# 3 coming back.

Elwood · October 24, 2001

It'll be weird seeing the No. 3 without Ac-Delco or Goodwrench on it, but as long as it's Little E I think its pretty cool. I'm just curious as to why RCR is providing the car, and not DEI. I'm assuming he's getting a car they Harvick has ran already?

From Yahoo Sports:

Earnhardt Jr. to run No. 3 in two Busch races

By JENNA FRYER

AP Sports Writer

October 24, 2001

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. will return the No. 3 to racing next season, using his late father's number in two Busch series races, sources told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

An official announcement is scheduled for Friday at Phoenix International Raceway, where the car and paint scheme will be unveiled.

Earnhardt Jr. will debut the No. 3 Chevrolet in February in the Busch race at Daytona International Speedway, sources close to the decision told the AP on condition of anonymity.

Daytona is the last place the number was used -- Dale Earnhardt was killed in a fatal crash on the final lap of the season-opening Daytona 500.

The car will come from Richard Childress Racing, the team Dale Earnhardt won six of his seven championships with, and will be sponsored by Nabisco Co. The second Busch race Earnhardt Jr. will compete in next season has yet to be decided.

The No. 3, one of the late Earnhardt's trademarks, has been dormant since his Feb. 18 death and there has been speculation all season over what will happen to it, since NASCAR does not retire numbers.

Childress has said an announcement on the matter will be made before the end of the year and it's likely he'll find a way to persuade NASCAR not to allow use of the number again.

Childress took the No. 3 off his Chevrolets after Earnhardt's death, choosing to run the No. 29 on the cars Kevin Harvick drives. Harvick, who took over the top driver's spot for Childress, has said he does not want to run with the No. 3.

One possibility could be that Childress would release his ownership of the number so it could be transferred to Dale Earnhardt Inc., the team Earnhardt Jr. drives for in Winston Cup.

Earnhardt Jr. ran under the No. 3 during the two seasons he spent on the Busch series, but he currently uses the No. 8 in Winston Cup. That's the same number his grandfather, Ralph, ran with, and Earnhardt Jr. appears unlikely to change that.

antig24 · October 24, 2001

cool I don't think this is harvicks bgn ride because i heard that harvick and sauter were going to split the ride next year

Elwood · October 24, 2001

I didn't figure it was actually his ride, but I kinda thought the car Jr. runs might be from that stable. Rather than RCR getting a new car just for Jr.

Kansas Kid · October 25, 2001

Its probably because RCR actually has the Busch equipment and teams around, where as DEI got rid of all that last year. It would be tough for DEI to put a whole extra race team together for just a few races, where RCR can just build a few extra cars from their existing Busch program.

FIRECAT · October 25, 2001

What's interesting to me is that the Busch #3 is owned by DEI, not RCR. I just think that it's curious that JR is going to race a RCR car with a DEI #. Who knows maybe its nothing. I also think that eventually we will se JR in the #3 RCR Chevrolet, although there was something on Nascar.com that said RCR would be making an announcement about the #3 by the end of the year and that Richard Childress said that he felt it wouldn't be used again. ???

General Lee 01 · October 25, 2001

Well, the announcement was made today and the car was unveiled.

Oreo\Nabisco will be the sponsor. 2 shades of blue and a shade of white.

Kansas Kid · October 25, 2001

Looks good.

Elwood · October 25, 2001

I thought it kinda strange too, that DEI owned the number and RCR owns the car, but since it is Jr. he can probably do pretty much want he wants with a DEI number.

As for seeing him in the 3 in CUP, I seriously don't think it'll happen. I figure he'll stick with his grandfather's and his number, and I don't see why he would go to RCR. Unless of course they somehow merge DEI and RCR at some point. I look for RCR to come up with a way to have it never used again. And if not, I figure Kerry will use it if he ever makes it to cup.

antig24 · October 26, 2001

thats an awesome car

Kansas Kid · October 26, 2001

Did DEI even own the #3 in the Busch series anymore? I was thinking they might not have since they didn't run a car this year. I'm not sure exactly how Nascar goes about handling the numbers, but it might be a possibility. Whatever happened, RCR probably owns the number now.