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Dale Earnhardt Jr. is the highest-profile free agent in NASCAR history, MSNBC.com contributor Cary Estes writes.

Unless Earnhardt decides to drive for his own team, which he said Thursday would be a last resort, he basically has three options: Richard Childress Racing, Hendrick Motorsports or Joe Gibbs Racing.

Richard Childress Racing is the most logical location for Earnhardt. That is where his father raced for two decades, and where he won six of his seven championships. Childress had a close relationship with the elder Earnhardt, and has said on several occasions that he would love to have Junior driving for RCR.

There is also the possibility that Childress could bring back the old black No. 3 car that Dale Earnhardt Sr. made famous and let Junior drive it. But that connection might be a bit too personal for Junior, who said Thursday his father “made that number what it is. It belongs to him.‘ In the end, Junior might feel the same way about driving for Childress.

Hendrick Motorsports has become the most dominant team in Nextel Cup, with a lineup that includes four-time champion Jeff Gordon, defending champ Jimmie Johnson and up-and-comer Kyle Busch. If owner Rick Hendrick added Earnhardt to his stable of drivers, Hendrick Motorsports suddenly would be the New York Yankees of auto racing.

Earnhardt took one small step in the direction of Hendrick Motorsports last month when he volunteered to drive the final few laps of a race for Busch, who had left the track mistakenly believing his car could not be repaired following a late accident. That moved raised eyebrows when it occurred, and has led to rampant speculation that Earnhardt wants to drive with Hendrick, thinking that the organization would give him the best chance at a championship.

The wild card in all this is Joe Gibbs Racing. Current Gibbs drivers Tony Stewart and Denny Hamlin are two of Earnhardt’s best friends on the circuit. Earnhardt and Stewart have been regular drafting buddies over the years on the restrictor-plate tracks at Daytona and Talladega. In addition, Earnhardt is a big fan of the Washington Redskins, who are coached by none other than Joe Gibbs.

It all adds up to a season of intrigue for both Earnhardt and the NASCAR nation. At this point, there appear to be only two certainties:

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is going to find freedom and fortune to go along with his fame, no matter where he lands. And DEI is going to be a hollow race team that will intimidate no one.