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RICHMOND, Va. -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. doesn't have a new number yet, but his number has a new driver.
Dale Earnhardt Inc. announced its four-car lineup for 2008 on Friday at Richmond International Raceway. As long suspected, Mark Martin will be the primary driver of the No. 8 car that Earnhardt is vacating to go to Hendrick Motorsports.
"I know there will be a backlash from a certain number of his fans, but you have to understand that number has a lot of meaning to Dale Earnhardt Inc.," said Martin, who plans to again run a partial schedule and will share his ride with Aric Almirola. "It's part of keeping Dale Earnhardt's legacy alive and I'm sorry for the ones who don't like it."
Martin became a part of DEI in July when it merged with Ginn Racing. He has been driving the No. 01 car, which next year will go to another DEI newcomer, Regan Smith. They join holdovers Martin Truex Jr. and Paul Menard.
Martin sought the opinion of Richard Childress, the late Earnhardt's longtime friend and car owner. "Richard was the one that really made me feel good about it," Martin said.
Childress defended DEI president Teresa Earnhardt, Dale's widow, for not allowing Dale Jr. to take the number with him and said Martin was among the drivers Earnhardt respected most. He told Martin that Earnhardt "would be proud to see you in that (No.) 8 car."
Rudd races against time
Ricky Rudd conceded Friday that his 900th career start might have been his last.
Rudd, who already announced his retirement after this season, separated his left shoulder in a crash last week at California Speedway. He showed up at Richmond with his arm in a sling and the rest of his season in doubt.
"That's really kind of in the doctors' hands. I don't have an answer and they don't have an answer right now," he said. "I hope it's not my last race. I'm not planning on that, but we'll just face it one weekend at a time."
Rudd, who turns 51 on Wednesday, has never before missed a race because of injury. He is being replaced tonight by Kenny Wallace.
Etc.
Robert Yates is retiring at the end of the season and turning over the team to his son, Doug, who has canceled an agreement with Champ Car's Newman-Haas-Lanigan Racing announced in July. . . . Having lost Joe Gibbs Racing to Toyota, Chevrolet moved quickly to lock up multiyear deals with Richard Childress Racing and Hendrick Motorsports. . . . The AT&T logo was back on the hood of Jeff Burton's RCR car Friday after a settlement was reached in the lawsuit involving AT&T, NASCAR and series sponsor Nextel. . . . Track officials report all 112,029 grandstand seats for tonight's race have been sold, the 32nd consecutive Richmond sellout.
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