SC_RedskinsFan Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 Dale Earnhardt lost his life on the last lap of the Daytona 500 watching the 2 cars he owned finish 1st and 2nd...... RIP Dale....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hitman21ST Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 I never really followed NASCAR until I started watching Earnhardt, and I like Junior...RIP 3. Some of my fathers coworkers took a week off for mourning when they go the news he passed away Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FanboyOf91 Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 I was planning to follow NASCAR that year, especially Earnhardt. I never recovered from that day... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popeman38 Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 I was in the Pocono's that weekend, watchin the race at the bar. Never heard a redneck sports bar that quiet after a race. When Mike Helton made the announcement, you coulda heard a pin drop. Then the reactions started. Grown men cryin like babies. The whiskey was flowing that night, and I can honestly say I drank too much that night. Sad day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thebluefood Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 I heard about nit while watching SportsCenter after I came home for church. I saw the crash and it didn't look that bad. Then they announced he was dead. I've never been a NASCAR fan, but even at that age, I knew it was a big deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MKnight82 Posted February 18, 2011 Share Posted February 18, 2011 It's definitely one of those moments you remember where you were when you heard. I was a teenager and worked checkout at the local Target. Someone I was ringing up mentioned the news in passing and I couldn't believe it. When I got a break I called my parents and was pretty upset. I have not been a fan of NASCAR since his death. He was my favorite driver and when he died I just couldn't go through the process of picking another driver and hoping he wouldn't get hurt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
macnoke03 Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 I never really followed NASCAR until I started watching Earnhardt, and I like Junior...RIP 3.Some of my fathers coworkers took a week off for mourning when they go the news he passed away Not trying to be a jerk or anything, but this is just a bit ridiculous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teller Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 It's definitely one of those moments you remember where you were when you heard. I was a teenager and worked checkout at the local Target. Someone I was ringing up mentioned the news in passing and I couldn't believe it. When I got a break I called my parents and was pretty upset.I have not been a fan of NASCAR since his death. He was my favorite driver and when he died I just couldn't go through the process of picking another driver and hoping he wouldn't get hurt. And that's why I get so mad when people say, "everyone watches for the wrecks." Nothing could be further from the truth for the true fans. We've seen enough drivers lose their lives, or suffer serious injuries while entertaining us, that real NASCAR fans hold our breath EVERY crash, until we see that window net drop. The Intimidator left a hole in the sport that has never been, and I expect never will be, filled. Sure. Jeff has the wins. Jimmie has the titles. Kyle has the wheel skills. Happy has a similar demeanor. Smoke has the "I'm gonna say what I think, whether you like it or not" attitude. But even those five guys combined don't bring to the sport what Dale did. His aura was special. There was no question in anyone's mind who "the man" was. And as great as the 48 team is, I don't think that's true today. Honestly, that day, I got tears in my eyes when I saw Dale Jr. sprinting up pit road toward his dad's car. That's when I knew it was bad. Really bad. And even though I wasn't a Sr. fan, I felt the emptiness that every other fan who loves this sport did when I heard of his passing. I think I went through all of the stages of grief, though a little dampened because I didn't know him personally. I mean, damn. Dale was invincible; how in the name of all that is good and holy good he be gone? Seriously?! ... Yeah. The denial part took a while. Dale's legacy is several-fold. First, he was obviously a phenomenal driver and champion. He drove with a swagger, and aggression, that we'll probably never see again. Great as Jimmie and Chad are, there will never be another Dale Earnhardt Sr. But more importantly, we've already seen guys survive crashes or escape serious injury because of the safety improvements that were made after Dale's death. The HANS device. The SAFER barriers. The foam packed into the bodies of the cars. The improved roll cages and body structure. Michael McDowell, Jeff Gordon, Tony Stewart, Carl Edwards, and others, are still around, and still doing what they love because of those improvements. It's sad that we had to lose one of the Mount Rushmore figures of the sport to get to where we are now safety-wise. But I can say without the slightest doubt, that Dale Sr. didn't die in vain. And I'm grateful that NASCAR made the necessary changes to drastically reduce the chances of another loss like that one. God rest you, Dale. And even as an Edwards fan, if you want to give your son a little bump draft on Sunday, I'm all for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubble Screen Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 I heard about nit while watching SportsCenter after I came home for church. I saw the crash and it didn't look that bad. Then they announced he was dead.I've never been a NASCAR fan, but even at that age, I knew it was a big deal. That crash would be considered nothing in today's Nascar. Its just so much safter now. If I recall, the HANS (Head and Neck restraint system) wasn't invented until after his death. He also did do himself any favors wearing the open-face helmet. Not only was it not safe, but it looked stupid. Plus I think the roll bars and pretty much everything about the cars are better as a result of his death. I was never a Earnhardt fan, but even I was pretty sad for awhile after that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teller Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 That crash would be considered nothing in today's Nascar. Its just so much safter now. If I recall, the HANS (Head and Neck restraint system) wasn't invented until after his death. He also did do himself any favors wearing the open-face helmet. Not only was it not safe, but it looked stupid. Plus I think the roll bars and pretty much everything about the cars are better as a result of his death. I was never a Earnhardt fan, but even I was pretty sad for awhile after that. The open-faced helmet wasn't as safe, I'm sure, but I completely disagree with you about how it looked. It was old school. And Sr. was an old school racer. None of that pretty boy crap we see today. The helmet didn't "cause" his death, but it was certainly a huge factor. When he and Marlin hit, it rocked forward on his head, and forced him forward and to the right in the seat. (The harness played a role in that too.) He was killed when the BACK of his head hit the steering wheel, as he impacted the wall. Who knows if he would have survived with a full-face helmet. His odds would have been better, certainly, since the full helmet wouldn't have exposed the back of his head. But it's all water under the bridge now. Also, if you guys haven't seen "The Day" on Speed. Be sure to catch it or TiVo it. I watched it last night, and was this >.< close to tears. Very moving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ardowling Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 I was/am a big Earnhardt fan, watched the race and crash from Germany and knew by how long it took to get him out that it didn't look good. His death defiantly affected the way I followed the sport. Not to be a jerk or derail this thread but America also lost six heros that week in Hawaii and very few folks probably remember or even noticed at the time. http://archives.starbulletin.com/2001/02/13/news/story1.html RIP to all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubble Screen Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 ^^ That's the first I've heard of him hitting the back of his head on the steering wheel. I was always under the impression that he died because of his head hitting the steering wheel, or like you said, to the right of it, on the dashboard or something. His car impacted the wall head-on. So I'd be surprised if that was true. But I'm not doubting you. Afterall, I never really read up too much on all his injuries and whatnot. Still think the helmet looked stupid as hell. Yeah, I know he was old school. But, in the end, being old school didn't do him any favors. But I'm not saying for certain that's why he's not here anymore. Just wished he would have had more sense, is all. And btw, I don't think you're giving ole "Five-time" enough credit. What he has accomplished will never be matched ever again in the sport. And I'm of the opinion that there is more overall talent in the sport now than at any other time. And, needless to say, Sr. wouldn't have probably won half the races or titles he won had he raced in today's Nascar. He was still great though. No doubt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.