Another Viewpoint Archives
Debbi Willis, Daw613@bigfoot.com
It's Hard
It's hard to believe it's been one month since Dale Earnhardt died at Daytona. It's hard to imagine a race without the infamous black #3 car but we've made it through 3 races to a most emotional victory at Atlanta with Dale's personally chosen replacement, Kevin Harvick. It was hard not to cry with the whole RCR team, Harvick and Richard Childress as the win was dedicated to Dale. Dale surely had an eye for talent as Hornaday, Park, and Waltrip have proven. I consider it a given that Dale Jr would be talented, he has his father's spirit laced with the youth of today and will be a formidable presence in due time. The absence of the black #3 is everpresent on the track, however, it's presence would be too painful to endure without Dale behind the wheel. For a season full of promise with the new TV deal with Fox/NBC and Dale's potential eighth championship looming on the horizon, it's been hard to get past the loss.
It's Hard
It's hard to believe it's been one month since Dale Earnhardt died at Daytona. It's hard to imagine a race without the infamous black #3 car but we've made it through 3 races to a most emotional victory at Atlanta with Dale's personally chosen replacement, Kevin Harvick. It was hard not to cry with the whole RCR team, Harvick and Richard Childress as the win was dedicated to Dale. Dale surely had an eye for talent as Hornaday, Park, and Waltrip have proven. I consider it a given that Dale Jr would be talented, he has his father's spirit laced with the youth of today and will be a formidable presence in due time. The absence of the black #3 is everpresent on the track, however, it's presence would be too painful to endure without Dale behind the wheel. For a season full of promise with the new TV deal with Fox/NBC and Dale's potential eighth championship looming on the horizon, it's been hard to get past the loss.
It's hard for Earnhardt fans to simply "move on" or "get over it" when Dale was such an integral part of our lives. Without leaving the sport behind entirely (and that alone would be difficult), it's impossible. Grief makes most folks uncomfortable though and an unspoken time limit is imposed when someone says, 'it's done and past, get over it'! Moving on isn't easy for anyone who's lost a loved one or a hero because that person wasn't just in their hearts once a week or when together, but all the time. Kyle Petty attested to that in pre-race interviews with tears in his eyes and voice, albeit it's his son he misses. Dale often wistfully felt the pain when returning to Talledega always brought back his memories with Neil Bonnet. I don't believe Robert Yates has ever quit missing Davey. And like the families of racing, fans hold their favorite drivers like members of their own families in their homes and their hearts. There's a giant hole in the heart of Nascar and a void not likely to be filled by anyone nor easily forgotten.
It's hard to understand some media (who need no more attention by being named in this column), who profess good intentions in their efforts to obtain and view the autopsy photos of Dale Earnhardt in the interest of a "safety investigation", and who now have allowed a website to be involved, too. The only person who knows the entire truth and exact condition of Dale's body is the medical examiner and his assistant, if present. Pictures may give "clues" but like a little knowledge is dangerous in the hands of the ignorant, so this would be in the hands of the media. We have medical examiners for the purpose of death. They study death, they know it and they make conclusions immediately in the presence of death. Pictures veiwed by other experts would be like the gossip game in a room full of people: you'll never get the exact same story by the end of the game and everyone will have a different opinion about it before it's all said and done! And, it's even harder to fathom how they could be so crass and insensitive to the family's wishes and needs! Fortunately, Teresa Earnhardt is a strong woman and has received an outpouring of support strong enough to move the Florida legislature quickly to pass laws exempting autopsy photos from public records. Though not done yet, I am sure Florida will serve justice here and NOT the media hounds who disgrace what decency may have been left in reporting real news.
It's hard to impatiently wait on Nascar's hierarchy for the answers to Dale's death but worst yet, to observe and ponder the conflicting statements from what little they have said. With the opening race of a well-heralded season, Nascar was dealt a death-blow beyond their imagination. Since Nascar began tweaking the rules after 1999 for parity and a "better show" for their fans, they've managed to lose 4 drivers in horrendous crashes. Of course, Nascar would rather not think the musical rules changes that have plagued the sport in the last couple of years could be remotely responsible for the deaths they've experienced. Pack racing in a vacuum (restrictor plates + aero package) may make a good show but has anybody measured the amount of tension a driver must be under not to commit that one small mistake or be in the wrong place at the wrong time? Some call that adrenaline, I don't. I'd much rather have power racing with drivers able to chase each other down independent of the pack and the duels we so enjoyed in the past. Yes, I know duels are between two people, however, my preference would be to have two cars tangle each other more so than 19 just because no one can get away from each other! But that's another subject for another time.
It's hard. It's all harder than we ever imagined since we never imagined having to deal with the sudden death of Dale Earnhardt. After all the accolades are done, and time passes by and this season ends, and Nascar begins to move on, the memory of Dale Earnhardt won't fade, he'll just always be with us. Twenty more years couldn't erase the contributions Dale Earnhardt made to Nascar's growth and his records speak for him forever. Sometimes, I think we've been fortunate to see a legend in the making. I just wish like everyone else, Dale Earnhardt had been able to remain the living legend he would have been. Yes, it's hard and it's not easy moving on.
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