Racing's first family

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Happy29

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http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2004/raci...ents/index.html

A Special Sports Illustrated will be released commemorating both Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Dale Earnhardt's career achievements.

No. 1 Daytona February 15, 1998
With "disappointing" and "Earnhardt" on the verge of becoming synonymous at the Daytona 500, the Intimidator finally managed to avoid the late-race mishaps that had contributed to his 19 years of pull-your-hair-out futility on the sport's grandest stage.

No. 2 Daytona February 15, 2004
Three years to the week after his father's death in a crash on the final turn of the Daytona 500, Junior outdueled 2002 Winston Cup champ Tony Stewart to win the Great American Race. Playing the superspeedway drafting game perfectly, Earnhardt juked high, then dived low to pass Stewart on Lap 181 and then held him off to the end.

No. 3 Talladega October 15, 2000
For what would be the last of his 76 career wins, Earnhardt made one of his most memorable charges. Trapped in 18th place with five laps left, he maneuvered his number 3 Monte Carlo through traffic toward the lead. With two laps remaining he caught Mike Skinner and John Andretti to take the checkered flag at the Winston 500.

No. 4 Charlotte May 17, 1987
With 10 laps left in the Winston, Senior went low around a spinning Geoff Bodine and Bill Elliott to take the lead. Three laps later Awesome Bill tried to intimidate the Intimidator, bumping him from behind, sending the number 3 car down the banking and into the infield. Earnhardt, never letting off the throttle, charged back onto the track without giving up the lead -- a move that would forever be known as the Pass in the Grass -- and went on to win.

No. 5 Daytona July 7, 2001
It was a story line from the heavens: The son wins at the same track at which his father was killed just months earlier. Junior charged his number 8 Chevrolet from seventh to first in the final seven laps to win the Pepsi 400. "He was with me tonight," Earnhardt Jr. said of his father. "I dedicate this win to him."

No. 6 Bristol April 12, 1987
The Intimidator? The menacing moniker was never so apt: Senior repeatedly tried to pass Sterling Marlin, then nudged him into the wall en route to winning the Valleydale 500.

No. 7 Atlanta March 12, 2000
Starting in 35th position, Earnhardt worked his way to the lead by Lap 306, then held off a determined Bobby Labonte to win the Cracker Barrel 500 by one hundredth of a second.

No. 8 Bristol April 1, 1979
At age 27 Senior wins the Volunteer 500, the first of his 76 Winston Cup victories. It was the first time a rookie had won a Grand National Race since 1974. Call it the birth of the legend.

No. 9 Talladega May 1, 1994
Some say it was the greatest finish in the storied history of Talladega. A tenacious Earnhardt held off Ernie Irvan by .067 of a second to win the Winston Select 500.

No. 10 Bristol Aug. 28, 1999
In front of a crowd of nearly 140,000, Senior spun Terry Labonte into the backstretch wall to take the Goody's 500. Did the Intimidator go too far? The fans rained down boos after the race, but Earnhardt wasn't exactly apologetic. "I didn't mean to turn him around," he said, "but I wanted to rattle his cage."

No. 11 Texas April 2, 2000
Add another Earnhardt to the list of Winston Cup winners. After back-to-back Busch Series titles, 25-year-old Dale Jr. -- driving in only his 12th Winston Cup race -- won the DirecTV 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. In Victory Lane, Junior was greeted by his winning owner: his father.

No. 12 Richmond Feb. 23, 1986
One of NASCAR's wildest finishes saw Senior tag Darrell Waltrip (number 11) with three laps to go in the Miller 400. Both men wrecked, leaving Kyle Petty free to win his first race.

No. 13 Texas April 5, 1998
Coming out of Turn 4 with a lap to go in the Coca-Cola 300, Junior used a perfect bump-and-run to pass leader Joe Nemechek and go on to his first Busch Series victory, at age 23.

No. 14 Talladega April 6, 2003
Though forced to start from the rear of the 43-car field because of an engine change, Dale Jr. managed to pass the field and go on to win the Aaron's 499. In so doing, he became the first driver to win four straight races at the 2.66-mile superspeedway.

No. 15 Charlotte May 20, 2000
Dale Jr. became the first rookie to win the Winston when he stormed past Dale Jarrett with two laps to go. He was joined in the winner's circle by his father -- a three-time winner of the annual all-star event.

