#8-Dale Earnhardt Jr. went back to work Friday, climbing into his race car at Darlington Raceway to escape the frenzy surrounding his free-agent status. As his late father’s boss threw his name into the race to sign NASCAR’s most popular driver, Junior made it clear he needs a little time to figure out his future. He said Thursday he’ll leave Dale Earnhardt Inc. at the end of the season. “I would like to take a week or two to clear my mind a little bit, drink some beers and have some fun,” he said after practice. “I have felt about as un-normal as I possibly could the past few days. Lost a lot of sleep. So I want to relax and just clear my head and get in a good football stance to go after this new deal that we’re seeking.” Richard Childress, who fielded cars for six of Dale Earnhardt’s seven championships, indicated he’ll make a run at adding Junior to his three-car team as soon as the time is right.(Associated Press)(5-12-2007)
