If the press conference tomorrow announces that Junior is going to Hendrick, then DEI is sunk, and Junior is the 4th best driver on the Hendrick Machine. (Maybe 3rd)

I really wish he would go to Joe Gibbs. He and Tony would have made great team-mates. Most races you would think they are team-mates.

But the Bud deal did not fit in the Gibbs "family values".

Joe has kept Tony all these years. Is it the winning that he likes for the family values? Because he definitely does not meet other criteria in his actions on the "family values" stage.

Tony is and always be my favorite driver, just ahead of his icon AJFoyt. But adding Jr would have been a great time.

It's official now.

It is interesting that there is no decision on Bud being the sponsor. I am sure that is just a contract negotiation in the works. I cannot imagine Jr giving up Bud as a sponsor.

I can't imagine Bud giving up Junior!

I think Gibbs was a fool to pass this up. I agree that Jr. and Tony would have made great teammates.

Well, I guess for the remainder of this season when an HMS car wins, it will at least give me hope for Jr.'s future, instead of the frustratated aggravation I feel now.

DEI is still pretty strong, as evidenced by the success of Truex Jr. How interesting would it be if Earnhardt Jr. ended up winning the championship in this his last year there?

Truex will be gone when the contract is up. Maybe before then.

Teresa has enough money, what does she care.

Bud parts with Junior

I cannot believe that Bud is letting him go. They could not have a better spokesman. Too bad that Jr did not know that Bud was not coming along. He could have joined Joe Gibbs Racing otherwise.

Actually, I'm pretty sure it was the other way around. Junior will be in much better shape with Pepsi as a sponsor. Way more market share.

The top selling beers in the world with unlimited advertising dollars can get trumped by Pepsi?

They may have more of something, but in this situation it cannot be that significant.

And I cannot see Jr going home after a race and relaxing with a cold bottle of Pepsi. I don't even know anyone that drinks Pepsi.

I'd like it better with a Mountain Dew car.