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NASCAR SPRINT SOUND & SPEED FESTIVAL

January 10, 2009

Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

Q. How are you major people at the same time, with racing and the business side of things?
DALE EARNHARDT, JR.: Well, you sort of go into it real easy, I guess. I don't know. When I first started doing any type of business venture, even if it was really small, you know, you really worried about how it might affect the driving, because the driving is my real passion and that's what I really like to do. I don't want to affect that in any way, because I want to do that as long as I possibly can.
You go into it slow and you learn. One of the more important things I guess is having the right people in the right place to handle the business side of it, 'cause, I mean, I like to do different types of things, but to be honest, my business experience isn't as good, I guess, as my racing experience. I have to lean on a lot of people, lean on some people's judgment. You put good people in the right place, they'll run those type of deals for you, where you can focus on the racing.
Once you get the ball rolling, the thing pretty much takes care of itself. Just getting it off the ground.

Q. What's the most fun element you have? What do you enjoy most?
DALE EARNHARDT, JR.: I think I enjoy the bar the most. I'd always wanted to get involved in ownership of a night club of some sort, 'cause I really enjoy the entertainment side of it and I enjoy the camaraderie. It's kind of fun to be there and to see the employees working and see them taking pride in what they're doing, the meetings they have after every night, hearing everybody, how uniform everything is, how structured it is.
I don't know, I take a lot of pride in it. I think it's nice to see the employees and everyone working there taking the same amount of pride in it. That's probably right now the most entertaining part for me.

Q. (Question regarding Ms. Lavielle (ph)).
DALE EARNHARDT, JR.: We sort of have a tug of war, me and her. She comes up with some great ideas, things that we need to do, some areas that we may have opportunities in, success in. She doesn't really try to change the perception of me and what I think I am, what I like to do, what I like to be, how I like to act, what I choose. She doesn't really affect that or try to change that.
One of the things that's I guess exciting for her, in our sponsorship change in the last year, we're able to drive down a lot more avenues, do a lot more things, especially with the younger adults. So that's exciting for her and we're working in that area a little bit.
But for the most part, I don't know, me and her have a lot of fun. You know, she's definitely a big asset to our company.

Q. Can you talk about this event, bringing NASCAR drivers and country artists together? It's all about the fans. Talk about how cool that is, what it must mean for the fans.
DALE EARNHARDT, JR.: I think it's exciting for them to be able to get something going, you know, before the racing season starts. We've all had a good month and a half off. Sort of been out of sight, out of mind. I'm sure the fans, just like the drivers, are really excited about getting the season started.
This is a little bit of an activity prior to that to really sort of kickoff the next year. Everybody's kind of creeping back toward going to work. You know, this is basically the first real public function we've done at the beginning of every year over the last several years. It's a good way, I guess, to sort of get back into the groove. You know, you sort of sit that month and a half off and get used to being a bit of a bum. Now we're easing back into work. It's a good way to get it going.

Q. What is Daytona going to be like this year without the testing? Changes things up from the past.
DALE EARNHARDT, JR.: I doubt it will be any different. I doubt it will be unrecognizable. I mean, it's probably going to be about the same.

Q. Has the lack of testing affected your team at all?
DALE EARNHARDT, JR.: No. Gave a lot of guys a lot more time at home with their families. I thought it was a good change of pace. Whether it's something that will be -- I don't know if this will be the norm for years to come, but it was a nice little change of pace. Gave everybody a good rest. Made the off-season a little bit longer.
We have all the technology, all the things, all the engineers, all the stuff we need to really simulate testing, have an idea of what the cars are going to do, how they're going to react, so we should show up in the ballpark. It should be an advantage for us, due to the technology and personnel we have that can simulate and guesstimate where we are and get us in the ballpark when we show up for the racetrack.

Q. Rick is losing weight because Mark is working him out. He told me he would like to see Dale Jr. working out with Mark, Mark working out with Jeff Gordon. How are the dynamics with Mark coming on board, being so healthy?
DALE EARNHARDT, JR.: He's always took good care of himself. He's a good example to follow. But we really haven't -- like I said, we just started getting going back to work. This is the first thing I've done all year. I shot a commercial yesterday. I ain't even seen Mark since the end of last year, so... He had his birthday party over at the River.

Q. He did?
DALE EARNHARDT, JR.: Yeah. Thought that was pretty cool.

Q. How fun was that?
DALE EARNHARDT, JR.: I didn't go. He had it. I was working (laughter). I hope he had a good time, though. I thought that was really cool.

Q. What do you plan to do tonight?
DALE EARNHARDT, JR.: I'm going to be in Moorseville.

Q. You're not staying?
DALE EARNHARDT, JR.: No. I mean, sounds like a blast. But, you know, I'm telling you, the off-season, you count every day (laughter).

Q. The River?
DALE EARNHARDT, JR.: I'll be there tonight. That's where I'll be.

End of FastScripts

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