Earnhardt Jr undecided on future

Earnhardt's contract with DEI expires at the end of the season and negotiations are on-going for a renewal.

But after speaking to the press at Daytona on Monday, the son of NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt left some doubt on whether he wants to carry on with his current team or not.

"I just want to drive and win races and championships and hang it up one day - just give me a good race car, don't give me any mess other than that," Earnhardt Jr said. "Just give me a good race car and make it run fast.

"I'll go to the racetrack and I'll do whatever you need me to do with the sponsors and everything else. Just don't make everything a hassle and don't make everything a pain, and you'll have my dedication."

Before Christmas, stepmother and team owner at DEI Teresa Earnhardt was critical of Dale Jr.

"Right now the ball's in his court to decide on whether he wants to be a NASCAR driver or whether he wants to be a public personality," she reportedly told the Wall Street Journal.

Earnhardt Jr claims he has not spoken to his stepmother about her comments but stated that his relationship with her will influence his decision on renewing his contract.

"Any relationship - my relationship with the car owner is definitely going to factor into my decision to drive," he said.

"I haven't talked to Teresa about what she said in the paper. I figured if anything needed to be said, she'd call me up and say it. But you know, my and her relationship definitely factor into my decision to drive there."

Despite optimism from DEI officials about closing on a new deal with NASCAR's most popular driver before mid-season, an extension of the contract appears far from being signed by both parties.

"We've been negotiating for about four months, I would say, and there's just a lot to think about on both sides of the plate," said Kelley Earnhardt Elledge, Earnhardt Jr's sister. She also said that no rival teams have inquired yet about her brother's availability.

Earnhardt Jr has yet to win his first Cup championship, despite several victories since his first full season in 2000.