DEI Plans to Engineer Their Way Back Into Competition

According to FoxSports Lee Spencer, Dale Earnhardt Inc. announced major organizational moves designed to place greater emphasis on engineering and technology.

"We're taking the necessary steps now in order to go out and win a championship in 2008."

Oh, now they want to take the necessary steps. Now that the rising star of the family-owned business--my bad, I mean stars--have left the building.

DEI Vice President of Global Operations, Max Siegel:

"We've been working on the plan for a long time. We're putting a huge emphasis on engineering. If all of this doesn't speak to our commitment to motorsports, I don't know what will."

Well loddy-freaking-dah. You couldn't have started this, I don't know, LAST YEAR?

Dale Earnhardt Jr. supposedly isn't bitter:

After two more races, the team will sever official ties with the 33-year-old who once stood first in its line of succession. There aren't many lingering feelings of bitterness or betrayal - just a difference of opinion on how to do business.

Well, I'm bitter. And I've been left to wonder, "What if ...?," for a long time to come.
What if Teresa Earnhardt, et. al. had listened to Junior when he first started voicing his opinion on the deteriorating development at DEI? What if it hadn't come to him pushing for half the company in an attempt to gain more control over the competition side? What if DEI had made improvements while he was still there and saw Junior to a championship on the team his father started?

We shall never know. Much like we'll never know the answer to the February 18, 2001 "What if ...?" that continues to loom over NASCAR nation.

Such is life. With life comes change. With change comes growth. With growth come growing pains. Right now, TEI is a growing pain in my side. Even so, I remain optimistic that something good always comes from change. At least that's what the H.A.N.S. device keeps whispering in my ear.