So Dale Jr.'s leaving DEI?

Yes, they haven't gone the Pettys' route re: beer.

 

I've done some research for contingency programs for my blog. To sponsor a program, you have to be an official partner of NASCAR (or whatever term they use); whether you want to sponsor a program beyond that is up to you.

JGR is, to some degree, beholden by NASCAR. In that instance, they don't get to choose whose logo is on their car. But they do get to choose who the primary/secondary sponsors are.

So before you go railing against that, understand that some things are beyond JGR's control.

 

That IS one of the things JGR can control ... as evidence, look no further than Petty Enterprises -- they do not run the Bud Pole Award decals on their cars ...

 

Well, the Petty cars aren't exactly a threat to win a pole, either. They don't miss money they don't have.

Beyond that, you think Budweiser's going to sign up for a series-wide program and not have Tony Stewart on board? That's a hell of a lot easier to live with than not having Bobby Labonte on board.

I don't know for certain, but I don't think it's as cut and dried as you think. My guess is that JGR is 'strongly encouraged' to participate in the pole award program.

 

A number of years ago, one of their drivers (John Andretti or Bobby Hamilton) won a pole, and he couldn't participate in the next Bud Shootout because the Pettys didn't run the decals.

 

It was Andretti, and Rick Hendrick handed over the keys of the 25 (then with Bud sponsorship) so Andretti could run the Shootout.