Dale Earnhardt: A Tribute

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Filed under: Dale Earnhardt Jr 

 

Dale Jr & Girlfriend Amy Reinman | Photo

 

Dave Bowles posted this fine tribute to Dale Earnhardt in response to the article about Dale Jr driving the No. 3 car Friday Night at Daytona.

Dale Earnhardt Tribute

I know the Yellow/Blue was years ago and that’s fine by me! BUT, I would love to see that BLACK # 3 come thundering out of the pits, fire licking the night air from the exhaust, the windows so dark you can’t see inside.

You feel the seats vibrate, the ground quakes, #3 glides out so smooth like it’s rolling on air, not air as we know it, it doesn’t even kick up dust. Down past the start finish line lightning branches through the first turn building speed every second.

Turn two lights up as the stealthy black image explodes from the second turn and rockets down the back stretch so fast the white of the legendary #3 on the side looks like it’s flowing off the rear quarter panel on fire.

Turn three is laid waste as you feel the chill run up your spine. All heads are anxiously looking as turn four comes up, never letting off entering turn four, riding down to the bottom of four everyone waits for the black #3 to come blasting out to the front stretch.

We wait, we wait, since February 2001 we have waited in hopes to see one more time, #3 roar past us, with that familiar shadow leaning left in that seat.

Feel free to add your own tribute to Dale — and please let Dave know what you think about his words. Thanks Dave and Thanks Dale!

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Comments

39 Comments on Dale Earnhardt: A Tribute

  1. Marie on

    2. I already commented on Dave’s wonderful tribute to Dale in the earlier newsletter where I saw it. He really put feeling into his words.

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  2. poofer on

    3. WOW.It makes an old race fan like me choke back tears.

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  3. Marcia on

    4. I can guaranatee I will be in tears!!! lots of people will be. U should post this on facebook, there r tons of fans that would love to see this. If there was a link to facebok i would do it!

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  4. gramma pat jr fan canada on

    5. thank you for your wonderful tribute to dale ,

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  5. gramma pat jr fan canada on

    6. thank you for the wonderful tribute to dale. even after 9 years I still have a tear in my eyes

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  6. Debbie Roberts on

    7. That was AWESOME. You have a great talent for putting emotions into words. I know that Dale Sr would love this tribute. I surely hope that Dale Jr sees it! Thanks so much for sharing and saying what all of the fans of the #3 are still thinking. We all miss him.

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  7. bonnie mccoy on

    8. nice dave we all feel the same it does bring the tears go jr

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  8. larry burrell on

    9. i think u nail it it would be nice to see that black #3 one more time and i agree with u Dale was the only driver that would come out of the turn and hit the straight away with his foot never leaving the gas pedal i don’t think he knew what a brake was me and my two son was watching the race the day he was killed my sons have just quite watching and i don’t think i have watch a full nascar race myself since then if it was not for Dale Jr. i wouldn’t be watching as much as i do know and know i don’t care who wins the thrill is just not there like it was with Dale. won

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  9. Team369 on

    10. Tears of ” Gone but not forgoten “

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  10. Team369 on

    11. GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN………

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  11. mamadonia on

    12. A Great, Great tribute to that wonderful man. There was nothing like seeing that Black #3 come roaring by, and never will anything be up to the standards of it. I’ll never get over him leaving us, words can’t explain what Dale meant to me and my family. We’ll always love and remember him.

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  12. kathy on

    13. How eloquent. I could feel each and every burst energy as the #3 approached each turn. Thanks for such a befitting tribute.

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  13. Helen on

    14. That was Awesome… reading this…I could almost see him
    I miss him everyday and its easy to shed a tear anytime I
    hear his name or see pictures of him…Thanks Dave!! :)

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  14. june patton on

    15. It felt like I was there at a race, great tribute Dave. Wish he was still here. Go Jr. Love you.

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  15. joey on

    16. wow that was a great tribute.was waiting to see him at the finish line . great job!!!!!

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  16. mamadew88 on

    17. Just a mention of his name brings tears to my eyes as I feel like it was just yesterday that we ALL have lost a dear and loving “FRIEND”.
    He may be gone from us in a physical sense, but he will ALWAYS be in our hearts and we will be able to keep his memory alive in our chidren and grandchildren to come. What better legacy ???????

    Thank you for such a beautiful tribute……..

    Miss you Dale !!!!!

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  17. Susie Powell on

    18. Awesome tribute, Dave!!! The only thing I can say is, HE IS GONE, BUT WILL NEVER BE FORGOTTEN!! Love and miss you, Dale!!!!

