NASCAR NEWS

The Daytona 500 is this weekend which will offically kick-off the NASCAR race season. In a feeble attempt to gain more readers as well as learn about a new sport I'll be posting NASCAR updates each week. For now it will be called NASCAR NEWS until I think of a catchy cool name for it.

Since I'm going to be following my first full race season let me know who I should cheer for. Who is your driver and why?

Teresa Earnhardt doesn't believe anyone -- including her stepson, Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- will bring the No. 3 the late Dale Earnhardt made famous back to Cup racing.
"Contrary to popular belief, everyone cannot be replaced," Teresa Earnhardt said. "Legends live on forever. I don't think the No. 3 will ever be driven by anyone else."


The rare public comment from Teresa Earnhardt comes from a one-hour television show, "NASCAR Five Years Later," that will air tonight on Speed Channel.

The No. 3 has not been used in the Cup series since Earnhardt's death. NASCAR controls car numbers and assigns them to team owners on an annual basis. Richard Childress has maintained control of the No. 3 since Earnhardt's fatal crash.

Earnhardt Jr., who drives the No. 8 Chevrolet for Dale Earnhardt Inc., the company his father formed and his stepmother now runs, said again recently he would like to drive the No. 3 before the end of his Cup career.

"I really think that'll happen," Earnhardt Jr. told NASCAR.com. "I've informally talked to Richard (Childress), just so he knew I wanted to do that. I'll drive the No. 3 car toward the end of my career if I've done what I wanted to do at DEI, and that's win championships and win races. And I'll stick around as long as it takes to do it."

Earnhardt Jr. said in that interview he'd use the No. 3 for people who worked with his late father and helped him win seven Cup titles.

"It'd be all about going out on the track with the 3, with an Earnhardt behind the wheel, putting a smile on Chocolate (Myers') face and Richard's face and those guys he spent so much time with for so many years. If the fans like it, they like it. If they don't agree with it, they don't agree with it. It's between me and Richard."

Earnhardt Jr. said his desire to drive the No. 3 does not mean he has any short-term plans to leave DEI. At the Speedweeks media day on Thursday, Earnhardt Jr. said he'd like to run DEI one day.

"I'd love to take over at DEI," he said. "Teresa and I will talk about that when the time comes, but that's not in the near future."

Earnhardt still among top sellers: Five years after his death, Dale Earnhardt remains one of the top sellers in NASCAR merchandise. The drivers whose merchandise sold the most at NASCAR.com Superstore:
1. Dale Earnhardt Jr.
2. Jeff Gordon
3. Tony Stewart
4. Jimmie Johnson
5. Kasey Kahne
6. Dale Earnhardt
7. Rusty Wallace
8. Mark Martin
9. Elliott Sadler
10. Ryan Newman

Will Ferrell Official Spokesman for NASCAR Day 2006: The NASCAR Foundation announced that Will Ferrell, star of Columbia Pictures' upcoming NASCAR comedy Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, will serve as the official spokesman for NASCAR Day 2006. Set for Friday, May 19, NASCAR Day celebrates the spirit of NASCAR by encouraging fans to get their NASCAR Day lapel pins, which will be available in exchange for a $5 donation at NASCAR.com/foundation along with their favorite NASCAR apparel.