BRISTOL, Tenn. — Dale Earnhardt's longtime car owner hinted Saturday the No. 3 could return to racing next year but gave no indications as to which driver would run with it.
The No. 3, which was always one of Earnhardt's trademarks, has not been used since his fatal accident in the season-opening Daytona 500.
Since NASCAR doesn't retire numbers, it could be on a car again sometime in the future — a possibility Richard Childress would not deny.
"We'll be making announcements on the 3 sometime in the near future," Childress said before Saturday night's race at Bristol Motor Speedway. "I can't go there right now, but it will be an issue we'll handle by the end of the year."
There has been speculation about what will happen to the number all season.
Childress took it off his Chevrolets after Earnhardt's death, choosing to run the No. 29 on the cars Kevin Harvick drives.
One scenario could be that Childress will put the No. 3 back on the car and let Harvick run with it. The rookie driver has accumulated a tremendous fan base since taking over the ride and it's possible fans will accept him using the number.
Or, the number could go on Childress' third team, which does not yet have a driver or a number yet.
Another possibility could be that Childress would release his ownership of the number so it could be transferred over for Dale Earnhardt Jr. to use.
Earnhardt Jr. currently uses the No. 8, the same number his grandfather, Ralph, ran with.