Number 3

[Big Willie]

Being confident that there are a few Nascar fans here, I just wanted to say the loss of Dale Earnhardt yesterday at Daytona was a huge one. I'm a Ford guy, but also a fan of Dale's. I'm sure that we all have hated him for his style, but at the same time we loved it. Giving Jeff Gordon a doughtnut on the driver's side door after Jeff took a checker says it all. You gotta love that. I will miss Dale Earnhardt.
-Gary

[Osprey]

The Intimidator....Gone.... say it aint so
He was helping his team win how unselfesh is that.
My prayers go out to his Family and fans....RIP Dale you were the best....Os

[Jennie@ifish]

I'm sad too.... What a loss.

[Jeffhead]

I'm glad you started this topic BW. I am a huge fan of racing and watched the race yesterday, the crash looked like one I have seen a 1000 times before that guys have walked away from. I didn't hear about the tragedy until last night and was deeply saddened. NASCAR and all of racing has lost a great driver and human being, my prayers have been with his family and friends. Just proves again how fragile and short life can be.
God bless to all, Jeff

My son and I were watching the race. I agree with everything Jeff said. It just didn't look like a lethal crash. In replays though you can see that the yellow car Dale spun around kind of gave him an extra slingshot action and the impact was stronger than it first appeared. Although I am more of a road race fan of Trans Am to Indy/F1 type racing, I do follow the Nascar guys some. This hits home a little for my 14 yr. old son who is a huge race fan and watched this happen. He has watched me race my SS out at PIR, both road racing and drag racing, many times and is now starting to race go-karts. It makes us parents shudder to hear about these race car deaths that do occur. I'm trying to steer him more into golf, b-ball, and fishing. But he has the 'bug' bigtime. Prayers for the Earnhardt family, friends, and fans. - Steve

[chinook_hunter]

Nascar will not be the same. We`ll miss you Dale.

[Gregotis98]

The impact my not of looked that violent, but you have to remember they were doing 180mph, and the stuff in you head can't stop that fast without moving around in there. I did'nt care too much for #3's driving style, he was agressive with others but when someone worked on him he would sceam. But in saying that he sure was fun to watch. The sport will not be the same for a year or two. Rest in peace, you were one hell of a person and personality.

[Fishin Magician]

This really hit home to me and my wife!!! I am still in shock. My prayers are with the family. The only comfort I have found is knowing that he died doing what he loved more than anything !!!!! We will truely miss him and his racing style.

[Fish4Fun]

I am totally a 100% Dale Earnhardt fan. That was the main reason I would watch on Sunday was to see him drive. I found out last night when we got home from fishing and couldn't believe it either. I am so glad I taped the race now. I can only wish his family the best.

Fish 4 Fun

[Penn]

I too was deeply upset and saddened by what I saw watching the race. Yes, the same hit a thousand times before but this time it took the life of someone that will never be replaced.
Being a paramedic and an SCCA formula driver I've seen both sides of this. The pain of dealing with crashes and even my own at Mid-Ohio in 1997 when I hit a wall head on too. My wifes and my own prayers go out to all that race, all that watch, and all who in the future will race again. Life does go on, no matter how hard.

[This message has been edited by Penn (edited 02-20-2001).]

[Jeffhead]

Artwo,
Thanks for posting such an insperational message!!! It just proves one more time to me that even in the darkest of hours there is always a positive side to life. It is a great reminder that it is entirely up to me how I act and react to whatever the situation is.
God bless to all, Jeff

------------------
"Never be afraid to try something new."

Remember, amateurs built the ark.
Professionals built the Titanic.

[Big Willie]

Thank you Artwo, for sharing that with us. And thank you everyone who shared on this post. What a great bunch of people we have on this board!
-Gary

[Artwo]

I got this out of the USA sports section today, thought you race fans might enjoy it:

Dale Earnhardt's widow sent this letter to USA TODAY so she could speak to his fans around the world.

I can never fully express my immense gratitude for the overwhelming support we have received.

It would be easy at this time to get lost in the sadness of losing a loving husband, father and grandfather. However, I and our family, as well as everyone at Dale Earnhardt Inc., have chosen to take this time to reflect not on the sadness we feel today, but on the joy Dale Earnhardt the man brought to us and Dale Earnhardt the driver brought to so many fans for so many years.

It is a joy that will carry us through the sadness and grief of this day and many days to come.

For our children, Kerry, Kelley, Dale Jr. and Taylor, he was a father whose pride in his children was greater than even his strongest desire as a competitor.

For his mother, Martha, he was a son who always wanted to make sure she had what she needed.

For his brothers and sisters, he was always an influential part of their lives.

For his employees, he could be both demanding and praising and had the ability to create the same desire to win in the crews and drivers that he had in himself. He was very proud of what the teams at Dale Earnhardt Inc. had been able to do in a very short period of time and the people who helped it happen and supported its acceleration.

For his fans, there simply was no one more sensational and with that I agree.

There were two sides to Dale Earnhardt, and I am so blessed to have known both for the qualities they carried.

The public Dale Earnhardt wanted to be the best. The competitive drive that burned inside of him gave him the passion to win. If he was racing, he wanted to win the most races and championships. If he was fishing, he wanted to catch the most fish.

The private Dale Earnhardt, the husband and father and son and brother, wanted to be the best as well. He struggled with that at times. Emotions didn't come as easy to this man who stirred so much emotion in other people. But as his children grew and began making decisions of their own, he saw that most of the time, they made the decision by asking themselves, "What would dad do?"

I will ask myself that in the coming days and weeks and for a long time after that, I'm sure. "What would Dale do?"

I think what Dale would do, and what Dale would want us to do, is remember the joy that his life brought. Remember the things about him that made you happy that you were his fan. Remember the man who loved life.

He was the happiest person I know, and that can comfort us all.

Gratefully, Teresa Earnhardt







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[fish_on]

I have last years Talledega race on tape, this years 500, and the last IROC. I'm going to put together tape that has all his last races on one if anybody wants a copy let me know and I'll see what I can do. He was my hero, and this is a great loss to the world

[hookem]

I used to get depressed when he went a lap
down. Now I Don't know how I can watch a race again. He was my HERO!