A Legend 10 Years Gone ...... Tribute To Dale Sr.

[Grow Thread]

i grew up a race fan. forced into it from birth.

 

my father worked for general motors and his best friend raced late-modified cars at the local ohio speedway on weekends.

 

4 long weekends at MIS every summer..... 2 for the nascar WINSTON CUP and 2 for the cart ppg (before the IRL).... and some busch races mixed in as well.... not to mention the unforgettable IROC series that ran back then...... the 80's.

 

our weekends would start on wednesday with a 2hr drive up to the track from northwest ohio and camping in the old campgrounds across the street from the track.

 

the irish hills are a part of me.

 

my first big adventures as a human were after we parked in the holding field and dad let me run over to the campground (which became a vendors paradise after the holding field opened on saturday)

 

it was the forming of a young b.g.

 

i was there at MIS for the 2000th start for KING Richard Petty..... i will never forget the sounds from infield turn 2..... "daddy start your engine" his girls yelled over the p.a. system and one engine roared over the entire infield for a long couple minutes before the command was given to the rest of the field.

 

buying the official program with a "ticket" inside for an official line-up sheet when it finally came out sunday morning..... cutting that 43 driver sheet up and selling strips for $1 each with the winning draw getting all $43.

 

the bar-b-que..... the bottlerockets..... the port-a-potties.......... the boobies

 

it was my upbringing..... and i will never forget.

 

dad was an "INTIMIDATOR" fan.... and a real fuggin proud one too. dale drove the goodwrench car.... my fathers life was general motors.

 

i swear to god i had an aunt that drove a honda and my dad made her park at the neighbors house on christmas day.

 

i was a rusty fan.... always had to make beef with dad when it came to racing. baseball and football we were on the same team.... but when it came to racing i always had to root against him for some reason

 

anyways..... for as many times over the years that i cheered openly and loudly that big dale DIDN'T win the race.................

 

i now cheer his life as the racing community celebrates 10 years without the guy.

 

seriously........ to a fan............ whether you liked him or not ......... you know where you were 10 years ago:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLm0NPbCITg

[mibrains]

it's really hard to believe it's been ten years already...

man where does time go..

another decade down...how many more to go?

[Grow Thread]

i know.... makes ya stop for a second and ponder life.

 

really.

 

brings tears to my eyes when i see D.W. crying one minute with elation that his brother has just won..... but then seconds later say "i hope dale's alright"

 

i have seen so much more violent accidents that drivers have laughingly walked away from.....

 

just let's you know that when it is your time.... it is your time.... and by god i pray i go out doing what i love just like old dale did.

 

let a lanky sativa strangle me as i sleep exhausted on the flower room floor.

[mibrains]

just let's you know that when it is your time.... it is your time.... and by god i pray i go out doing what i love just like old dale did.

 

let a lanky sativa strangle me as i sleep exhausted on the flower room floor.

 

 

LOL i can see the headlines now...

local hero to the people finally succumbed to his predestined fate as he was smothered to death while sleeping under his own monster buds..

i can see the picture with your face all "green oval" edited out and everything...

dream death there man...

smothered by my girls as i sleep....

i could only hope...

if one of those buds got anywhere near your airway....i think your lungs would just reach out and thank you...LOL

besides it couldn't possibly strangle you. all them trychomes would get stuck like a bear trying to eat a porcupine backwards...

[Guest knucklehead bob]

I was there that day . Accident didn't look that bad . Could not believe when they announced the news that he had died as a result . As B G said , at least he passed doing something he loved .

[Grow Thread]

just let's you know that when it is your time.... it is your time.... and by god i pray i go out doing what i love just like old dale did.

 

let a lanky sativa strangle me as i sleep exhausted on the flower room floor.

 

 

LOL i can see the headlines now...

local hero to the people finally succumbed to his predestined fate as he was smothered to death while sleeping under his own monster buds..

i can see the picture with your face all "green oval" edited out and everything...

dream death there man...

smothered by my girls as i sleep....

i could only hope...

if one of those buds got anywhere near your airway....i think your lungs would just reach out and thank you...LOL

besides it couldn't possibly strangle you. all them trychomes would get stuck like a bear trying to eat a porcupine backwards...

