View Full Version : GOODBYE DALE EARNHARDT!
Jimmy Z
02-18-2001, 04:45 PM
In a non-fishing related topic, I would like to ask for a moment of silence for Dale Earnhardt, who died in the final lap of the Daytona 500 today. May your thoughts and prayers be with Dale's family and friends in their time of loss and sorrow. The Intimidator was loved by so many and will be missed by all.
Juls_WI
02-18-2001, 05:13 PM
It's a sad day. He was the favorite of a co-worker of mine, and he is going to be pretty down tomorrow, I know. I never watched racing, but I always heard about the races when I got to work.
If there is an upside to this tragedy, it's that he died doing something he loved to do.
My sympathies to his family, friends, and fans.
Juls
Yes he sure will be missed by all the race followers, he was a top notch person. god bless the family, he will definately be missed by us all.
Den
Rigger
02-18-2001, 05:30 PM
Dale was not only a great driver but a great sports
man. Who loved the out doors as much as racing. May
he now be in the presents of the Lord, and may the
Lord watch over his family. I am very sadden by the
loss of Dale Earnhart
Rigger
Jersey John
02-18-2001, 05:31 PM
Not only did racing lose a great person, but so did the hunting and fishing community. He was a great spokes person for these outdoor sports as well. he will be missed by all. Thoughts and prayers to his family and friends. JJ
god bless you,you will be missed.
spampy
02-18-2001, 06:05 PM
We only see one in a lifetime and he was the legend.SALUTE !!!
Marken
02-18-2001, 06:10 PM
Rest in piece my friend. My thoughts and prayers go out to Little E. and the entire family. What a tragic loss.
Racing as well as the outdoor world last one of the greats. good bless......
rip Lips
02-18-2001, 06:27 PM
God Bless.
FINADDICT
02-18-2001, 06:37 PM
GOODBYE DALE THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES IT WONT BE THE SAME WITHOUT YOU!!!! "3" WILL LIVE ON FOREVER!!!!!
It was an incredibly sad day, marring a very exciting race.
Did you see the way that Dale held off Sterling Marlin for those last few laps, it looked like he knew he didn't have the car to win, but that he could help Michael Waltrip get his first victory. An awesome drive, I was on the edge of my chair the whole race after the restart for the earlier wreck. I still can't believe how tragic the end was. We'll all miss Dale Earnhardt as race fans and sportsmen.
God bless to the whole family.
Wallygetter
02-18-2001, 06:52 PM
With my daughter, son-in-law, and myself all being big fans of Dale Earnhardt I type this with a heavy heart. May God be with his family and help them through this most difficult time. All sports fans have lost one of the most dedicated and true competitors of all time. My prayers and thoughts are going to his family tonight. We will miss him greatly.
FlyBoy
02-18-2001, 08:16 PM
I don't follow racing, but feel for his family and friends.
There is one thing I don't understand. His crash looked like a minor fender-bender??????? I'm not stretching the truth a bit. They said when they got to the car, he showed no sign of life. What happened?
-John
Nofish
02-18-2001, 08:18 PM
Man.
I can only add to what is already here. I sat in total silence, and did not believe what I heard, when the news said Earnhardt was gone.
My prayers and thoughts go out to Dale's family. Today we lost the best know legend the sport of Racing has. No matter if you even watch any race, you at least knew who dale Earnhardt was.
They don't get any bigger, they don't get any more talented, and they don't get any nicer.
We'll miss you Ironhead!
R
Nofish
02-18-2001, 08:19 PM
Man.
I can only add to what is already here. I sat in total silence, and did not believe what I heard, when the news said Earnhardt was gone.
My prayers and thoughts go out to Dale's family. Today we lost the best know legend the sport of Racing has. No matter if you even watch any race, you at least knew who dale Earnhardt was.
They don't get any bigger, they don't get any more talented, and they don't get any nicer.
We'll miss you Ironhead!
R
steve(IL)
02-18-2001, 08:26 PM
Oh man...... I learned about his passing here on the board. At first I thought it was a mistake or rumor. Dale was holding those guys off to allow Waltrip to get his first win. He was helping a friend and it cost him his life. Oh man........
Nofish
02-18-2001, 08:35 PM
LAST EDITED ON Feb-18-01 AT 10:46PM (CST)[p]Flyboy,
The crash was one that doesn't look so bad, but these days those can be the worst.
At about 180 mph, going nearly straight into a concrete wall, the impact is more than the human body can handle. Yes, there is steel and restrains to protect the driver. However you need to understand the forces a body is subject to in a high speed crash.
People have died from blunt head trauma and head injures due to whiplashing in a family car at 40 mph. This is more true in a race car. Helmet or no, at 180 I cannot imagine the force at which a drivers head whips forward and back.
It is possible to die from this action without your head bouncing off any metal. Even with a helmet on, a crash such as this, can still give you a concusion at the least. Tony Stweart suffered one today.
