10 Athletes Who Betrayed Fans By Joining Their Team's Rival

10. Dale Earnhardt, Jr.

For those that only casually pay attention to NASCAR or don't follow the sport at all, hearing the name Dale Earnhardt, Jr. instantly creates thoughts of NASCAR's biggest name. In fact, Earnhardt, Jr. has won NASCAR's Most Popular Driver Award every year since 2003. Much of that popularity comes from the legacy of his father, who was one of the most successful racers in NASCAR history.

When Earnhardt, Jr. got his start, he was racing with his father's team (Dale Earnhardt, Inc.) in the popular number eight car. In 2007, the most successful racing team, Hendrick Motorsports, came calling. Earnhardt, Jr. announced that he was leaving his father's DEI legacy for Hendrick, as the team was able to offer a better car to give him a shot at winning a title.

Upset with the decision, Earnhardt's own stepmother wouldn't allow him to take the number eight car with him. Instead, Earnhardt switched over to the 88 car, but never ended up winning a championship. 2017 was his final chance to take the cup, but he would finish outside of the Chase and never finished better than third. In terms of money, Earnhardt made the right choice as he's estimated to be worth $300 million.