Spaceman Spiff Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 Unofficial Dale Earnhardt Museum Destroyed by Hurricane Five Dale Earnhardt banners and flags were blown off of the Diggler family trailer by the high winds of Hurricane Isabel as it blew through N. Carolina. More than 60 Earnhardt Items inside the trailer were destroyed, as well. The trailer home of Jim and Irma Diggler of Rocky Mount, NC was destroyed by Hurricane Isabel when it blew through the area last Thursday. The home, decorated with hundreds of Dale Earnhardt memorabilia items, was one of dozens of unofficial Dale Earnhardt museums destroyed in the state. North Carolina officials estimate memorabilia losses at $638, or more than $500,000 in the Southeast. “The devastation felt by hundreds of our citizens due to damaged or destroyed Dale Sr. memorabilia from Hurricane Isabel is enormous,” said North Carolina Governor Michael Easley. “I personally feel the pain, having lost a No. 3 flag off of my truck.” The Diggler family trailer had several Earnhardt banners and flags on the outside of their home, and more than 60 items inside the four-room structure – including Earnhardt clocks, framed posters, lunch boxes, t-shirts, cardboard cut-outs and commemorative coins. “We lost pretty much all of it,” said Jim Diggler. “I spent 20 years compiling this collection and now it’s all gone. Just like Dale.” The Digglers’ collection was worth an estimated $22, or more than $17,000 in the Southeast. And their loss was mirrored by other trailer home owners in the state who are part of a sort of network of unofficial Dale Earnhardt museums. “As the birthplace of the greatest stock car racer of all time, we North Carolinians are distraught to see that Isabel took with her so many mementos of our favorite son,” said Gov. Easley. “They will be missed just like Dale.” The hurricane has inflicted a serious blow to the racing memorabilia and unofficial Dale Earnhardt museum industries, two of North Carolina’s fastest growing. And plans for a Dale Earnhardt Heritage Trail with stops at trailer park museums across the state has been delayed indefinitely. The Digglers’ neighbor three lots away at the Sweet Acres Mobile Home Park also had their Earnhardt collection ruined. “The hurricane ripped a hole in the side of our house and much or the roof and really had its way with us,” said Mitch Smith. “We don’t have too much Dale stuff left.” Smith said he felt a surreal connection with the late racer during Isabel’s fury. “I was holding onto my commode in the back room hoping I wouldn’t get blown away, and then it hit me – the roar of the hurricane sounded exactly like the roar of Dale’s engine coming down the homestretch. Then I knew I would be okay ‘cause Dale was there with me hunkered down beside the toilet.” The state has yet to complete an estimate on the damages inflicted to trailers that are dedicated to drivers other than Earnhardt or to NASCAR in general, but estimate it will be equal to the $638 (or $500,000 Southeast) of losses in Earnhardt paraphernalia. Gov. Easley said it is the determined spirit of the Earnhardt fans – a spirit Dale himself would be proud of – that will get them through this disaster. “I’m sure that soon enough, on the back of pickup truck windows across the state you’ll not only see No. 3 stickers and decals of that little boy urinating on a Ford logo, but also decals of that little boy urinating on Hurricane Isabel,” said Gov. Easley. “And I’ll be all the more proud of our great state with every decal I see.” http://www.sportspickle.com/features/volume2/2003-0924-earnhardt.html :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckeyeG Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 In my best redneck voice...."I'm a biiigg faaaan". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ntotoro Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 Originally posted by Spaceman Spiff The Diggler family trailer had several Earnhardt banners and flags on the outside of their home... Dirk, afterall, is a star among stars... :cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bang Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 Well, that'll teach em for putting the museum in a trailer. ~Bang Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Disco Dave Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 Trailer park hero. People make too much of a big deal about this guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chomerics Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 Originally posted by Bang Well, that'll teach em for putting the museum in a trailer. ~Bang I actually thought it was quite ironic myuself. . . :doh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gridironmike Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 Its fake guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrangeSkin Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 ...Isabel was like 2 years ago, and it hit VA, not NC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RonJeremy Posted July 26, 2005 Share Posted July 26, 2005 fake story...real story. It is funny none the less..:laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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