Dale Earnhardt Day

breatheoflife

breatheoflife

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The Intimidator would have been 62 today. Gone, but not forgotten.

What's your favorite Dale Sr. moment?

I laugh my a$$ off everytime I see him coming down pit road, hanging out the door, cleaning off his own window.
 
I'm torn between posting this video and another one, but instead of a pass in the grass I think I'm going to have to go with this:



I always liked Dale because he spoke up when he felt something wasn't in the interest of the sport. Not saying he was always right mind you....:)

BTW when he was alive I wasn't a fan at all. I rooted against him and Jeff Gordon every race, just hated them for no particular reason xD. It makes things more interesting.... Looking back, Dale was one of the great ones and I cheered when he finally won the Daytona 500. I had to put aside my hate that day because he tried so hard, and got so close so many times, it was good to finally see him get that monkey off of his back.

I bet if he were alive today he'd still be out there racing and probably posting some wins and top 5s. The man was a genius when he got in that race car.
 
Over the years at one time or other I've said all I have to say. Keep grinning old son.
 
My favorite Big E moment was a time when he wasn't even driving. In 1999, I went to Charlotte for the 600 weekend. I was at the Busch race that Saturday. During the race, Junior came in for a stop running 10th --- went out running 3rd. Pops Eury apologized to Junior for not being able to get him a cold drink. Junior said he'd trade a cold drink for a stop like that any f***ing time. Just about the time Junior hit the end of pit road, "the voice" came over the radio.
"Dale" ---
"yes, Daddy?" ----
"Your grandmother is listening." --
"Well, I know she stills loves me."

Most of us in the stands about busted a gut we were laughing so hard.
 
Then there was DaleJr's M'ville race in 2000 --- in the fall. He was having a miserable day, hitting anything and everything but the pace car. I don't remember how many cautions he caused that day.
Big E was livid, you could hear it in his voice.
Finally he told his spotter to "tell that boy to park that thing."
Just about the time Big E said that, Junior put it in the fence right in front me and the car burst into flames.
The spotter told Big E, that he thought Junior had finally killed it this time.


Then there was Darlington. Junior was still in Busch. During practice, he was having trouble with the pit road entrance. Big E was on his tail about being careful because of the sandy nature of the track. Don't spin out. On and on.
During the race, Junior managed it fine. No problems.
Next day, what did Big E do ? Spun out entering pit road, of course. This very contrite little voice said "sorry, boys."
 
NC HillBilly said:
BTW when he was alive I wasn't a fan at all. I rooted against him and Jeff Gordon every race, just hated them for no particular reason xD. It makes things more interesting.... Looking back, Dale was one of the great ones and I cheered when he finally won the Daytona 500. I had to put aside my hate that day because he tried so hard, and got so close so many times, it was good to finally see him get that monkey off of his back.
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Same here. I was a Rusty fan, not a Sr. fan. Those last few 500's, I also found myself cheering for Dale to win it. I did respect him and I thought he deserved it. It amazed me how much his death impacted me, even though he wasn't my favorite driver.
 
When Dale started racing in I believe it was 1975 at Charlotte, I had already been an avid race fan for about 25 years. In those days we mingled with the drivers at motels, retaurants, bars whatever, treated them like any other person and saw the real driver not the public images they have today. I wasnt a Dale fan but he was in my opinion a mans man, in other words got along good with everybody away from the track and had a funny side to his personality. He was a very good race car driver not superhuman like some people today try to make him out to be. I was in the stands at the Daytona 500 when he hit a seagull, when he blew a tire and when he won the Daytona 500. Its hard to pick any one thing but the Daytona bird strike and the win are by far two of my favorites.
 
Johali, you've got me beat in the years of NASCAR fandom -- I only showed up in 1979. :D
Been a race fan since the late 60s ---- started with the straight-liners.
 
Dillon brothers with Dale.

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Didn't mean to wreck him, just wanted to rattle his cage a 'lil.
 
Even though I didn't get to watch Nascar in the past 20 years near as much I as I would have liked to. When I did get the chance to watch I always liked and rooted for Dale Sr, and it is pretty neat to listen to some of the stories from fans with the passion that Johali and TRL has. Dale was one heck of a race car driver.
 
Johali said:
When Dale started racing in I believe it was 1975 at Charlotte, I had already been an avid race fan for about 25 years. In those days we mingled with the drivers at motels, retaurants, bars whatever, treated them like any other person and saw the real driver not the public images they have today. I wasnt a Dale fan but he was in my opinion a mans man, in other words got along good with everybody away from the track and had a funny side to his personality. He was a very good race car driver not superhuman like some people today try to make him out to be. I was in the stands at the Daytona 500 when he hit a seagull, when he blew a tire and when he won the Daytona 500. Its hard to pick any one thing but the Daytona bird strike and the win are by far two of my favorites.
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Awesome.

You have me beat on the fandom as well. Lol. You've been a fan longer than I've been alive! I'm 31, but my NASCAR memories go back as young as 8 years old in '89. So I've been a fan for 24 years now. Remember sitting beside my old man and rooting for my boy Davey Allison. Dad was a Bill Elliot fan. Of course, I know a lot about pre-'89 as well. One of my favorite things to do would be to watch video clips of old races back in the 50's thru 70's before my time.
 
I wasn't a fan but he earned my respect. I guess I always liked listening to him after a race. He'd simply thanked the team and Goodwrench (only one sponsor back then) and he always have something interesting to say about the race. He had a way of turning a phrase.

I do wonder if he would have retired at the right time or race too long like some drivers.
 
My favorite was when he was asked what he was doing when he pulled alongside Mayfield at Pocono (giving him the bird) and he said he was telling him he was number 1...
 
TexasRaceLady said:
Johali, you've got me beat in the years of NASCAR fandom -- I only showed up in 1979. :D
Been a race fan since the late 60s ---- started with the straight-liners.
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Yes maam, but I've got you beat by 4 years or 14 years or 24 years, I'll never tell a womans age, you can get your ass kicked for that sometimes. :D
 
breatheoflife said:
Awesome.

You have me beat on the fandom as well. Lol. You've been a fan longer than I've been alive! I'm 31, but my NASCAR memories go back as young as 8 years old in '89. So I've been a fan for 24 years now. Remember sitting beside my old man and rooting for my boy Davey Allison. Dad was a Bill Elliot fan. Of course, I know a lot about pre-'89 as well. One of my favorite things to do would be to watch video clips of old races back in the 50's thru 70's before my time.
Click to expand...

You and I are close in age, I was born in 1986 and also spent most of my youth watching races with my Dad. I was also a huge Rusty fan, I still think he knows his way around Martinsville better than anyone else. He knows how to save them brakes :D.

I wanted to post this video, sorry about the quality it's the best one I could find. This is my all time favorite win by Dale Sr. Even as a non-fan I couldn't help but respect the skill (and balls of steel) he showed on that day:

 
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