt was a lap down at the time.
In the interview, Waltrip said, "If I say to you, 'Dale Junior, this is what I want you to do this year' - I'm Rick Hendrick. I'm gonna be Rick for a few minutes. 'I want you to take everything else that you got goin' on - Whisky River, whatever else, the boys at the ranch ridin', I want you to put all that aside for one year and I want you to give me 100 percent focus on that race car and that race team.' What would you say to me?"
Junior quickly responded that all those outside projects and interests are not as distracting as onlookers might think. But, methinks he doth protest too much.
The thing is, I've been a firm supporter of Earnhardt's driving skill over the years. I don't think his abilities behind the wheel are the issue. Back in '07, for example, I wrote an article (insiderracingnews.com/Writers/RG/100607.html) comparing the Cup driving records of Earnhardt Jr. and Matt Kenseth, noting how similar there stats are and even giving the nod to Junior in some categories.
But I ended that story with this observation: "If distracted driving is the main issue that's hurt Junior's ability to win a championship, the move to Hendrick Motorsports is just what the doctor ordered."
So far, that hopeful forecast has not been realized.
Even D.W. predicted that Junior would win six races last season in his first year at HMS. He won just one - a somewhat controversial fuel mileage win at Michigan - and ended the season 12th in points.
D.W., too, has been an avid apologist for Earnhardt Jr. over the years. But you can see by the above interview question that even Darrell is distressed about the distractions in Dale's life, despite Junior's dismissal of the question.
I raise this issue again because it seems yet another Earnhardt enterprise is currently in the news. This time, it's Dale Earnhardt Jr. Realty, which I somehow neglected to mention in my previous articles.
You didn't know that Dale Junior had a real estate firm?
According to the company website (http://www.dejrealty.com/), DEJ Realty ("Prompt, Personal & Professional Attention") was formed in 2007 by Junior and sister Kelly Earnhardt and operates out of JR Motorsports.
It's in the news now because of a new promotion geared to capitalizing on the Earnhardt connection. Per the website:
"GET RACY: If a client of DEJ Realty buys or sells a property in 2009, then that client will be entered into a drawing where (1) winner will be an HONORARY PIT CREW MEMBER for the JRM Nationwide Team in 2010 (one race) and (2) winners will get 2 tickets each to the May race in Charlotte in 2010."
An article on the topic at WCNC.com reports that at least one customer of DEJ Realty bought a house because the brokerage belongs to Earnhardt, adding, "The woman insisted the sale price end in 88, which is Junior's number."
Back in that interview with Darrell Waltrip, Earnhardt Jr. argued that if some drivers don't respect him on the racetrack, it's because his "popularity and the results don't match up."
If he wants to balance out the two, maybe - just maybe - he should not dismiss Waltrip's not-so-subtle suggestions so swiftly.
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