Rick Ware Racing and Jeffrey Earnhardt have overcome their differences and will race together in the NASCAR Camping World Series race at Martinsville Speedway this weekend.
Earnhardt will now continue to compete in the organization's No. 1 Fuel Doctor Chevrolet.
“Jeffrey will be in the truck at Martinsville and we will work hard to continue to keep him in that seat," team owner Rick Ware said in a news release Wednesday. "The amount of effort we have poured into his career and having a place for him to perform is important in his development. He is young and there is a lot of promise in him and both the management of RWR and JEI have the same goal for him."
Monday, the team announced Earnhardt had been released from the ride, effective immediately.
In the release announcing the move, RWR alleged Earnhardt was testing the waters, resulting in a breach of contract.
“We have been informed by several team owners that our driver (Jeffrey Earnhardt) and his management company (Jeffrey Earnhardt Inc.) have been shopping around for another team, alluding that sponsorship was coming with them,” owner Rick Ware said.
“It is pretty amazing the amount of calls we have received from owners about this situation, asking us what is going on and their concerns that a young driver and his management company are aggressively looking for another team with less to offer than the position they are currently in.”
Earnhardt sits 10th in the driver standings after three races this season.
Earnhardt responded late Tuesday with his own statement, saying he was surprised by the move and disputing Ware's claims.
“To read that release was very upsetting, and I’m disappointed to hear the inflammatory and disparaging statements personally made by Rick Ware about me and my company," read Earnhardt's statement. "The facts support that we did reach out to other race teams after the sponsor notified Rick Ware and my group that they were pursuing alternative marketing venues and after we were contacted by Rick Ware informing us that he would be unable to support me without the sponsor’s funding. This past Sunday, Rick advised us that he would only race me in Martinsville providing we signed a release to allow him out of his contract with JEI. That release never arrived and we notified him in writing on Monday that we expected to drive the No. 1 truck in Martinsville, in accordance with our contract. To suggest anything other than these facts does not reflect the truth and is unfair to the fans and us.”
