Number 3 to return to NASCAR

[Elwood]

According to sportscenter Richard Childress said the number 3 may return to NASCAR next season, but he would not say who may be driving it.  Announcements will be made as more info is available.

Since NASCAR doesn't retire numbers this isn't much of a suprise, but I am a little suprised to see it brought up so soon.

Anybody else hear anything about this?

[Jpshostr]

I read a deal on yahoo news last night about that.  It seemed to lean towards giving it to Harvick since so many of Earnhardt's fans have accepted him.  It also mentioned giving the rights to it to DEI, which I think is a long shot.

I saw give the number to a new guy coming in.  Harvick has laid claim to 29 and should just stay with that one.

[Elwood]

UPDATE From Jaski's :

"#3 to return in 2002? UPDATE: NASCAR.com's The Buzz is reporting that Richard Childress Racing could be bringing back the #3 Chevrolet. Formerly driven by and made famous by the late Dale Earnhardt, it has not been driven in competition since the seven-time champion's death in the Daytona 500. Allegedly, the design has already been finished but the #3 will have a different look and design to it than what Earnhardt drove. The design has been rumored to already have been approved by Dale Earnhardt Inc., Chevrolet and Richard Childress Racing. Since the season's second race at Rockingham, Kevin Harvick has competed in a white No. 29 Chevrolet with Goodwrench Plus on board. If the #3 came back, it wouldn't be until next year in time for the Daytona 500.(NASCAR.com Buzz)(8-16-2001)

UPDATE: Richard Childress did not directly deny plans to revive the #3 at some point for his Winston Cup racing operation. "We'll be making announcements on the 3 sometime in the near future," Childress said before Saturday's Sharpie 500 at Bristol. "I can't go there right now, but it will be an issue we'll handle by the end of the year." The #3 has been inactive since Dale Earnhardt was killed in a crash in the Daytona 500 on Feb. 18. Rumors have circulated about the future of the #3 for the past few months. Childress will field three teams next season and the car number for only one of them, the #30 to be driven by Jeff Green and sponsored by America Online. Kevin Harvick will continue to drive for Earnhardt's former team in the GM Goodwrench sponsored car now carrying the #29. The third Childress team will be sponsored by Cingular Wireless. No driver or car number has been announced, although Robby Gordon is considered a leading candidate for that ride(That's Racin')(8-26-2001)"

 

All I have to sat is that if they do it I hope they put 3 on Harvick's car.  Putting it on Gordon's would be a disgrace.

[Elwood]

I like the idea of giving the rights to DEI.  Let them decide who will drive it.  But if that's not gonna happen, I'd rather see Harvick in it than anybody else.  But I do agree that he has laid claim to #29.

[burgundyz71]

All I can say on this is Junior is the only one I would like to see but like Harvick he is #8 not 3 so RETIRE it

[bscottb]

I would love to see Nascar retire a couple of numbers. I think the 43 should have been retired. Richard Petty's 43 deserved to be retired. Richard didn't want it retired and Nascar wouldn't have anyway. The thing with the 3 is different. Dale only ended up in the 3 because Childress had used it as an owner/driver for years. When Childress stepped out of the drivers seat to put Earnhardt in the car he continued to use his number 3. Earnhardt had driven various numbers before and even left Childress to join Bud Moore and used Bud's 15. He went back to Childress and resumed using the 3. Without a doubt Earnhardt made the 3 famous and it became synonymous with him. But it was Childress' number before Dale and it should be Childress' decision to run it or release it back to Nascar for reassignment.  

The number 8 has special meaning to the Earnhardt family also. It was Ralphs number and probably meant more to Dale Earnhardt that he could have that number on a car he owned than the 3 meant to him as a driver.

I wonder if Dale would agree with what  Richard Petty said when asked about retiring 43. He said "I hope it is around a long time and when people see it going around the track people will think of me and my contribution to the sport.

Yes I would love to see the 43 and 3 retired but truthfully the 3 belongs to Childress not Dale

[Kansas Kid]

Since the number isn't going to be retired, I say give it to the GM Goodwrench team.  Notice I didn't say Kevin Harvick.  Not only is the 3 synonymous with Dale Earnhardt, but also the GM Goodwrench crew.  If anybody deserves to carry on that number, it is the guys who were with DE and RCR for a long time.  I think they should keep the white paint scheme they run now and put the number 3 on it.  That way the team can have there number back, and Harvick will have the paint scheme he was become known for.

I don't see anybody on DEI really wanting the number either.  Dale Jr. has already said this many times, and I don't think that Steve Park or Micheal Waltrip would want it.  These guys are trying to make there respective team and number familiar to NASCAR fans.  I think Steve has already done a good job of this.

So in the end, since the number belongs to RCR I sure as heck don't want to see Robby Gordon or Jeff Green in that number.

[Elwood]

I agree with Kansas Kid that the paint scheme should stay the same if the 3 goes on Harvick's car.  But it maybe the white with black he ran at first and not the white with red.  But either would be fine, as long as Green or Gordon don't get it.