Two guys are seated at a table having lunch in a Mooresville , North Carolina diner.
A patron sitting at a nearby lunch counter overhears their conversation , as one is saying , "she's gotta be the dumbest white woman I know" ... which prompts the guy at the counter to say to another , "they must be talking about Teresa Earnhardt".

On May 10 , 2007 , Dale Earnhardt , Jr. announced he would be leaving D.E.I. at season's end.
On that same day , Tony Stewart would say , "DEI without Dale , Jr. is just a museum !".
Just over two months later on July 25th , Teresa would announce the ill-fated merger of Ginn Racing with DEI that would see the termination of the #13 and 14 teams and the layoff of some 125 people. The remaining teams in the merger would all move to the former Ginn 80,000 square foot shop.

DEI was now the museum that Tony Stewart spoke of only 2 months prior ! This is a 240,000 square foot complex over more than 14 acres. What's now remaining of DEI as a race team is under the umbrella of Ganassi in yet another location again.

In January '07 and while the Teresa / Dale Jr. split was taking form , Teresa was able to sign the grandson of Dale Sr. , Jeffrey Earnhardt ( and son of Kerry ) to what was characterized as a "long term driving contract". Teresa also hired Kerry to oversee his son's career. Teresa would announce the development of the 17 year old as a competitor in selected Late Model races and the Camping World East series in 2007. Jeffrey was promised a move to Nationwide in '08 and '09.

To the surprise of many , this effort would not come from the soon to be vacant spaces of Dale Sr's "Garage Mahal".
For the '07 season , Teresa determined that she would farm out Jeffrey to the Andy Santerre race team for those 13 Camping World East races. More of the same for '08 with a number of car owners for Late Model , CW-East and Dirt Modifieds and Late Model. Teresa would not pursue Nationwide with Jeffrey in 2008. Teresa replaced Jeffrey in the final two East events with Aric Almirola and Ryan Truex and refused a team explanation for the move , in-turn prompting much speculation.

For 2009 , Teresa has sent Kerry and Jeffrey off to Rick Ware Racing where Jeffrey will make his Nationwide Series debut at Dover Downs Delaware on May 30th , the first of only 8 races planned to preserve his rookie status for 2010.

Jeffrey will turn 20 in June and Teresa has essentially already thrown away 2 valuable years in Jeffrey's development for the future. Some believe she'll completely squash this young man's career. In a very baffling course of events , Teresa is not making the investment in a commodity that would again return millions like Jr. before him. On the Earnhardt name alone , the potential merchandising value to be realized is likely in the hundreds of millions over the span of a normal career.

This story will develop more throughout the year and as those who know Jeffrey keep their fingers crossed for a positive outcome.