The city of Kannapolis, along with the Cabarrus Convention and Visitors Bureau, removed the ‘Dale Trail’ banners around town last week in anticipation of the arrival of a ‘VIP’ at the towns N.C Research Campus.

The banners were originally put up to honor Earnhardt, the 7 time NASCAR Champion.

The removal of the Earnhardt banners sparked a massive public outcry from NASCAR fans around the country — and put a black eye on the city of Kannapolis.

Earnhardt fans accused city leaders of bowing to pressure from big-money interests in removing the banners — a move that was originally called permanent by Kannapols City Manager Mike Legg.

Now the city seems to be backing off their original hard-line stance amid the outcry. Legg has indicated that the banners may be replaced in the future.

Stewart was given a tour of the campus by California billionaire David Murdick in his Range Rover according to the Salisbury Post.

It seems that city officials think that Dale Earnhardt is no longer good enough for his hometown of Kannapolis, North Carolina.

The city put up a series of banners along the “Dale Trail” honoring the 7 time NASCAR Champion following his death in the 2001 Daytona 500.

Now California billionaire David Murdock wants the banners removed, and the city of Kannapolis has agreed.

Murdock owns the North Carolina Research Center, a science research conglomerate that is being developed in Kannapolis.

The Salisbury Post has reported that Murdock’s company wants to “put the best face on the city” for a high profile visitor  who is visiting the city. It turns out that visitor is Martha Stewart.

The Dale Train begins at I-85′s exit 60 and travels through downtown Kannapolis on Dale Earnhardt Boulevard. It then passes Ralph Earnhardt’s grave and the old Edelman’s Garage where Ralph learned how build fast engines for bootleggers like Junior Johnson. It continues through a section of Kannapolis known as Car Town, where the Earnhardt clan once lived.

Martha Earnhardt, Dale’s mother, still lives in Kannapolis.

The Dale Trail passes Dale Earnhardt Plaza, where Dale’s friends have built a park with a 9 foot statue of ‘The Intimidator’. From there the trail heads out of town and past Dale Earnhardt Inc’s race shop and corporate headquarters in Mooresville.

City Manager Mike Legg has told the Kannapolis city council that the banners will be permanently removed. Is that any way to honor Dale Earnhardt?

However, the Cabarrus Convention and Visitors Bureau wants to put up new markers along the Dale Trail. A plan that Legg says may not fly.

“There may be a conflict as to what happens later,” Legg wrote, says the Salisbury Post. “There are many that do not want to see anything ‘Dale-related’ going back up.”

If you want to contact Mike Legg – the Kannapolis City Manager — to let him know how you feel here’s how to reach him:

Mike Legg

City Manager

246 Oak Street

Kannapolis, North Carolina 28081

Please let other Earnhardt fans know about this.

What do you think about the way Kannapolis officials have handled this? Comments left here will be forwarded to the Kannapolis City Manager.

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