Truex is adamant that Teresa Earnhardt does enough to sustain the team.

"If she wasn't interested, why would she still have the team?" he asked. "She gives us all the tools to do our jobs and that is all you can ask for out of any owner."

And Siegel argues that Teresa Earnhardt's presence at the race track makes no difference in team performance.

"There is so much more to this company than Teresa," he said. "What can she do at the track that will make the cars go faster?"

DEI is working to make its cars go faster, and recently grabbed Bobby Hutchens from Richard Childress Racing to run competition. The company also has an engine alignment with RCR, and points to improvement in three of its teams as proof that the company is on the right track.

Although Truex is winless this season and missed the Chase, he can point to a 100-point penalty his team was handed in July as what kept him out. But Menard, who dropped out of the top 35 last season and failed to qualify for six races, is 28th this season and has made every start.

Regan Smith is leading the rookie of the year standings, and if Mark Martin had run a full schedule, he might have made the Chase. Sharing the ride with Almirola this season, the duo has the car ranked 15th in owner points.

Earnhardt Jr. said he hasn't really followed DEI since he left, but doesn't think the end is near.

"Something will happen where they are able to accomplish and be what they want to be," he said.

But Harvick, who fields cars in the Nationwide and Truck Series, called on Teresa Earnhardt to get more involved to save the team.

"There has to be some control from the ownership side of it to try and foresee these things coming," he said. "I don't know the ins and outs of how that particular company works. But I definitely don't think it would be a good thing for the garage if Dale Earnhardt Inc. was not there."

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