My few minutes with the Intimidator. Your memories welcome

[Joe Fan]

Although Dale was a rough and tough driver on the track, beneath that bad boy image exterior was one really nice guy. I waited in line for hours at a shopping mall a few years ago where Dale Earnhardt was going to sign autographs. When he finally arrived (on time), he had anyone who was handicapped come up to the head of the line first so that he could spend extra time with them. I thought this was a real class move on his part and when I finally got up to get my autograph, I asked him to sign a die cast car on the windshield and he replied jokeingly with a grin, "On the windshield, you sure you don't want it on the hood?" I said "nope" and so he signed it on the windshield just like I had asked and very legibly I might add too. It is something that I will always cherish.

[dei3fan]

thanks for sharing that with us joe. unfortunately I never met Dale in person but would have loved to. Nascar will never be the same without the "Intimidator" out there on the track. So much of my love for the sport was tied up in watching that #3 car out there its hard to think of it not being there but I know Dale would want us to carry on and maintain our support.It's gonna be hard tho'.

[Joe Fan]

Here is a photo that has real meaning.

http://sports.yahoo.com/top/gallery/..._500_kdh.html?

[marcus]

that just shows what a true gentleman dale was.

I also never met him but always admired him for his abilities on the track and now thanks to this topic his abilities off the track...I am thousands of miles from the nascar world but this came straight into my heart and ripped it right out...

I dont get to see alot of races either but when he won the 500 a few years ago ..you just has to salute this man ..this is my greatest memory of him...winning the daytona 500 and the reception of the crowd but mainly the pit crews who lined the pit lane and cheered him on to victory circle..that to me was an amazing thing to see happen and will be a lasting memory of Dale earnhardt.


Time may heal the wounds ..but it will never take away the memories.

[Lee]

The memory that I will always have of Dale Earnhardt is after his win in the 98 Daytona 500. Every team on pit road lined up and shook his hand, hi-fived him, etc, the entire length of pit road. I don't recall ever seeing that happen before, or since. It was a special moment. I never pulled for him, except for the two years that he drove for Bud Moore (82 and 83) because I am a Ford fan, but I always respected him as a driver, and as a man. He was a class act off track, and a gentleman. For every single NASCAR fan, as well as, I would dare say, every other racing series' fans as well, this is a tragic loss, and one that will not be recovered from for quite some time. Condolances to his family.

[bella]

i was watcing fox sports news on sky sports extra this evening, and they were showing an interview from a few years ago. he was talking about how he met this little girl in a wheelchair at daytona, and she gave him a lucky penny, and told him he was going to win. of course, the first thing he did was to glue the lucky penny to his dashboard, and sure enough, he won.
he seemed like a normal guy.