There's nothing like a family feud to make headlines, especially if your name is Dale Earnhardt Jr.  As we get ready to head into the 2007 racing season, Dale Jr. decided to step it up a notch and actually responded to comments his stepmother and team owner Teresa Earnhardt made that appeared in an article in the Wall Street Journal, where she questioned his commitment to winning.  "Right now the ball's in  his court to decide whether he wants to be a NASCAR driver or whether he wants to be a public personality," she was quoted as saying in the December 14 issue of the Journal.

Although Dale held his tongue at the time, he seems to have finally decided that them's fightin' words.  At Mondays first session of preseason testing at Daytona International Speedway, he fired back.  "I was trying not to get involved in it, but I really didn't appreciate it.  Whether she was taken out of context or not, I just didn't really appreciate it," he said.  "Teresa is my stepmother, and I have a mother at home that I have a very good realtionship with.  Mine and Teresa's relationship has always been very black and white, very strict and in your face...it ain't a bed of roses."  My, my, my.  He went on to say "The relationship that we have today is the same relationship we had when I was six years old when I moved into that house with Dad and her.  It's always been the same.  It hasn't gotten worse over the last couple years or last couple months.  The way I felt about her then is the way I feel about her now." 

There is speculation that all of this is just posturing to speed up his current contract negotiations.  Or, possibly, to hint at jumping ship and trying to bring the sponsor of his No. 8 car, Budweiser, along with him.  Budeweiser's contract is also up at the end of this year.  Dale would also like a piece of the ownership of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. and that in itself may be the biggest stumbling block to the negotiations.  Not only did Teresa Earnhardt inherit the company when her husband Dale Sr. was killed on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500, until last summer she even owned the rights to Dale Jr.'s name.  It's widely believed that Dale Earnhardt Sr. started the team for his children to inherit one day, but that didn't happen.  So, while the public posturing heats up, Dale Jr. and his sister and business manager, Kelley Earnhardt Elledge will move ahead with contract negotiations in an effort to keep Junior where he is known and loved, behind the wheel of the No. 8 Chevrolet.

"Absolutely, my relationship with the car owner is definitely going to factor into my deicision to drive there.  I haven't talked to Teresa about what she said in the paper.  I figured if anything needed to be said, she'd call me up and say it.  But you know, my and her relationship definitely factor into my decision to drive there."

For someone who has refused to comment at length about the relationship he has with his stepmother, Monday's comments, were quite telling.  Maybe he's going to start displaying some of the attitude his father was famous for.  "I'll do whatever you need me to do with the sponsors and everything else, just don't make everything a hassle and don't make everything a pain and you'll have my dedication and everything else you need as far as my being a driver goes.  I don't want to comer here and not compete well and run well.  I don't want to just get by.  I want the best - the best cars, the best people."

"We see other companies and teams doing what it takes and making the right moves, and I just want to be at the same situation as I see other drivers in.  I know I'm a good enough race car driver and I deserve it.  I'm just trying to get it all settled and make it right."

Teresa, are  you listening?