88 Is Never Enough: Dale Jr. Merch Still Popular Despite Sales Slip

Earnhardt Jr. Merchandise Still In Hot Demand Among NASCAR Fans

NASCAR driver Tony Stewart may have overtaken Dale Earnhardt Jr. in merchandise sales on NASCAR.com, but that "doesn't mean that Earnhardt's popularity is waning," according to Dustin Long of the Norfolk VIRGINIAN-PILOT. Fans attending Sprint Cup races will "find more Earnhardt trailers than any other driver" -- last weekend's race at New Hampshire Motor Speedway saw Earnhardt with three trailers compared to two for Stewart. Drivers get "additional trailers based on sales." Earnhardt last weekend also had a "Junior Nation trailer and one for adidas that sells Earnhardt merchandise." This is only the second time since '03 that "someone other than Earnhardt has been the ... top seller any week" on NASCAR.com, but Stewart's rise is due to a "combination that rarely comes together." Stewart in past seasons has been "among the top sellers," but he currently is on top of the points standings and "has new colors and a new number" for his Stewart-Haas Racing team. The combination is "like hitting a lottery for a driver." Meanwhile, Earnhardt's sales have "cooled as his performance declined and fans had many of his items." However, driver Jeff Gordon said of Earnhardt, "All it takes is one win, one streak of good finishes and he's going to go." Long wrote Stewart "likely won't supplant Earnhardt as the No. 1 seller," but he "can't be disappointed with his sales figures" (Norfolk VIRGINIAN-PILOT, 6/28).

FOCUSING ON THE ROAD: In Charlotte, Tom Sorensen wrote under the header, "Hendrick's Goal: Get Dale Jr. Back On Track." Earnhardt works with his racing team when he is "not with lucky winners or shaking hands with sponsors or promoting a product for a TV or magazine campaign." Hendrick Motorsports Owner Rick Hendrick: "Dale has a lot of sponsor obligations. All you have to do is turn on the TV to see that. We've tried to narrow his responsibilities and eliminate as much as we can." Hendrick added, "All the sponsors want him as much as they can get him. In times like these you do as much as you can for sponsors. But we're trying to see what's more important to him. ... He's got a lot of things that are pulling him in a lot of other directions. He has not been sensitive to recommendations of eating better and working out, which he's (now) doing. And [we're] going to increase all that." Hendrick added Earnhardt is "not responsible for the success of NASCAR, he's not responsible for the legacy of his dad or his dad's company." Hendrick: "He's a young, fun-loving, good kid and he's got a really good heart and he wants to be Dale Jr. and that's what he needs to be. And when he starts winning, the whole world will be happy" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 6/28).