Stewarts crash looked horrific, but he most likely did not go through the blunt trauma Earnhardt did. When a car slides and stays basically intact, it does not loose speed as fast as one that is tumbling along and shedding parts. A car doing like Tony Stewarts scrubbs off a considerable amount of it's speed in a short amount of time. With every bump crash and piece ripped from the car, the car is diasapating energy and slowing.
It's kinda like putting an egg in a foam case. Drop the egg, and it doesn't break. Roll the egg down the floor really hard, and it won't break. Roll the egg straight into a wall at the same force you rolled it harmlessly down the floor, and you have a scrambled egg.
Hope I made sense and didn't ramble too long........R
Fuzzy
02-18-2001, 08:37 PM
Farewell and Godspeed to a great man.
Folks - PLEASE be careful out there this season as you and I blast through the caps and pound in the indefiable rollers and rockers where they are and where we must go. One of those 'volumes of water' can become 'what happened to those guys?' if not negotiated properly. Think about it. We all gotta do what we gotta to ... but think about Dale and concetrate on those waves and always respect the 7th roller on Erie, Oahe, Sack, Charities, where-ever, when Mother is brewing up a 'let's go inner NOW' storm. They can and will scare you more than any movie ever has...
bobber
02-18-2001, 09:31 PM
i still can't beleive it, when i first heard the news, i thought it was a mistake for sure, it really didn't look like to bad of a crash, sad sad day, i was very glad to see michael win his first race, but what a turn of emotions for him... best wishes to the earnhardt family
Dave in Mpls
02-18-2001, 09:31 PM
Truely a great loss to Winston and all motorsports. My heart go's out to his family, particularily Dale Jr.
Tragic.....
FISH 24 7
02-18-2001, 11:40 PM
As was posted earlier, not only did we lose a great champion, we lost a great friend of the outdoors. Many, many times we've seen guys like Dale showcased on fishing shows.
If fishing is on the verge of being "the next NASCAR" we truly owe a great deal to the Dale Earnhardt's of the world for bringing us to that next level. How many times have you heard the connection between the two sports? It's countless!
I think I'll drop a #3 decal on the boat this year in honor of all the personal and business accomplishments of Dale, as well as being a friend of the fishing community. Subtle, but meaningful.
Who's with me?
Mark Gilbertson
NPAA #556
"COMA"
02-19-2001, 02:04 AM
From a old racer to a old racer. Thanks for all the heart felt memories Dale. You truly lived for the big #3 , The Father , the Son and the Holy Sprit. Bye Bye Miss american Pie. Drove my "CHEVY" to the levy but the levy was dry. And good old southern boys were drinking whiskey & rye singing this will be the day that I dye. God Speed , Mr. Earnheart
God bless him and his family, for their the ones who have to carry on. I met him when I took a picture of him for our local 4-H fair. Couldn't have been more of a down to earth guy, that you would want to meet. No swelled head on his shoulders. He will be sorely missed. Craig
Tom (Mich)
02-19-2001, 07:09 AM
My entire early career was spent in emergency medicine. We refer to this type of accident as an "acceleration/deceleration" injury - much more serious than the rollover type you saw earlier in the race. At 180 mph your head lurches forward upon impact and then backwards upon stopping.
In all likelihood, he died either as a result of a basilar skull fracture, or a complete transection of the spinal cord. In either case, take solace in the fact that his death was immediate and painless.
Smitty
02-19-2001, 07:29 AM
I too was in total shock. You just always expected The Intimidator to get out, wave, and walk away from those instances. Without a doubt, he was the greatest race car driver of his time (and maybe ALL time)and a true sportsman & competitor.
The sight of Dale Jr. running through the crowd will stay with me for a long time. Sincere condolences go out the the Earnhardt family.
FreeByrd
02-19-2001, 07:42 AM
Amen to what has already been said here. I'll be adding an "Earnhardt 3" to my boat. Following THE INTIMIDATOR is what made me a NASCAR fan.
Steve
Jeremy A
02-19-2001, 07:49 AM
Nascar and the world are a little less today...
I will look for the number 3 car to be close to the front of the pack for a long time to come.
who knows, mabey in heaven race cars have fishing rod hoders built in :)
johnwaleye
02-19-2001, 07:53 AM
i too will miss the greatest nascar driver ever and fellow sportsman i;ll be putting the #3 on my boat also.
Nascar Fan
02-19-2001, 08:19 AM
Sympathies to the Earnhardt family, friends and fans. The races will not be the same without his tennacity and leadership both on and off of the track. We have lost a true modern day leader and hero in the sports world. God rest his soul.
AquaMan
02-19-2001, 08:20 AM
Ma man is down and I am very sad! Dale was the epitome of great racing and a hero to a lot of people, including myself.
