hearing that Jeff Earnhardt, son of Kerry Earnhardt, has signed a development deal with DEI that will have him driving a second car owned by Andy Santerre to team up with Sean Caisse in the NASCAR Busch East Series, with a few potential Busch Series races with DEI.(1-14-2007) UPDATE: Dale Earnhardt Inc. didn’t have to look very far to find its soon-to-be newest driver. He shares a last name with organization’s founder. Jeffrey Earnhardt, the 17-year-old grandson of Dale Earnhardt, will compete in the NASCAR Busch East Series next season in a Chevrolet prepared by DEI, said Tam Topham, who fielded cars for Earnhardt last year at Motor Mile Speedway. An official announcement about the fourth-generation driver’s future should come next week at the NASCAR preseason media tour in Charlotte, N.C, his stepmother, Rene, confirmed. The son of Kerry Earnhardt and nephew of Dale Earnhardt Jr. will share time between Busch East, the UARA Late Model touring series and the NASCAR Whelen All-American Series (formerly the Dodge Weekly Series). A handful of Late Model dirt track starts could also be in the cards. “This week or next week, they’re going to try to have everything finalized,” Topham said. “His mom and dad and DEI and himself — they’re all working out the particulars.” DEI will field the Busch East entry exclusively; Topham will be under contract with Kerry Earnhardt to oversee the Late Model and UARA operations out of his Wytheville-based TAMCO Motorsports shop. Jeffrey Earnhardt’s 2007 schedule will include up to eight races in a Late Model at Motor Mile as well as the Bailey’s 300 at Martinsville Speedway in late September. Busch East, along with the NASCAR AutoZone West Series, is a regional feeder division for NASCAR’s three national series — Nextel Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck. Jeffrey Earnhardt’s Late Model Stock car will have #01. The news of Earnhardt’s deal with DEI comes just days after Kerry Earnhardt took a full-time position with the company. The elder Earnhardt will serve as a liaison between the organization’s Cup and Busch programs and make cameo driving appearances.(Roanoke Times)(1-20-2007) UPDATE 2: Teresa Earnhardt announced that Dale Earnhardt, Inc. has officially signed Jeffrey Earnhardt, grandson of Dale Earnhardt and son of Kerry Earnhardt, to a long-term driving services contract. “In his young career to date, Jeffrey has displayed many of the attributes we are looking for in a driver,” said Mrs. Earnhardt. “Experience will be key to developing and preparing Jeffrey to progress to and compete at higher levels.” Earnhardt, 17, has competed on the Late Model series, and most recently took part in the General Motors Developmental Program where he performed impressively. “Signing with DEI is a dream come true,” said Earnhardt. “To progress as a driver at the premier organization that Dale and Teresa built means a lot to me. I know I’ll be surrounded with the right equipment to take me to the next level, so now it’s up to me to prove myself.” Initially, Earnhardt will be a DEI developmental driver, driving Chevrolets fielded by Andy Santerre Motorsports in the NASCAR Busch East Series. Earnhardt will also drive Chevrolets in the UARA Late Model Touring Series.(DEI PR)(2-7-2007)
