hearing a deal could be announced in the next week or so, where Dale Earnhardt Inc. would buy into or outright Ginn Racing. Ginn Racing currently fields the #01-Mark Martin/Regan Smith, #13-Joe Nemechek and #14-Sterling Marlin teams.(7-16-2007) UPDATE: Dale Earnhardt, Inc. [#s 1, 8, 15] and Ginn Racing [#s 01, 13, 14] are working on a merger agreement that, if finalized, would meld the two organizations into a single company, multiple sources close to negotiations told ESPN.com on Monday. The deal is not done, but a decision will be made soon. Both organizations hope, sources said, to firm up outstanding details and announce a partnership immediately. This deal is an elaborate proposition that entails several obstacles, including how best to reduce from six Nextel Cup teams to the maximum four. The obvious answer, sources said, would be to eliminate Ginn’s financially-strapped #13 and #14 teams.(ESPN.com)(7-16-2007) UPDATE 2: Tim Packman talked with Dave Moody on Sirius Speedway Tuesday afternoon and stated that Dale Earnhardt, Inc. has entered into a meger/acquisition of Ginn Racing. Reportedly, the #14 team’s points will go to #15-Paul Menard and he will be locked into the field. #01-Mark Martin will drive at Indianapolis under the DEI banner, and the #13 team points will possibly be sold to Furniture Row Racing and #78-Kenny Wallace to lock him into the field. It is unknown what will happen to Regan Smith, who was scheduled to drive the #14 this weekend.(7-24-2007) UPDATE 3: ESPN’s David Newton reported on NASCAR Now Tuesday that #01-Mark Martin, #1-Martin Truex, Jr., #8-Dale Earnhardt, Jr, and #15-Paul Menard will drive for DEI this weekend at the Brickyard. Menard will be locked into the race using the #14 team’s points. Ginn Racing CEO Jay Frye will stay with DEI. DEI will move it’s motorsports operations to the Ginn facilities in Mooresville, NC. A determination has not been made on Regan Smith’s future with the team. An announcment should come sometime Wednesday.(7-24-2007)
