I wasn't a fan of Dale Earnhardt. You can't be a "fan" of a legend....the
term doesn't apply.
I've followed racing all my life (or at least as far back as I have
memories) and I've been privilaged to be a participant in this sport, for
the last 16 years. Every time I've climbed into my race car, I knew the
risks and was willing to accept them. I love racing, but tonight I hate
her. I've been a VCR-tapping, season-schedule-taped-on-the-wall, NASCAR
racing fan since the early eighties. I've never seen a NASCAR race without
Dale Earnhardt in it.....and tonight, there's a hole in this world of mine.
Last April, I had the privilage of meeting Dale Earnhardt, Jr., here at
Sears Point while he was testing for two days with Labonte, Park and
Andretti. What I remember most of that momentous occassion (for me), wasn't
the opportunity to race with those guys on our simulators, or the animated
discussions we had about how we should change The Chute, or how valid the
use of racing simulators was or would become in the future. What I remember
most was a simple telephone call.....on a cell phone......over hearing Dale
Jr. just a few feet away (he had stepped out of the conversation several of
us were having on pit road, to take a call from his dad). I couldn't hear
the words of Dale Sr., of course. But it wasn't hard to imagine them
because I could hear the response, "Dad, I promise you I'm being careful."
I never could watch those famous Dale Sr. vs. Dale Jr. TV commercials again
without smiling, realizing how much love and mutual respect was really in
that family. My heart goes out to the Earnhardt family this evening.....and
to the employees of DEI, Dale Sr.'s race team and their families as well,
whose lives must have been permanently altered just because of the the
privilege to work with and around Dale Earnhardt, Sr. But, most of all, my
heart goes out to Dale Jr. The hole in my world tonight is nothing compared
to the one that must be in his.
Tom Pabst
Amen, Sundays will never be quite the same for me.
J. Janasov
Tom Pabst <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:6t1k6.7502$[email hidden]...
without
> Dale Earnhardt in it.....and tonight, there's a hole in this world ofmine.
>
> Last April, I had the privilage of meeting Dale Earnhardt, Jr., here at
> Sears Point while he was testing for two days with Labonte, Park and
> Andretti. What I remember most of that momentous occassion (for me),wasn't
> the opportunity to race with those guys on our simulators, or the animated
> discussions we had about how we should change The Chute, or how valid the
> use of racing simulators was or would become in the future. What Iremember
> most was a simple telephone call.....on a cell phone......over hearingDale
> Jr. just a few feet away (he had stepped out of the conversation severalof
> us were having on pit road, to take a call from his dad). I couldn't hear
> the words of Dale Sr., of course. But it wasn't hard to imagine them
> because I could hear the response, "Dad, I promise you I'm being careful."
>
> I never could watch those famous Dale Sr. vs. Dale Jr. TV commercialsagain
> without smiling, realizing how much love and mutual respect was really in
> that family. My heart goes out to the Earnhardt family thisevening.....and
> to the employees of DEI, Dale Sr.'s race team and their families as well,
> whose lives must have been permanently altered just because of the the
> privilege to work with and around Dale Earnhardt, Sr. But, most of all,my
> heart goes out to Dale Jr. The hole in my world tonight is nothingcompared
> to the one that must be in his.
>
> Tom Pabst
>
>
