Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

Probably not coincidentally, Wrangler was the initial sponsor of his father's #3 Chevrolet from 1980 until 1987. The state hosts the following major league teams (called the Cactus league) for spring training:. He was also featured in a commercial for Wrangler jeans that used the aforementioned song as its background music. Arizona is a popular location for Major League Baseball spring training. has appeared in print advertisements for Drakkar Noir Cologne, one of the sponsors of his race car, and in the video for Sheryl Crow's song "Steve McQueen", which pays tribute to the late film star famous for his car chase scenes. For a complete list, see List of people from Arizona.. Dale Jr. Labor leader Cesar Estrada Chavez is from Yuma.

He has expressed interest in pursuing an acting career. Film director Steven Spielberg grew up in Scottsdale, as did Wonder Woman star Lynda Carter. Dale Jr.'s looks have helped his media presence. From the rock and roll world, both Alice Cooper and Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac are from Phoenix; Linda Ronstadt is from Tucson. Fans have alleged that the change was approved, in the hopes of saving NAPA Auto Parts as a team sponsor. Famous Arizonans also include Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, author Zane Grey, former Governor and Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt, architect Frank Lloyd Wright, Presidential candidate (1964) and former Senator Barry Goldwater, Presidential candidate (2000) and Senior Republican Senator John McCain, former senator Carl Hayden and former Solicitor General Rex E. Lee . Many of Earnhardt's fans have criticized the leadership at DEI, especially Teresa Earnhardt for her approval of the crew change.
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Teammate Michael Waltrip took the pole position for the Pocono 500, further bolstering the argument that Waltrip may have gotten the better end of the crew change. Ranked by per capita income. A recovery seems unlikely, considering that Johnson and second place Greg Biffle have dominated most of the first 13 races of the season. Each city named in bold has a population greater than 100,000. Earnhardt must be within 400 points of the leader by the 26th race to qualify for the Chase for the Championship. See: List of cities in Arizona, List of cities in Arizona (by population), List of Arizona counties. is 15th in the points standings, 414 behind leader Jimmie Johnson. There is also a significant Mormon population.

As of June 11, 2005, Earnhardt Jr. Four in five Arizonans are self-described Christians, with large numbers of both Catholics and Protestants living in the state. finished fifteenth in the Aarons 499 at Talladega Superspeedway, suggesting that DEI may have lost its advantage at the restrictor plate tracks to rival Hendrick Motorsports. See also the list of Arizona Natives.. At one point he was as far back as 29th. Subsequently, Earnhardt Jr. 49.9% of the population is male, 50.1% is female. On February 20 2005, Dale fell short of winning back-to-back Daytona 500 races, placing third after struggling with an ill-handling car for much of the race. As of 2000, 74.1% of Arizona residents age 5 and older speak English at home and 19.5% speak Spanish. Navajo is the third most spoken language at 1.9%, followed by Other Native North American languages at 0.6% and German at 0.5%.

Rondeau served as Earnhardt's crew chief until the Coca Cola 600 weekend when he was replaced with DEI chief engineer Steve Hmiel. In 2003, for the first time, there were more Hispanic births in the state than white non-Hispanic births. Peter Rondeau, a Chance 2 employee who also helped Earnhardt win the Busch Series race at Bristol in August, became the crew chief for Earnhardt in 2005. Arizona is likely to become a minority-majority state by the year 2035 at the latest. became the crew chief for the DEI #15 driven by Michael Waltrip for the 2005 season. Only California has more Indians than Arizona, and Arizona has slightly more Indians than Oklahoma [1] (http://eire.census.gov/popest/data/states/ST-EST2002-ASRO-03.php). would be promoted to the team manager position for the DEI corporation, while Tony Eury, Jr. 286,680 reportedly live in Arizona, this represents more than 10% of the country's total Indian population of 2,752,158.

At the close of the 2004 season it was revealed that Tony Eury, Sr. According to 2003 Census esimates, Arizona has the second highest number of Native Americans of any state in the Union. Truex went on a charge late in the 2004 Busch Series season, and clinched the championship at Darlington, with a strong finish, making Earnhardt the winner of both a driver's championship (1998 and 1999) and an owner's championship (2004). The racial breakdown of the state is as follows:. Earnhardt as an owner was more proficient. As of 2003, Arizona had a population of 5,580,811 according Census Bureau estimates. That incident, combined with two consecutive DNF's in the playoffs, eventually dropped him out of the running, and finished fifth in the 2004 Nextel Cup playoff. High-tech employment was led by software and computers, with 34,314; electronics components manufacturing, 30,358; aerospace manufacturing, 25,641; architectural and engineering services, 21,378; telecommunications, 21,224; and instruments manufacturing, 13,056.

