Excuse me, but why is #3 allowed to be in the Nationwide Series?

[SJA]

Excuse me, but why is #3 allowed to be in the Nationwide Series?

[HJJ]

The number is owned by RCR. They choose to use it on Austin Dillion. Childress has already said that he may us it again in Cup.

[rustyfan]

Might be worth noting also that Austin Dillon is Richard Childress' grandson.

[SJA]

I see now: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dale_Earnhardt#.233_Car

I find this dissapointing. I was always under the impression NASCAR aquired the number back and effectivly retired it.

[fieldodreams79]

Yep, the owners effectively own the rights to the numbers and when Richard Childress is ready to put it back on track no matter the series, it his rightful decision to do so.

NASCAR has never retired a number prior to Dale's death and I don't ever see them doing so. However, you don't see a 45 or a 28 these days, and I believe that is a sign of respect for Davey/Kenny and Adam, but again it just depends on who owns the rights to certain numbers.

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by SJA

I see now: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dale_Earnhardt#.233_Car

I find this dissapointing. I was always under the impression NASCAR aquired the number back and effectivly retired it.

#3 was Richard Childress' number during his career he and picked that to as that was Junior Johnson's number. The Dillions wanted to use that number to honor their Grandfather. I like that Childress still owns that number much more than if Nascar did.

[JHamilton]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

Yep, the owners effectively own the rights to the numbers and when Richard Childress is ready to put it back on track no matter the series, it his rightful decision to do so.

NASCAR has never retired a number prior to Dale's death and I don't ever see them doing so. However, you don't see a 45 or a 28 these days, and I believe that is a sign of respect for Davey/Kenny and Adam, but again it just depends on who owns the rights to certain numbers.

RYR still owns the #28 and used that number as long as they were racing. Same thing with the #45, the King owns it.

[Clive Brown]

I don't think the teams do "own" the numbers; I believe that NASCAR licenses them out to the teams. Teams may request that particular numbers be issued to them.

[JHamilton]

Yes, technically, the only thing owned by the car owner is the design of the number. That is always copywritten or trademarked. However, the current holder of the number has the option to continue to use that number. Until they give it up, it's theirs. In other words, they've got dibs. That's what Theresa (sp?) Earnhardt did to Jr. a few years back.

[Dead-Eye]

Originally Posted by JHamilton

Yes, technically, the only thing owned by the car owner is the design of the number. That is always copywritten or trademarked. However, the current holder of the number has the option to continue to use that number. Until they give it up, it's theirs. In other words, they've got dibs. That's what Theresa (sp?) Earnhardt did to Jr. a few years back.

What exactly constitutes "giving it up"? Not entering a car with that number in a race? In a season? Saying they won't use it anymore?

[Flyin Ryan]

Originally Posted by fieldodreams79

Yep, the owners effectively own the rights to the numbers and when Richard Childress is ready to put it back on track no matter the series, it his rightful decision to do so.

If he's going to put it on his grandson, wow, you couldn't come up with a better way to get a large number of the fans to automatically hate him.

I don't think the teams do "own" the numbers; I believe that NASCAR licenses them out to the teams. Teams may request that particular numbers be issued to them.

Yes. When Stewart rebranded Haas CNC into Stewart Haas, Ryan Newman's number was originally going to be #4. The longtime entrants of the 4 car, Morgan-McClure who were not heavily active at the time but still attempting to be in the series, raised a stink about it, so Stewart to get rid of the unneeded publicity acquiesced to Morgan-McClure and changed Newman's number to #39. When Kahne got #4 with Red Bull a year ago, Morgan-McClure was definitely dead. Or look at when Junior went to Hendrick they tried to get the #8 from DEI but DEI refused to give it up so Junior and Hendrick had 88 so Junior's fans only had to add one extra number to their tattoos (and now there's no #8 in the series).

[wheelsportaddict]

Originally Posted by SJA

I see now: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dale_Earnhardt#.233_Car

I find this dissapointing. I was always under the impression NASCAR aquired the number back and effectivly retired it.

That was the impression I'd got, after all, #3 became possibly the most historic race car number after DE Snr.

[Clive Brown]

Originally Posted by wheelsportaddict

That was the impression I'd got, after all, #3 became possibly the most historic race car number after DE Snr.

Not even close! That would be Petty Enterprises' #43. Check out the number of wins....

[nickyf1]

As far as I see, it's just a number. Dale used a lot of different numbers in his career. They should use it if they want to.

[formerf1champ]

About numbers, fwiw, I've always thought it was odd in Nascar that No1 was allowed to be used by someone other than the defending champ. Not a criticism.