 

 

I was there that day . Accident didn't look that bad . Could not believe when they announced the news that he had died as a result . As B G said , at least he passed doing something he loved .

 

i was there when j.d. mcduffie passed away..... as well as the bettenhousen tire accident at indy that ripped some fans apart.....

 

i knew NOTHING of the tragedies in either case until after we made it back home

[Grow Thread]

warning.... this is VERY GRAPHIC.

 

i was watching this race live... never forget it.

 

they showed the replay once real quick and then went off the air for a couple minutes...... came back and wouldnt show it again.... admittedly wouldnt show it again.

 

it was a sure thing that kenny was dead.

 

i was sitting in a bar with a good friend..... we were the only 2 in there besides the bartender.... never forget it.

 

i later met kenny in huntington beach as a part of the x-games.

 

actually had a few minutes to speak racing with him and spoke of the impact of that crash of my life as well as his. kenny is a great guy and i wish him and Wanda the BEST of luck in the future:

 

 

amazing how he lived after something way more violent than dale

[trix]

BG, your story about watching the races w/ your Dad w/ great. thanks for sharing that.

 

My father was a GM guy to work there for 35 years, I bought my first car it was a Honda civic, he didn't ever give me money it was all I could afford.. he wouldn't let me park it in his driveway Lol, I had to park in the street in front of my neighbors house.. True story.. LOL

 

Sounds very similar to the way I was raised my Dad and uncle drinking 30 packs of bush rooting for #3, my uncle was a Sterling Marlin guy ? was that his name yellow car always getting in wrecks lol

 

10 years man, time flies, even when your not having fun....Thanks for the video took me back to that day, I remember watching that on TV that day.. sad..... Then the following year the silence before the race, didn't JR win that race?

 

Anyways yuh, thanks for sharing that Daytona is on tomorrow, that track they were hitting 205 mph last Saturday WOW its gonna be crazy fast race!!

 

I'm more a football guy, but who can resist a good race, and old memories...

 

Trix

[Grow Thread]

BG, your story about watching the races w/ your Dad w/ great. thanks for sharing that.

 

My father was a GM guy to work there for 35 years, I bought my first car it was a Honda civic, he didn't ever give me money it was all I could afford.. he wouldn't let me park it in his driveway Lol, I had to park in the street in front of my neighbors house.. True story.. LOL

 

Sounds very similar to the way I was raised my Dad and uncle drinking 30 packs of bush rooting for #3, my uncle was a Sterling Marlin guy ? was that his name yellow car always getting in wrecks lol

 

10 years man, time flies, even when your not having fun....Thanks for the video took me back to that day, I remember watching that on TV that day.. sad..... Then the following year the silence before the race, didn't JR win that race?

 

Anyways yuh, thanks for sharing that Daytona is on tomorrow, that track they were hitting 205 mph last Saturday WOW its gonna be crazy fast race!!

 

I'm more a football guy, but who can resist a good race, and old memories...

 

Trix

 

lmao... our pops probably played cards together in a break room somewhere in the vast g.m. acreage

 

yeah good old sterling.....

 

i have kinda lost my touch on nascar over the years really.

 

not name dropping but sam hornish is a friend from my childhood days and i really got into IRL there for awhile when he was with panther racing and then into the penske years.

 

since he went to nascar and has failed miserably i hardly watch racing at all anymore....................

 

BUT a newly paved and 3-wide capable daytona is enough to bring an old fan back to the couch

[+420Atheist]

Wow it is hard to believe it has been 10 years. I watched that race on TV and was shocked when the news came that he had died. The crash looked pretty mild compared to some of the flying through the air roll overs we have seen in past races. I still say the Simpson seat belt failed causing his death. It was the third death in two years and we have not seen any since. I know some claim it was due to the HANS device use but every team changed seat belts too.