However, he was penalized 25 points for use of an obscenity during the television broadcast, in violation of a NASCAR rule prohibiting participants from using obscene language. High-tech payroll in 2001 was $2.2 billion, or 14.7 percent of the private-sector total. He was able to qualify third for the NASCAR ten-race playoff, and won his fifth Nextel Cup win of the season (a career high) was also his fifth win at Talladega (another record). In 2001, 161,166 Arizonans were employed in the high-tech sector, accounting for about 8.3 percent of total private-sector employment of more than 1.9 million. In the fall, Junior became the first driver to sweep the weekend meet at Bristol by winning both the Busch race and Cup race in the same weekend. Arizona lost much of its advantage as a high-technology industry leader between 1990 and 2001, according to a state Department of Commerce (http://www.commerce.state.az.us/) report. The burns did not affect Junior in the long run. The state government is the state's largest employer, while Wal-Mart is the state's largest private employer, with 17,343 employees in 2003.

and his stepmother Teresa Earnhardt) and his DEI team mate (John Andretti) in the middle of the races. Copper is still produced in abundance from many giant open-pit mines and underground mines. The burns prevented him from finishing two races where he was replaced by Martin Truex, Jr. (driver for Chance 2 Motorsports, co-owned by Dale Earnhardt, Jr. At one point Arizona was the largest producer of cotton in the country. He suffered second and third degree burns on his neck, chin, and legs. Its per capita income was $27,232, 39^th in the United States. Early in its history, Arizona's economy relied on the "five C's": copper, cotton, cattle, citrus and climate (i.e., tourism). The car burst into flames with Junior still inside. The 2003 total gross state product was $182 billion.

crashed the Corvette he was testing for an American LeMans Series race at Infineon Raceway in Sonoma, California. It is rare for tornadoes to occur in Arizona. won the Daytona 500, 6 years to the day after his father won his only title in the "Super Bowl Of Motorsports." In July, during on off-weekend from NASCAR, Dale Jr. The monsoons bring lightning, thunderstorms, wind and torrentious, if usually brief, evening downpours. In 2004, Dale Earnhardt Jr. Monsoon season in Arizona is from the end of July through August. Still, Junior rallied to score two more wins at Talladega, a pair of Bud Pole Awards and an 11th-place finish in the final standings. Extreme cold temperatures are not unknown, cold air systems from the northern states and Canada occasionally push into the state bringing temperatures below -20C ( subzero Fahrenheit) temperatures in the higher parts of the state.

finished no better than 30th. However, the northern third of Arizona is a plateau at signficantly higher altitudes than the lower desert, and has an appreciably cooler climate, with cold winters and mild summers. In the three races following Fontana, Earnhardt Jr. Due to the primarily dry climate, large temperature swings often occur between day and night temperatures, with temperature swings as large as 10 C (50 F) in the summer months. He struggled after enduring a concussion at Fontana in April -- an injury he did not admit to until mid-September. The summer months of May through August bring a dry, heat ranging from 35 to 40 degrees Celsius (the high 90-100s), with occasional high temperatures exceeding 50C (125 F) have been observed in the desert area. In 2002, Junior had a roller-coaster season. About midway through February, the temperatures start to rise again with sunny warm days, and cool breezy nights.

The season of emotion produced nine top-fives and 15 top-10 finishes, as well as two Bud Poles. November through February are the coldest months with temperatures typically ranging from 4 - 24 degrees Celsius (40-75 degrees Fahrenheit), although occasional frosts are not uncommon. That Talladega victory earned Junior a Winston No Bull 5 $1 million bonus. Typically, from late fall to early spring, the weather is mild, averaging a minimum of 15 degrees Celsius (60 degrees Fahrenheit). The second victory came at Dover, Delaware, in the first race after 9/11 and the third was in the EA Sports 500 at Talladega--the site of his father's final victory. In the lower elevations, the climate is primarily desert, with mild winters and hot summers. The first win came when the series returned to Daytona, the same track where Junior's father had died a few months earlier, for the Pepsi 400. Due to its large area and variations in elevation, the state has a wide variety of climates.

