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| Sports ExtraFriday, August 24, 2007 3:32 AM CDT |
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Mark Martin the next No. 8?
BRISTOL, Tenn. — The recent-hit NASCAR soap opera, “Too Much Ado About the No. 8,’’ took a cliff-hanging turn Thursday, sure to hold audiences into next NASCAR season. A little organ music, please: Will long-beloved Mark Martin and up-and-coming minority driver Aric Almirola come under storms of boos next NASCAR season, none of it their own doing? Dale Earnhardt Inc., owned by Teresa Earnhardt, reportedly is exploring the possibility of making Martin and Almirola co-drivers, in a split schedule next year, of the No. 8 Chevrolet to be vacated at the end of this season by Dale Earnhardt Jr. Martin and Almirola came to DEI in its acquisition of Ginn Racing last month. Currently they split duty in the No. 01 car because veteran Martin no longer wants to run a full championship schedule, and the part-time seat is considered good training for Almirola. Earnhardt Jr. and his new Hendrick Motorsports team broke off negotiations with his stepmother for the rights to lease No. 8 from NASCAR earlier this month, with Earnhardt Jr. saying the widow of the late Dale Earnhardt Sr. had made ridiculous demands for the number. Now attempting to regain its footing, DEI appears to be considering how best to salvage some value from a number that is meaningless in NASCAR history except for its use by Earnhardt Jr. and previously his grandfather, the late Ralph Earnhardt. (It should be noted that a guy named Bobby Hillin Jr. had a lackluster career in a No. 8 Buick in the 1980s.) “If there’s anyone who can represent Dale Earnhardt Inc. in the No. 8, it’s Mark Martin,’’ said Max Siegel, president of DEI’s global operations, according to the Associated Press. “But no official decision has been made yet as to what we are going to do.’’ How would NASCAR fans take this? Early returns could be spotted Thursday on the Web site www.wickedstepmom.net, which was hustling t-shirts and other apparel featuring either the 8 with an X through it, or the 8 covered with a red circle and slash, the international symbol for “No.’’ Translation: No car numbered “8’’ in NASCAR at all next season if it isn’t driven by Earnhardt Jr. History would indicate that Earnhardt fans are getting too worked up over one number in a sport where most of the best drivers have driven with various numbers in their careers. The late Dale Earnhardt Sr. didn’t just drive with one number, “3,’’ his entire career. He began in No. 96, changed to No. 2, then to 3 briefly in his first stint with owner Richard Childress, then to No. 15 with owner Bud Moore, then finally back to No. 3 with Childress in 1994. Earnhardt’s arch-rival, Darrell Waltrip, also drove with numerous numbers, including 17, 97, 88, then 11 for his three-championship partnership with owner Junior Johnson, then 17 again with Hendrick, then 66 in the twilight of his career. NASCAR’s only 200-race winner, Richard Petty, did drive his entire career with No. 43. But all other top drivers of Petty’s time, including 105-race winner David Pearson, 84-race winner Bobby Allison and 83-race winner Cale Yarborough, drove with several numbers during each of their careers. The most multi-starred number in NASCAR may well be the Wood Brothers team’s No. 21, driven at various times by Marvin Panch, Tiny Lund, Yarborough, A.J. Foyt, Pearson, Neil Bonnett, Dale Jarrett, Ricky Rudd and several others. For decades, the NASCAR norm has been for drivers to change numbers when they change teams. So if Dale Jr. fans would relax, it’s likely the war over No. 8 would cease, the value of the number would plummet, and poor Martin and Almirola could go on being cheered or booed based solely on their own merits and personalities. (c) 2007, The Orlando Sentinel (Fla.). Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. E-mail this story | Print this story | Search archives | RSS Show comments |  Hide comments | Hide comments on all stories |
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E. Christine Green wrote on Aug 25, 2007 7:39 PM:
Mary wrote on Aug 24, 2007 8:01 PM:
to cecil wrote on Aug 24, 2007 6:03 PM:
Bob Walters wrote on Aug 24, 2007 12:58 PM:
Mac Daddy wrote on Aug 24, 2007 7:30 AM:
Cecil Davis wrote on Aug 24, 2007 6:34 AM:
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