CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) _ Dale Earnhardt Junior may be a man
without a race team, but he's still immensely popular with the
racing public.
Sale of Junior's merchandise surged 107 percent in the week
since he announced he was leaving the racing team his father
started at the end of the season.
There were fears that the popularity of Earnhardt merchandise
would dip considering he'll wind up with a new team, new number and
perhaps a new sponsor next year.
NASCAR vice president of licensing Mark Dyer says Earnhardt has
the top selling power among the drivers with a between 25 and 30
percent of the market.