That is a gentleman that will be missed on the circuit fore years to come. A moment of silence for you, sir!..................
AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~
--- "It all begins and ends at the water's edge"
Tommy Mac
02-19-2001, 08:28 AM
I am not a huge NASCAR fan but I did enjoy watching once in a while. I know Dale more from a fishing show I watched once than from his racing career. I can't remember who he was fishing with, it was one of those bass guys on TNN. You could tell that he really enjoyed the sport of fishing. He was one of those guys that you had to cheer for. He will be missed. God Bless all of those who were touched by his life. TM
AquaMan
02-19-2001, 10:20 AM
LAST EDITED ON Feb-19-01 AT 12:25PM (CST)[p]Ah, the whole thing is sad and I feel so bad for the whole family and those close to the Earnhardt machine. What a total shame.
His daughter was his best hunting/fishing partner these last 3 years and it is with a father's tears that my heart goes out to her the most.
Good bless Taylor Nicole Earnhardt!
AquaMan~~~~~~~~~~~~~
--- "It all begins and ends at the water's edge"
God needed a driver for his new race car, and he picked Dale. Godspeed, old friend!
Hans
PS: If fishing is on the verge of being "the next NASCAR", God help the sport of fishing!
alaskabound
02-19-2001, 01:20 PM
What a great driver as well as a man. Dale Earnhardt's dealth has really made me think about how short life is and how many of us live like we will live forever. What a happier place the world would be if we lived every day as if it were are last. May God comfort the Eanhardt family on this sad day.
Alaskabound
alaskabound
02-19-2001, 01:20 PM
What a great driver as well as a man. Dale Earnhardt's dealth has really made me think about how short life is and how many of us live like we will live forever. What a happier place the world would be if we lived every day as if it were are last. May God comfort the Eanhardt family on this sad day.
Alaskabound
chadk66
02-19-2001, 01:51 PM
Even people that aren't earnhardt fans are heart broken from this. Racing won't be the same for quite some time. The mention on above posts about puting a #3 on his boat, I think we all should do the same in rememberance of Dale. All sports lost a great man and feerless competitor.
Nodak7mm
02-19-2001, 02:47 PM
Having a ##### of a day, most thoughts are Dale E. Like most fans it is a shock, ain't quite set in, but it is. I have never been affected or given so much thought to the death of a public figure before. But I guess my admiration for Sr. went beyond racing. He had a young daughter he adored, I could relate to what Kerry and Jr. dealt with. He was a Hunter, Fisherman and sportsman. A husband and Father. A guy you could drink beer with. Sure I never met him, nor ever expected, though will admit to wishing to do so. How did I view meeting Dale? The kinda guy you could sit on the tail gate of a truck, beer in hand and bull**** about hunting and fishing. He just happen to drive race cars for a living..
We lost a "True" American Hero and a real Man. He will always be remembered.
Dale, Keep your powder dry, line tight and have a Miller ready for me at the fire....
Rod
Nodak7mm
02-19-2001, 02:47 PM
Having a ##### of a day, most thoughts are Dale E. Like most fans it is a shock, ain't quite set in, but it is. I have never been affected or given so much thought to the death of a public figure before. But I guess my admiration for Sr. went beyond racing. He had a young daughter he adored, I could relate to what Kerry and Jr. dealt with. He was a Hunter, Fisherman and sportsman. A husband and Father. A guy you could drink beer with. Sure I never met him, nor ever expected, though will admit to wishing to do so. How did I view meeting Dale? The kinda guy you could sit on the tail gate of a truck, beer in hand and bull**** about hunting and fishing. He just happen to drive race cars for a living..
We lost a "True" American Hero and a real Man. He will always be remembered.
Dale, Keep your powder dry, line tight and have a Miller ready for me at the fire....
Rod
Kingfisher
02-19-2001, 06:28 PM
This # 24 Fan Will Deeply Miss # 3 :(
"He Was Racing" !
SUPERTROLLER
02-19-2001, 07:18 PM
As a true Earnhardt fan it is gratifying to see the respect being given to this Great Man. The lose of his presence at the race tracks and in the racing community will be felt for years. I love the idea of placing a #3 on the boat and will definitely be doing so. Like someone else stated, He was the one driver that lured me to Winston Cup racing. You heard mention of him on every prerace show and also every postrace wrap-up. He was the One driver they always had to account for. Until today, I had never bought a Collector Car. I had to have something. I got two cars. One was the Bass Pro car he drove in the Winston in 1998 and the other was his 1999 25th anniversary car. He was my favorite driver for the last 20 years and everybody always has asked me the lasted news. I followed racing that closely. Now I'm not sure I will/can. Hopefully little E. picks up the torch and starts to build my fire again. My thoughts and prayers have been and will continue to be with all those affiliated with RCR and DEI and most of all the Earnhardt family.
He WAS Nascar WILL be deeply missed.