Depending on who one believes in the Nextel Cup garage, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is headed either to Ginn Racing with sponsorship from Budweiser or Joe Gibbs Racing with backing from credit card giant Visa. Either way, expect an announcement next month. We’re trying not to comment too much on how things are going or what’s going on until we can really have something to say, but I can tell you that things are positive, Earnhardt said after qualifying on Friday. I’ve just been overwhelmed with the personalities that I’ve met, with the owners and the individuals working at each company. There are certainly a lot of great people out there with good morals and good values and with great attitudes about the sport and about what they want to accomplish. It makes me feel good about where the sport’s going to be in the next 5-10 years with some of these individuals I’ve met.(SPEEDtv.com) UPDATE: on FoxSports NASCAR pre-race from Dover, Jeff Hammond said sources tell him that Dale Earnhardt Jr, would sign with Joe Gibbs Racing and have sponsorship from VISA, with the announcement coming within the next 10-14 days.(6-3-2007) UPDATE 2: PRN’s Steve Richard’s talked to Joe Gibbs Racing President J.D. Gibbs, who chose not to address specifically comments made by Fox TV’s Jeff Hammond during the rain delay at Dover that Dale Earnhardt Jr. would sign with JGR. Gibbs chuckled, Its news to me we’re getting our news from Jeff Hammond. We don’t have anything new to say than we said several weeks ago at Darlington (and that is) we’re going to give them time. Anyone would love to talk with him and see the possibilities but for us we’re just gonna give them their time and sort through how they need to do it, he and Kelley, and if the time is right great, if not we understand that too. Gibbs went onto say, No sense really talking about it. It’s just speculation so it just fuels the fire. Right now let’s just focus on our three deals and let the rest lay where it may. Gibbs also confirmed they have no plans to expand their operation to four teams in 2008 but will aim to do so in 2009. Richard’s also talked to Dale Earnhardt Jr. Media Relations Representative Jade Gurss who said this rumor is no different from the rest. We hear three or four each weekend so it does us no good to deny every single fact or confirm¦we’re just doing what we did before¦we’re gonna keep our heads down and when Dale Jr is ready to decide he’ll let us all know together. As far as a set timetable Gurss doesn’t know of one. I don’t know that it’s ever been in stone. The last I heard someone theorized because the merchandise people needed to get to working on the diecast they would like it to be done by the end of this month. My gut feeling is he and Kelley are going to make a decision on what’s right for them, not in a timeframe based on getting a diecast car to Daytona. He says he wants this to be the last move he makes so I don’t see them being pressured by that.(PRN’s Garage Pass Radio Show)(6-3-2007)
