For the last few years, there has been a rumor circulating throughout the NASCAR community that Dale Earnhardt Jr. might be leaving Dale Earnhardt Incorporated (DEI) for another race team. Now the rumor has become a real possibility because of the public feud that has developed between Earnhardt Jr. and DEI owner Teresa Earnhardt regarding Dale Jr.'s contract extension with DEI. The two sides aren't fighting over the dollar amount of the contract – not in the traditional sense anyway. Dale Jr. is asking for majority ownership of DEI, and he has made it clear that he is prepared to become a free agent if he doesn't get it.

Dale Jr. has all the public support in his corner from both the fans and his fellow drivers. Without question, he is NASCAR's most popular driver, having won the official award the last four seasons. At every track around the country, the stands are flooded with legions of fans clad in red Budweiser gear.

Meanwhile, Teresa Earnhardt's reputation with the fans took a serious hit when she publicly criticized Dale Jr.'s motivation in an interview last month. Picking on the most popular athlete in any sport is rarely a smart move. She might as well have gone to the Bronx and bad-mouthed Derek Jeter. She has also drawn the ire of other Nextel Cup drivers by not attending any of the races. While the rest of the owners sit atop pit boxes and celebrate in victory lane, she remains mysteriously absent. Kevin Harvick even went as far as to refer to her as "a deadbeat owner."

Luckily for Teresa Earnhardt, the contract negotiations are more than just a popularity contest. Unfortunately, Dale Jr. also has the upper hand when it comes to the business side of the situation. His immense popularity means that his sponsor (Budweiser) and all the money that comes with it will follow him to a new team, leaving Teresa with a serious financial void to fill. Dale Jr. makes constant promotional appearances and he is the company's major moneymaker. The fact is, fans and sponsors only care about DEI because of Junior. He is the face of the company, and without him DEI is essentially irrelevant.

If Dale Jr. leaves DEI, fans are going to blame Teresa and her public image is going to be permanently ruined. Free agent drivers aren't going to want to sign with DEI and her team will consist of Martin Truex Jr. and Paul Menard – not exactly the sport's finest drivers. Sponsors aren't going to be beating down her door and merchandising profits are going to plummet. She will retain control of a near worthless company. Personally, I'd rather be partial owner of one of the best teams in NASCAR than to be majority owner of NASCAR's equivalent of the Kansas City Royals.

While the logical and likely scenario will be for Teresa Earnhardt to give in to Dale Jr. and grant him majority control of DEI, it would be a far more interesting situation if Dale Jr. were to sign with another race team.

Richard Childress Racing (RCR) would love to sign him, and it would create a story line usually reserved for movie scripts. The late Dale Earnhardt won six championships while racing for RCR and became the first true superstar in NASCAR, helping to make it a mainstream sport. Signing with his father's old team would only be the first step in continuing his father's legacy. Dale Jr. could get behind the wheel of the famous black No. 3 Chevrolet that RCR has left vacant since the fatal crash at the Daytona 500 in 2001. If Dale Jr. could win his first Nextel Cup title driving his father's old car for his father's old team, it would instantly become the most memorable moment in the history of the sport.

I'm sure Dale Jr. has at least flirted with the idea of joining RCR because the move could take his career to the next level. RCR is one of NASCAR's top teams and has superior equipment and personnel compared to DEI. Last season, all three RCR cars finished in the top 15 in points and Kevin Harvick and Jeff Burton both made the Chase. . In addition, Dale Jr. wouldn't have to worry about running the team as he currently does with DEI, and he would be able to focus all his time and energy on winning races and competing for championships.

There is a downside for Dale Jr. if he decides to leave DEI. After all, his father created the company and leaving the team would likely mean watching his father's creation disappear. As much as joining RCR would allow him to carry on his father's legacy, it can just as easily be argued that he is doing the same thing by staying with DEI. He could honor his father and make a name for himself at the same time by winning a championship with DEI and establishing the company as one of the elite teams in NASCAR. In many ways, Dale Jr. faces the same dilemma Brett Favre faces. Leaving the Packers gives Favre a better chance to win, but how could he walk away from the team he has made famous?

Dale Jr. has a lot to think about as the 2007 Nextel Cup season begins. Normal contract negotiations are considered a distraction to athletes and his situation is far more complicated than a signing bonus or an incentives clause. Hopefully, the two sides can work things out quickly before Dale Jr.'s on-track performance begins to suffer. He is the most popular driver and is on the verge of becoming one of the best in the sport, plus NASCAR needs him focused on racing. I suggest locking everyone involved in the situation in a room and not letting them out until a deal is done.