Great With "88"

Let's hope this is the beginning of a turnaround for Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

All the final remnants of postulating, anticipation and hype are finally over.

Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr. – otherwise known simply as Junior – the man heretofore without a sponsor and car number for 2008, now has both.

Never before has there been such anticipation of the number a driver would carry on the door of his race car. Rather than a simple press release, Junior's new car number and sponsor required a nationally televised press conference.

This was no mere number. It was the next chapter in a story that began with a simple white No. 8, and will now continue with No. 88 in hopes of "doubling" the success that the old number brought.

When Earnhardt announced his new number, along with new major sponsors Mountain Dew, Amp Energy Drink and National Guard on Wednesday afternoon in suburban Dallas, it was an early goodbye to the two things that have come to symbolize him most: Budweiser and the No. 8. (H/T - Yahoo! Sports)

Sweet! Jumping to Hendrick Motorsports, landing a new high-profile sponsor, and scoring a sweet new number. Way to stick it to that bitch stepmother of yours!

I can't wait to see Theresa's face when he starts winning every week.