And in my opinion Jimmie Johnson's six championships are a result of the "playoff" setup Nascar has in place now. He thrives on that. I'd like to see him try to win those back prior to the 2000's.

 

Took the words right out of my mouth Matt...
I was just thinking that very same thing.

Jimmie Johnson wouldn't have stood a chance against Dale Sr either....lol

 

Ya, I think that the #3 should stay retired! He was the one and only. It's like Taz said,there are plenty other #'s available!

 

Richard Childress is doing this for publicity. It will get everyone talking and looking at him and his grandson. And of course, selling merchandise. This is the kind of move I'd expect from Teresa Earnhardt.

Let Austin Dillon earn his fans. Not ride the coat tails of Dale Sr.

 

I think they should leave the #3 retired if for nothing else a show of complete and total respect for a driver that gave his life for the sport he loved.

Doing this as a marketing and media ploy, is a low end type of move on anyone's part. I know contraversy creates talk and when everyone is talking about a specific thing that is great advertising as well as a build up for excitement of what any outcome will actually be, the old "there is no bad publicity" type of thing, which is why we have tabloid papers as people in general usually love contraversy, but trying to promote someone by riding on the coat tails of the achievements of another is not always the best way to do things.

 

This is stupid and disrespectful IMO. His number should be retired because of the great driver that he is and he lost his life in the sport that he loved in his prime.

The trouble with this is that only so many numbers can be used in NASCAR as they tend to be under 100.

It can go both ways.

 

I actually think the opposite. I think the poor kid is going to be criticized and hated just because of his number.

 

I should've said let him earn his attention on his own merits. Not with a publicity stunt organized by his grandfather.

 

Absolutely. Why would Austin want the number?

 

NASCAR has been all about selling merchandise and 'good ole boy' spats on and off the track for years. It is a business. It hasn't been a sport for years. Chances are Childress was given the 'go ahead' by SR's mom and the story of her being upset was generated to create controversy and draw attention to the sport. Childress owns the rights to the number. If the number really meant that much to the Earnhardts why didn't they buy the rights? Then they could have kept #3 off the track if they really wanted to. Just another sensationalized story to draw attention to the 'sport'...