 

Mark Martin is who I root for these days. The last of the old timers still running. All these new guns seem about the money and popularity. They are more about celebrity than racing IMO.

 

These days I am watching world superbike. There is still a chance a privateer (unsponsored racer) can do well and even win (though it is rare.) Talk about exciting racing. Just watch one sometime. You will not be disappointed.

 

Edited to fix spelling.

[Croppled1]

You guys bring back some memories . I have the race Chanel on now . I remember going to MIS when Nascar was the also run event . Remember the twin 400's there was no nationwide or truck series . I set up towers at Daytona in 1980/81 and the nice people I worked with who were given number 11 or 15 passes gave a few to me so I could stand in the Childress pit and feel the excitement . I don't like to mourn but too miss Earnhardt Sr . on the track .

 

Michigan always has huge influence on the outcome of Nascar . Congratulations to Brian Kesolowski of Rochester High for starting on the 6th row in front of his brother Brad . I too am rooting for Marc Martin as usual will enjoy who is best this day and watch all the underdogs like BK , Elliot ( who would of thunk he'd be one ) RG and remember Darick Cope who was in Brian Kesolowski's shoes years ago and won the Daytona 500 . No matter who wins more the likely Michigan will have been involved in the outcome . Hamtramck tv's for sure will be proudly tuned in .

[wingnut]

JR is on the poll, do you think he will win. I know he has to start in the rear, on his 2nd backup car, but we have seen him come to the front before from the back ....GO JR!!!:unsure:

 

 

Per NASCAR's rules, Earnhardt will retain credit for his pole position and will line up there for the first Duel on Thursday and again, for Sunday's Daytona 500, before dropping to the rear of each race's field on the pace laps.

[Croppled1]

JR is on the poll, do you think he will win. I know he has to start in the rear, on his 2nd backup car, but we have seen him come to the front before from the back ....GO JR!!!:unsure:

 

 

Per NASCAR's rules, Earnhardt will retain credit for his pole position and will line up there for the first Duel on Thursday and again, for Sunday's Daytona 500, before dropping to the rear of each race's field on the pace laps.

 

 

Turn on Fox now its today if you weren't sure . I appreciate your explaining the rule on JR but the wording scared me you may of not realized thrusday happened . I know I get that bad at times ...don't you be offended if its just a typo . We have to always err on helping eachother as patients . As the most popular driver you can bet very ffew would be disapointed with a Jr win .

[P.J.]

Ya know BG i gotta tell ya that story brought a tear to my eye...I also was forced into it...every year for 10 years we went to the MIS infield....My dad worked at GM for 30 years...It was the one thing that my dad and I always did with just us...We were both Rusty fans...and despised Dale....Growing up going to the track and now as an Adult i miss those times with my dad....I watched "The Day" on speed and couldnt help but cry almost the entire time...I always admitted that Dale was a great driver....And ribbed his fans that he never won the "big" one....I remember how it started out at MIS with the camping across the street...Then lining up on the road waiting for the holding field to open up...was always a blast...i havent went that many times since my father passed in 03...But we still have the infield spot and pay for it every year wether we go or not...My dad worked his arse off to have that site against the guardrail in turn 2 so it will stay here.....Thanks for bringing up some memories i havent thought about for a while BG.....and it's pretty funny but it seems like we lived close to the same racing up bringing

[Grow Thread]

Ya know BG i gotta tell ya that story brought a tear to my eye...I also was forced into it...every year for 10 years we went to the MIS infield....My dad worked at GM for 30 years...It was the one thing that my dad and I always did with just us...We were both Rusty fans...and despised Dale....Growing up going to the track and now as an Adult i miss those times with my dad....I watched "The Day" on speed and couldnt help but cry almost the entire time...I always admitted that Dale was a great driver....And ribbed his fans that he never won the "big" one....I remember how it started out at MIS with the camping across the street...Then lining up on the road waiting for the holding field to open up...was always a blast...i havent went that many times since my father passed in 03...But we still have the infield spot and pay for it every year wether we go or not...My dad worked his arse off to have that site against the guardrail in turn 2 so it will stay here.....Thanks for bringing up some memories i havent thought about for a while BG.....and it's pretty funny but it seems like we lived close to the same racing up bringing

 

wow.... i was infield turn 2 for both nascar races each summer from '82-91'..... if you start from the man-made bathroom over there and walk straight for the water tower, you would run into us every time.