No. 16 Atlanta Nov. 2, 1986
With a Winston Cup championship hanging in the balance, Earnhardt won the Atlanta Journal 500 in record time. The victory clinched his second title.

No. 17 Japan Nov. 22, 1998
Earnhardt vs. Earnhardt. In the first race in which both competed, in Motegi, Japan, Junior finished sixth and Senior eighth.

No. 18 Michigan Aug. 20, 2000
The Pepsi 400 featured a trio of Earnhardts (Dale, Dale Jr. and Kerry), only the second time a father and two sons ran in a Winston Cup event.

No. 19 Charlotte May 30, 1993
At the Coca-Cola 600 Senior rallied twice from a lap down and won going away over a rookie named Jeff Gordon (24).

No. 20 Charlotte May 30, 1993
At the Coca-Cola 600 Senior rallied twice from a lap down and won going away over a rookie named Jeff Gordon (24).
 
Well, this ought to get me flamed around here and no disrepect meant to the Earnhardt legacy, but...are the Earnhadt's considered NASCAR's first family? When I think of a racing family in NASCAR the first family that comes to my mind are the Petty's....running for cover... :eek:
 
Originally posted by redrock@May 27 2004, 11:51 AM
Well, this ought to get me flamed around here and no disrepect meant to the Earnhardt legacy, but...are the Earnhadt's considered NASCAR's first family? When I think of a racing family in NASCAR the first family that comes to my mind are the Petty's....running for cover... :eek:
Actauly when I read the title, I expected this to be about the France family....

Anyway, whether or not the piece is appropriately titled put aside, thsoe are some good memories.
 
Originally posted by TonyB@May 27 2004, 11:55 AM
Actauly when I read the title, I expected this to be about the France family....

That was my first thought too.
 
Originally posted by bowtie+May 27 2004, 12:08 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (bowtie @ May 27 2004, 12:08 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin--TonyB@May 27 2004, 11:55 AM
Actauly when I read the title, I expected this to be about the France family....

That was my first thought too. [/b][/quote]
I'll have to agree, those were my thoughts too. :D
 
:XXROFL: The Earnhardts...racing's first family... :XXROFL: :XXROFL: Oh my that's imaginative... :XXROFL:

Puh-leeeeeeze.

*****edited by bowtie*****
 
Have to agree with TonyB!!!!
0560.gif
 
Did anyone see the issue of Racer Magazine two months ago? They had the top 10 most powerful people in racing in the world... DE Jr. was #1.... France was #2.
 
I strongly disagree with the assertion that the Earnhardts are NASCAR's first racing family. Anyone with a racing knowledge should realise that the Petty's are racing's first family.
 
First Family=accomplishments - would mean the Pettys
But if the time factor is included then the Flock family's got'em all beat.
 
****edited by bowtie for language****

Happy you know we don't allow that here, don't let it happen again!!! :angry:
 
I would consider Richard Petty the "father" of NASCAR, the man was beyond great on a racetrack, But until I see another Petty in victory lane of a NASCAR race I wouldnt consider them the first family.
 
Originally posted by Labonte and Petty Fanatic@May 27 2004, 11:51 PM
I strongly disagree with the assertion that the Earnhardts are NASCAR's first racing family. Anyone with a racing knowledge should realise that the Petty's are racing's first family.
Exactly! :D
 
Originally posted by Labonte and Petty Fanatic@May 27 2004, 07:51 PM
I strongly disagree with the assertion that the Earnhardts are NASCAR's first racing family. Anyone with a racing knowledge should realise that the Petty's are racing's first family.
What have the Petty's done the past 10 years besides being an embarrassment?

I too thought it was about the France family.
 
Originally posted by Mongo+May 28 2004, 12:53 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Mongo @ May 28 2004, 12:53 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin--Labonte and Petty Fanatic@May 27 2004, 07:51 PM
I strongly disagree with the assertion that the Earnhardts are NASCAR's first racing family.&nbsp; Anyone with a racing knowledge should realise that the Petty's are racing's first family.
What have the Petty's done the past 10 years besides being an embarrassment?

I too thought it was about the France family. [/b][/quote]
Psst...the sport's been around a little longer than 10 years...
 
as much as i like the racers.... it has to be the France family... without them organizing.... there wouldn't be a NASCAR
 
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