will the 3 car ever run again? if so who will drive?

Question

so after reading a post about Tony possibly going to RCR, which was interesting, it prompted me to question whether we'll ever see Sr.'s car (#3) on the track again or will it be retired forever. If we DO see it run, who the heck is gonna drive that thing??? IMO only Jr. could drive that # and even then it would be iffy.

yea..someone made the point that RC will try to keep the car/# as long as possible and thats probably whats likely to happen. i was just thinking, nascar has been so crazy this season, makes me wonder what else could possibley happen!

Answer 1

Richard Childress said a long time ago, that no one will ever drive the #3 again if he could help it. He will keep the lease on the number as long as he possibly can.

Go Jr.>>>>

Answer 2

I thought I read or heard Richard make the comment that the number three will only be back on the track if an Earnhardt is driving it. I think that his dad had a championship under his belt or two. I don't think that right now with Harveck there at RCR would be a good time anyway. And with the DEI and the RCR motor deal and who knows what other stuff is going on with that I feel Jr. couldn't make the move to RCR at this time.
Let him get some time behind a good car and then put him in the 3 and lets reminisce. At least that is what I remember and how I would handle the number 3 car. One other thing I would try and get Goodwrench back for that day too.

Answer 3

For the record, the #3 is not retired. NASCAR does not retire #'s. Richard Childress is the owner of the #3 therefore until he releases it or lets the lease run out on the #, it will just stay as is, off any Cup car.

I really doubt Richard wants anyone in the #3 anytime soon. The only driver I could ever see Richard wanting to drive the #3 is Dale Jr.

Now here goes the flip side to that... Most people just assume that Dale Jr wants to just go jump right into a #3... I seriously doubt that is the case. Dale Jr has mentioned before that he wants his own idenity. He does not want to be known as the #3, thats his dad, and to Dale Jr out of all people, it probably means that much more.

You really have to question, would any up and coming driver even want to drive the #3 in the Cup series? I mean think about how much you will be expected to do driving that #. It would be too much to take on in my opinion. I believe if you asked that to a lot of drivers out there, they would say the same thing.

Answer 4

To start with, NASCAR owns all of the numbers and doesn't
retire any of them. The team owners rent (lease) the
numbers from NASCAR and can do anything that they want
with them (as long as it is within NASCAR rules). Richard
Childress has the number now and is expected to keep it
for as long as he lives. Richard has stated that only another
Earnhardt will have the number on his car. Jr. has also
stated that he'd like to have the number when he gets to
the end of his career. That will only happen if Jr. joins RCR
or RCR loans the number to another team. The only
Earnhardt coming up that looks like he might get it is Jeffy
Earnhardt, Kerry's son. But who knows what's going to
happen, lets say, 50 years from now, when most NASCAR
fans don't know who Dale Sr. is? And maybe there is no
RCR any more. And nobody else takes up the cause to
make it look like the number 3 is retired. Then it will probably
be back on a car again. But I'll also probably never see it.

Answer 5

I won;t be surprised to see Richard Childress grandson continue to use the 3 if he comes to the Cup series. He wanted the # becuase Richard drove that # from 76-81. (Dale drove it for a few races in 81) - Ricky Rudd ran it in 82 and 83, then Dale got it back in 84.

Jr has even said that he wouldn;t mind if some kid just starting out in midgets or whatever and is using the 3 and has never even heard of Dale Sr - when that kid gets to the top level, he is probably going to want to keep using that #, and Jr is OK with that.

It may be strange to see the 3 out there again one day, but it will happen and I won;t be shocked to see that it's not Jr behind the wheel.

Answer 6

I once remember reading an interview that Richard Childress gave a year or so on the subject of the #3. He said that the #3 will never be seen on a track again but only for an Earnhardt and not necessarily Junior. Kerry has a 17 yr old son by the name of Jeffery. Some of said that he reminds them of Dale Sr in his driving style.

Answer 7

Dale Jr has said he will never drive the "3" because that was his father's number he might after he gets a couple championships under his belt but I don't see JR driving the car because the number belongs to RCR and not DEI! The car that SR wrecked in is still at RCR.

Answer 8

I really can't see anyone else ever driving the 3. If it was to ever happen I think the Earnhardt nation would only support Jr. Even then the die-hards would be upset. Not to mention the pressure there would be. I think it would be best just to leave it forever retired.

Answer 9

Dale Jr has stated repeatedly he wants to drive the #3 before he retires, so it looks like unless something changes, he'd be the next driver to pilot the ride. Also seems like he'd have to leave Hendrick and go to Childress to make that happen.

Answer 10

Well anything is possible..But I doubt it..maybe as time goes on maybe, but I just do not think so..Its so much history there, that number would be so hard for anyone to live up to who drove it before...Maybe way down the road maybe Dale Earnhardt 111 possbibly (jr needs to get busy on that). I thought one day maybe Dale Jr would drive it as his final race when he is ready to retire.. I just don't see it...Let the number 3 R.I.P with Dale Sr..he will always be the greatest in my heart.