He finally said it…

Junior finally said what we’ve all been waiting to hear come from his mouth.

He wants ownership in DEI.

Duh.

No just ownership. He wants majority ownership in the team his father started.

Here’s what he told NASCAR.com before leaving Daytona Media Day reporters abruptly.

"The main factor is the ownership part," Junior said. "It has nothing to do with money and nothing else really. I would really like my team, I like how things are going. ... The motors are improving, everything is on an upswing. My father has been gone for almost six years now, I want majority ownership."

Even though stepmother Teresa has been in control since Earnhardt Sr.'s death, Junior does carry on the name and the sport. Although DEI signed Kerry Earnhardt's son to a contract yesterday, would DEI be DEI without a Dale Earnhardt albeit Jr.?

Doesn't it stand to reason the namesake son would be a majority owner at some point anyway had his father not died six years ago?

Stay tuned "as the steering wheel turns" ... I guess this puts the sheet metal in Teresa's pit box.