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  18. AZomah on

    19. This is very moving Dave, Thank You for putting into words what we all feel.

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  19. Too Mean on

    20. Thanks Dave, Your words ran chills up my spin and tears out of eyes..

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  20. Daisy June on

    21. THANKS DAVE, YOU BRING A SHIVER TO MY SPINE WHEN I PICTURE THE SIGHT. THIS IS A WONDERFUL TRIBUTE TO DALE. WE HAVE TO HAVE OUR MEMORIES OF WHAT A REAL STOCKCAR RACER WAS LIKE. BRING ON YOUR KYLES, JIMMYS, JEFFS, AND ALL THE OTHER GOOD DRIVERS. I FORGOT TONY STEWART. SMOKE BRINGS THE SAME EXCITEMENT SOMETIMES, BUT ITS NOT THE SAME. LIVE ON IN OUR MEMORIES DALE.

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  21. MO on

    22. This was a well thought out story. My Wife and I are season ticket holders at Texas and it’s ell known Dale hated the place. But last April when Austin Dillon came out of the pits for the first time in the #3 truck I commented to my wife I had goose bumps.

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  22. JACK R on

    23. It was beautiful made me feel like I was watching the whole thing happening
    great tribute .

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  23. MEME on

    24. How wonderful that tribute was. Racing is just not the same anymore.

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  24. Thelma on

    25. Thanks for a lovely tribute to Dale Sr. He will always be in our hearts and bring tears to our eyes when we see something like this. Good LUCK Jr. in the #3. we are all behind you.

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  25. Sherri Tolley on

    26. Thanks for a wonderful tribute to Dale Earnhardt. All the Earnhardt fans out there would love to see that black no. 3 come out of the pits again and be in the winners spotlight. Dale, Jr., your Dad will be riding with you Friday night. stay safe and give that no. 3 another victory. Do it for your Dad!! And I for one would like to see that repeated every year at Daytona. Dale, Sr., ride with your son, and make the world see that you will live on in all our hearts forever. God Bless your whole family, and be Dale,Jr’s guide at Daytona.

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  26. goldie on

    27. I could not let the wonderful words that Dave so beautifully wrote that brought it all back to us Earnhardt fans the excitement and thrills that this man gave to each of us every time he raced. Even just thinking and remembering those days still gives me the same feeling all over again and no other driver has ever done that. Yes, we miss the #3, but we have special memories, which Dave expressed so thoroughly. Yes, Jr. you drive that #3 car and give us more memories to hold dear. Good luck and God speed…

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  27. Debra Bates on

    28. WOW!!! Dave that is so beautiful. Every word reminded me of Dale Sr. Its so true gone but, never forgotten. Dale Sr. has a place in a lot of peoples heart. Dale Jr. i’m sure your father is so proud of you. Best of luck Dale Jr. in the #3.

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  28. john on

    29. Thanks dave but you are right the old yello aand blue #3 woyld be nice to see
    but a tribute is a tribute when the man in black #3 is on the track and as a fan
    your words comes from the heart to that i say thank you

    and as a fan we all know that he the man is on the big race track in the sky
    always remembered always in our hearts we miss you dale

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  29. Faye on

    30. AWESOME!!! Glad Jr was able to get the Wrangler #3 in victory lane. I cried along with Tony Jr. Great tribute Dave.

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  30. Debra Bates on

    31. What a great and well deserved win. Dale Jr. your father is so proud of you .

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  31. Rita Martin on

    32. The black # 3 belongs to only one man, Dale Earnhardt Sr. I say lets leave it that way. Let Junior makes him own mark as he wants to. He does not want the 3 and for good reason it is his Dad’s. Junior you make us all proud.

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  32. Judy Hatton on

    33. No doubt that dad was looking down and saying GOOD JOB and I knew you could. Sr, did you teach Jr. to see the air like you did? Proud to be 2 Earnhardt fans. #3 & #88.

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  33. Rick on

    34. Gone NEVER forgotten!!! 4EVER3!!!

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  34. Jo Ann Hendricks on

    35. Please Richard never use the #3 in a Sprint Cup Race!!!!! That #3 is know all over the world as Dale Earnhardt. People that don’t even watch NASCAR know #3 and the MAN! There will never be another Dale Earnhardt and we will miss him forever! Dale Jr is my driver now, let him be his own Man, he is not trying to be his father. I knew he was going to win last night, how could it be otherwise. I think when he got in that special car there was a change in him. He just had to win! That paint and the #3 on the car was wonderful to see, happy and sad emotions. Tony Jr said it all!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Forever #3.

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  35. JSB on

    36. “Awesome”

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  36. MEME on

    37. Dave, your words meant alot to all of us. You were able to put the words that we all feel. GOOD JOB DAVE AND DALE JR.

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  37. tiffany on

    38. He will always be remembered, in a good way in my opinion! I was there the day he left, and went to be with the Lord…….God has one awesome driver now!

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  38. Susan Hutchison on

    39. WOW!!!!! THAT WAS AWSOME TO READ SUCH GRATIFYING WORDS ABOUT DALE AND THE #3 IT BROUGHT TEARS TO MY EYES AND CHILLS JUST READING IT AND THINKING ABOUT THAT HAPPENING AGAIN…GREATLY SPOKEN DAVE …THANK’S.

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  39. marty on

    40. where can i buy this picuture

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