Daytona 500 – Dale Earnheardt Jr.

Daytona 500 – Dale Earnheardt Jr.

We are another one of those Earnheardt families. My mother – watched Nascar races for as long as I could remember. Her favorite driver?

Cale Yarborough was her favorite driver for years and years, until Dale Earnheardt came along. Christmas of 2000 she got a jacket that is the same as the one worn by Dale in this picture, it was signed by Dale Earnhardt on the weekend of his death, and she was sitting in her Oldfield Tower seats during the Daytona 500 of 2001, when Dale Earnheardt crashed into the wall right below her seats…she was listening on the radio and heard his last conversations, she remembers “I am gonna try to get up there if I get a chance.” She thought that he was talking to a Mark, he gave an affirmative to his crew cheif that he had cinched his belt. That was a black day in Daytona 500 history.

My mother puts her coat away in plastic every year and only wears it for the Daytona 500 race. She always has a moment of silence and holds up her 3 fingers as a sign of respect for #3

And the fans come and still flock to the Dale Earnheardt trailer for souvenirs.

My driver?? 88 – Dale Earnheardt Jr. He is in a new car driving for a new team this year and I wanted nothing more than to see him win the Daytona 500 this year…..

He is the most popular driver at Daytona

He is loved by many and the is no greater energy on that Daytona track than when he takes the lead

There is no sitting down and you see the cheers and waves and the guys that sit with no emotion thru the entire race — wearing Tony Stewart jackets getting out of their seats to cheer on Jr. At the 50th running of the Daytona 500, everyone wanted him to win. Why did everyone want him to win so badly this year? Was it because of the ugly situation with his step-mother that drove him out of the family racing business? Was it because everyone wanted Dale Earnheardt to be there and saw his presence in his son? Or is it that in 2008 – everyone just wanted a racing milestone to be forever associated with the Earnheardt name?? I do not know, but I really wanted him to win, and the way the crowd reacted to his lead, I was not the only one who felt that way.

Dale Earnheardt Jr pits….

tires off — new tires waiting — jacking up the car

we have one of the best pit crews out on this !!

old tires away — new tires on…

tires on

impact wrenches working

we got-em’

Bringing the jack out from under

Done fueling

Tires smoking —-and away he goes….

We are pulliing for you !!!