He didn't stay down for long, though. Junior scored three emotional victories and came back to finish eighth in points. Several major Hollywood films, such as U-Turn, Waiting to Exhale, and Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure have been made there (as indeed have many Westerns). Just as his father would have done, Junior raced at Rockingham the following weekend, but crashed on the first lap and finished in 43rd-place. Many tourist souvenirs produced in Arizona or by its residents display immediately characteristic images, such as sunsets, coyotes, and desert plants. As Junior finished second, his father died on impact with the wall. Sedona and Tubac are known as budding artist colonies, and small arts scenes exist in the larger cities and near the state universities. The first major event of the season occurred in the final corner of the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500--Junior's father crashed. The state is a recognized center of Native American art, with a number of galleries such as the Heard Museum showcasing historical and contemporary works.

came into the season assuming that the biggest obstacle he would face would be a sophomore slump, instead the year proved to be one of the most tumultuous and memorable seasons the young driver has experienced. Arizona has witnessed a continuous string of dancing and performing groups of many ethnicities. In 2001 Earnhardt Jr. Nearly 2 billion years of the Earth's history has been exposed as the Colorado River and its tributaries cut through layer after layer of sediment as the Colorado Plateaus have uplifted. Lee, Richard and Maurice Petty had previously accomplished the feat. The canyon, created by the Colorado River cutting a channel over millions of years, is about 277 mile (446 km) long, ranges in width from 6 to 29 kilometers (4 to 18 miles) and attains a depth of more than 1,6 km (1 mile). That occasion was only the second time that a father had raced against two sons. President Theodore Roosevelt was a major proponent of the Grand Canyon area, visiting on numerous occasions to hunt mountain lion and enjoy the breathtaking scenery.

Junior did have a part in recreating one Winston Cup milestone in 2000 when he competed with his father and brother Kerry in the Pepsi 400 at Michigan International Speedway. The canyon is one of the seven natural wonders of the world and is largely contained in the Grand Canyon National Park - one of the first national parks in the United States. Kenseth ultimately scored a 42-point victory in the rookie race. The Grand Canyon is a colorful, steep-sided gorge, carved by the Colorado River, in northern Arizona. It didn't pan out that way, as frequent challenger Matt Kenseth outran Junior in the Daytona 500, and never let up in his run to the title. The Mogollon Rim, a 600-meters (2000-foot) escarpment, cuts across the central section of the state and marks the southwestern edge of the Colorado Plateau, where the state experienced its worst forest fire ever in 2002. Before his Winston Cup rookie season in 2000, many thought Earnhardt Jr. was the front-runner for the Raybestos Rookie of the Year Award. More than half of the state features mountains and plateaus and contains the largest stand of Ponderosa pine in the United States.

With his father's guidance and his own experience on the short tracks throughout the Carolinas, he was ready to take a bold step forward. Like other states of the Southwest, Arizona has an abundance of topographical characteristics in addition to its desert climes. won consecutive NASCAR Busch Series Championships in 1998 & 1999. Arizona gained two seats in the House of Representatives due to redistricting based on Census 2000. Earnhardt Jr. Hayworth (R-5), Jeff Flake (R-6), Raul Grijalva (D-7), and Jim Kolbe (R-8). There, he developed an in-depth knowledge of chassis setup and car preparation, while racing against Kerry and their sister Kelley. Arizona's representatives in the United States House of Representatives are Rick Renzi (R-1), Trent Franks (R-2), John Shadegg (R-3), Ed Pastor (D-4), J.D.

Within two seasons, the young Earnhardt had honed his driving abilities to the point of joining the Late Model Stock Car division. The two Arizona US Senators are Senator John McCain (Republican) and Senator Jon Kyl (Republican). His first race car was a 1978 Monte Carlo that he co-owned with older brother Kerry. She has been governor since 2003. See:List of Arizona Governors. began his professional driving career at the age of 17, competing in the Street Stock division at Concord (N.C.) Motorsport Park. The current Governor of Arizona is Janet Napolitano, a Democrat. Earnhardt Jr. The governor may serve any number of terms, though no more than two in a row.