 

i have pics from one saturday night we snuck under the fence, lept over/swam some the scum pond and the the inner guard rail.... up the track to stand by the MIS writing on the wall.

 

we got busted and then acted like we were lost and couldnt find our parents.... they eventually got tired of messing with a couple wild boys and just let us go with a stern warning

 

ooooooohhhh......... how about waking up to the jet engine like blowers that were out drying the morning dew off the track

 

so many memories..... so many pictures.

 

............... rusty wallace in the #27 kodiak pontiac with the big burly bear head on the hood

 

those were the good days of racing.... before everyone became rockstars. the drivers and crews were accessible.i was a cale fan until he retired..... and the next year there was this crazy rookie named rusty

[wingnut]

 

 

 

The Intimidator

 

 

 

Ten years ago, today

 

To a father, a husband, a champion

 

We all had to say

 

Goodbye

 

 

 

It was the last lap

 

Of a race to remember

 

He was not trying to overcome

 

Just to support his men

 

A son and a friend

 

 

 

He would be proud

 

He succeeded in his quest

 

To raise a company and a son

 

A legend unlike the rest

 

 

 

We will always remember

 

The race like no other

 

The win and the loss

 

Of “The Intimidator”

 

 

[Grow Thread]

i have about 30 matchbox cars that i painted one summer when i was like 9 years old to look just like the lineup for MIS. i still have most of them out in the shed.... ya making me wanna go get them and show them off

 

geoff bodine, bobby and davey allison, alan kulwicki, harry gant, tim richmond......

[wingnut]

P.J said " I always admitted that Dale was a great driver....And ribbed his fans that he never won the "big" one"

 

 

 

Earnhardt's Daytona mythology only grew larger in 1997 when he was involved in a multi-car accident late in the race and the car flipped. At one point in an ambulance for the ride to the infield care center, Earnhardt instead climbed back into his mangled No. 3, started it up and drove it back to the pits.

 

Maybe that was what finally broke the jinx. Or maybe it was the lucky penny given to Earnhardt by a young fan named Wessa Miller. Maybe it was just finally his day.

 

Whatever the case, Earnhardt erased all the bad luck by winning the 1998 Daytona 500. He led the final 61 laps and was able to successfully hold off Bobby Labonte and Jeremy Mayfield on the day's final caution to savor that long-awaited win.

 

"I'll admit it," Earnhardt said. "My eyes watered up in the race car coming to take the checkered. It's something I've always wondered what it might feel like."

 

It seemed that everyone on pit road was waiting to touch Earnhardt's glove after he celebrated by sliding his black No. 3 through the infield grass on the cool-down lap. And when he finally rolled into Victory Lane, he took his time climbing from the car, sitting there just a few extra moments by himself with a satisfied smile on his face.

 

"Can you believe it?," Earnhardt said. "No. 1, I've got an awesome race car. But No. 2, I want to thank the good Lord for a good day. This is for all them race fans and all them people who kept saying, 'Dale, this is your year.'

 

"The Daytona 500 is ours. We've won it, we've won it, we've won it."

 

And the boulder was lifted from Dale Earnhardt's shoulders forever.

[+420Atheist]

You guys bring back some memories . I have the race Chanel on now . I remember going to MIS when Nascar was the also run event . Remember the twin 400's there was no nationwide or truck series .

 

I went to one of those. That was the coolest thing ever. NASCAR on the first race and Indy cars on the second. What an enjoyable day of racing.

[P.J.]

Yeah our spots are in front of the Administrative building....We snuck over the fence once after the race to grab things from the transporters....I miss going to them...I might go this summer and take my 6 and 3 year olds....if you are ever interested in going lemme know....I am sure there is more than enough room on our spot