#3

As a native New Orleanian and a Ford Racing fan, Dale Earnhardt was always like Joe Montana to me. Always keeping my guy (s) out of victory. But today, I feel something different. He is a man who meant so much to the sport. My fiance' knew who he was, even though she has never watched a race. My dad who is also a Ford fan was as speechless as I was when he heard the news. Dale was a great driver. He'll be missed. Hope Jr. can keep on keeping on. Russ

On Mon, 19 Feb 2001 04:55:29 GMT, "Russell D. Laughlin Jr., MCSE" <[email hidden]> wrote:

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>As a native New Orleanian and a Ford Racing fan, Dale Earnhardt was always >like Joe Montana to me. Always keeping my guy (s) out of victory. But >today, I feel something different. He is a man who meant so much to the >sport. My fiance' knew who he was, even though she has never watched a >race. My dad who is also a Ford fan was as speechless as I was when he >heard the news. > >Dale was a great driver. He'll be missed. >

From what I understand, he was the guy you loved or hated. Like Senna. A little too like Senna. :-( >Hope Jr. can keep on keeping on. > I believe he'll do his father's memory proud - but would understand if the 2001 season wasn't his best ever. DG

Don't forget, the first championship he had was in a Mike Curb *Ford*. Of course, he attoned for that by winning 6 more for the Bowtie Brigade. As a Gordon fan, he was the master. If you could beat him, then anyone else was comparative child's play. Even with Earnhardt gone, his spirit will linger. Any accomplishment will draw a comparison to both Richard Petty and Dale Earnhardt. The one record that Petty wants to keep for himself is the 200 win mark. Even with the schedule creeping up on 40 races, the partiy of the sport will prevent anyone from being able to hit the numbers that Richard hit. What I think will be truely missed, is what he did annonomously. If there was ever a driver who controlled *his* PR people, it was Dale. It didn't work the other way around and he didn't particularly try to keep from saying the Politicaly Correct thing. He told it the way he saw it. All Political Correctness that came from him was more likely the result of his upbringing and not a suit telling him what to do or not do. If he was going fishing, he was going fishing. No suit was going to alter that (I know I've read that line somewhere else), and only God was going to ruin the trip (bad weather most likely). What is really coming out now is the stories of how he helped folks without their asking. Guys who needed parts and were in a bind, they would suddenly appear. No need to mention where it came from. Just put it on and race me. Pure attitude. You have to love that about the man. Even though I rooted against him in just about every race (save the annual Daytona 500- after '98 I could root against him there), it was something to see him run when his car was 'on'. After the race that claimed his life, I watched the IROC race and see him not only save what would normally be an unsavable car, he went on to chase down the pack. It was what only Earnhardt could do. I will miss him. OTOH, with all the stories that have come out and the dimensions of the man that we haven't seen, it is gratifying that he is so well reguarded by his family, friends, competitors, and community. When we've all completed our mourning process, I think we'll have found out really who Dale Earnhardt was, and will remain. I once heard the irreverant joke about the racing fan who died and went to heaven. He was delighted to discover that there were race tracks in heaven and that every day the drivers would take to the track. He watched as Tim Richmond would drive with Glen Roberts, Tiny Lund and Davey Allison. Then, a black car with the number '3' on it appeared and outran everyone, and he asked St. Pete with a note of anguish if something had happened to Dale. Saint Pete replied "No, that's just God out for some hot laps". Looks like He got tired with hotlapping. "Russell D. Laughlin Jr., MCSE" wrote:

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> As a native New Orleanian and a Ford Racing fan, Dale Earnhardt was always > like Joe Montana to me. Always keeping my guy (s) out of victory. But > today, I feel something different. He is a man who meant so much to the > sport. My fiance' knew who he was, even though she has never watched a > race. My dad who is also a Ford fan was as speechless as I was when he > heard the news. > > Dale was a great driver. He'll be missed. > > Hope Jr. can keep on keeping on. > > Russ

In article <[email hidden]>, Mike Donnelly Jr <[email hidden]> writes: >Even though I rooted against him in just about every race (save the annual >Daytona 500- after '98 I could root against him there), it was something to >see him run when his car was 'on'. After the race that claimed his life, I >watched the IROC race and see him not only save what would normally be an >unsavable car, he went on to chase down the pack. It was what only Earnhardt >could do. They aired the IROC race already?!? Damn, I missed it.. :( Eldred -- Dale Earnhardt, Sr. 1951-2001 Homepage - http://www.umich.edu/~epickett GPL F1 hcp. +28.67...F2 +151.26...F3 hcp. +373.73 Never argue with an idiot. He brings you down to his level, then beats you with experience... Remove SPAM-OFF to reply.