He currently drives the #8 Budweiser Chevrolet Monte Carlo. Arizona's executive branch is headed by a governor elected for a four-year term. Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr. (born October 10, 1974 in Kannapolis, North Carolina) is the son of NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt. However, no more than four terms may be served consecutively. NASCAR. Arizona state senators and representatives are elected for two year terms and there are no terms limits. List of famous NASCAR drivers. The executive budget has allocated money to previously passed legislation.

Besides the money spent on state agencies, money has also been allocated for tax cuts, pay raises for government employees, and health insurance for government employees. The 2002 budget of the Arizona state legislature was $14.3 billion, while the executive budget was $13.8 billion. The majority party is the Republican party, which has held power since 1950. Arizona's legislature consists of a thirty-member Senate and a 60-member House of Representatives.

See: List of Congressmen. Arizona was admitted into the Union on February 14, 1912. The site was purchased after the war by the Maytag family, and is currently the Phoenix Zoo. Arizona was also the site of a German and Italian prisoner of war camp during WWII.

With the encouragement of Brigham Young, Mormons went to Arizona from Utah in the mid to late 1800s to the Phoenix Valley (or "Valley of the Sun"), Mesa, Tempe, Prescott, Snowflake, Heber, and many other Arizona towns to settle there. Arizona was administered as part of the Territory of New Mexico until it was organized into a separate territory on February 24, 1863. In 1853 the land below the Gila River was acquired from Mexico in the Gadsden Purchase. The United States took possession of most of Arizona at the end of the Mexican War in 1848.

All of what is now Arizona became part of Mexico's northwest frontier upon the Mexican assertion of independence from Spain in 1810. Father Kino developed a chain of missions and taught the Indians Christianity in Pimería Alta (now southern Arizona and northern Sonora) in the 1690's and early 1700's. Spain founded fortified towns (presidios) at Tubac in 1752 and Tucson in 1775. Coronado's expedition entered the area in 1540–42 during its search for Cibola. Beyond its original native inhabitants, Marcos de Niza, a Franciscan, explored the area in 1539.

USS Arizona was named in honor of this state. Three possible derivations are:. Historians disagree about the origin of the name "Arizona" and its attachment to the region. Besides the Grand Canyon, a number of other National Forests, Parks, Monuments, and Indian reservations are located in the state.

Its major cities are Phoenix, Tucson, Yuma, and Flagstaff. It is also the name of a US Battleship, the USS Arizona. It is one of the Four Corners states, south and east of the Colorado River, bordering New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, California and Mexico, and touching Colorado. Arizona was the 48th state admitted to the United States and is part of the Southwest United States.

Texas Rangers in Surprise. Seattle Mariners in Peoria. San Francisco Giants in Scottsdale. San Diego Padres in Peoria.

Oakland Athletics in Phoenix. Milwaukee Brewers in Phoenix. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in Tempe. Kansas City Royals in Surprise.

Colorado Rockies in Tucson. Chicago White Sox in Tucson. Chicago Cubs in Mesa. Arizona Diamondbacks in Tucson.

Phoenix Suns (National Basketball Association). Phoenix Mercury (Women's National Basketball Association). Phoenix Coyotes (National Hockey League). Arizona Sting (National Lacrosse League).

Arizona Rattlers (Arena Football League). Arizona Diamondbacks (Major League Baseball). Arizona Cardinals (National Football League). Arizona Music Educators Association.

Western International University. University of Phoenix. Thunderbird - The Garvin School of International Management. Southwestern College.

Prescott College. Grand Canyon University. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. DeVry University, Phoenix.

Collins College, Tempe. American Indian College of the Assemblies of God. Northland Pioneer College. Arizona Western College.

South Mountain Community College. Mohave Community College. Cochise College. Prescott College.

Yavapai Community College. Eastern Arizona College. Pima Community College. South Mountain Community College.

Scottsdale Community College. Rio Salado Community College. Phoenix College. Paradise Valley Community College.

Mesa Community College. Glendale Community College. GateWay Community College. Estrella Mountain Community College.

Chandler-Gilbert Community College. Northern Arizona University. University of Arizona. Arizona State University.

18% No Religion. 2% Non-Christian religions. 6% Mormon. 25% Other Protestants.

4% Lutheran. 5% Methodist. 9% Baptist. 43% Protestant