Earlier today (actually, yesterday) was the 43rd running of NASCAR's Daytona 500. On the final lap, Michael Waltrip led Dale Earnhardt Jr., Dale Earnhardt, Sterling Marlin, and Kenny Schrader. Coming into Turn 3 of the high banked oval, Dale Earnhardt, attempting to block the drivers behind him and let his son and team driver move ahead for the win, was tapped by Sterling Marlin's car. Earnhardt's black Goodwrench Chevrolet #3 was set up the banking, colliding with Kenny Schrader's car, and plowing into the outside concrete wall head on at approximatly 150mph. Both cars slid back down to the grass on the infield of the track and avoided hitting the rest of the field. Michael Waltrip went on to win, with Dale Earnhardt Jr. taking 2nd.
When Earnhardt and Schrader's cars came to a complete stop, Schrader was able to get himself out of his own car, but paramedics rushed Dale Earnhardt's car. He was found unconscious and not breathing inside the car, and the car's roof had to be physically cut off in order to remove him. He was transported two minutes away to Halifax hospital.
Approximatly half an hour later Dale Earnhardt Sr. was pronounced dead from fatal injuries sustained to the chest, neck, and head in the accident.
Dale Earnhardt was undoubtebly the greatest active driver still in NASCAR, winning 7 Championships (tie for record) and 76 total wins (6th place overall) in his career. He is known my millions of NASCAR fans as "The Intimidator", and he is one of the most recognizeable men in all of motorsports. Ironic it is that Earnhardt dies during the Daytona 500, since this race was the one that had always tricked him in the very end. After 20 years of trying, where he's come so close but has failed to win, Dale won his only Daytona 500 in 1998. This is among his 24 wins in different series and different racing events at Daytona, making him the king of the track. Everyone in NASCAR either hated him, or loved him. But they all respected him.
Dale Earnhardt was 49.
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"No, 3 & 6 are mandatory, so you only have to do them if you want"
Alex, fellow classmate, trying to explain an assignment (2/2/01)
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Death before Dishonor!
However Dishonor has
quite a disputed defintion.
The man drove a big metal machine in a circle at upwards of 200 MPH along with other men doing the same exact thing. The fact that he lived as long as he DID is more of a shock. Besides, everyone knows that you go to a race to see a spectacular crash! I did see footage of that Home Depot car flippin', though...that was MAAARRRRRRRRRvelous!
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"You just push off....and the falling sort of happens on its own." ---Dave Titus
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I DO NOT ENJOY BOTH GENDERS!!!
Ultra Magnus
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Death before Dishonor!
However Dishonor has
quite a disputed defintion.
...
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"...screw logic, let's go for a theory with no evidence!" - Omega.
Irony ensues.
Free Jeff K
[This message has been edited by Ultra Magnus (edited February 19, 2001).]
Yeah, he died. It happens. It's entropy. His purpose was served in this universe. That's hardly a "heartless" attitude; it's a realistic one. My beliefs allow for a simple "oh well." I did not know the man. I never was interested in his chosen profession. I cannot mourn the passing of someone who is essentially faceless nor would it be right for me to do so. Indeed, it's more of an insult than anything.
And why mourn? Why not celebrate? I bet the bugger is sitting in Central Receiving somewhere sayin, "Damn...I thought I was supposed to go BIG! FIREballs or some shit like that..."
Even famous people die. Move along.
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"You just push off....and the falling sort of happens on its own." ---Dave Titus
The man made a career of driving a fast car in circles for hours at a time. That's not exactly a huge contribution to humanity. He's no more special than all the unknown people who die every day. If Shik doesn't feel like getting all misty-eyed over it, that makes perfect sense.
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My new year's resolution is the same as last year's: 1024x768.
[This message has been edited by TSN (edited February 19, 2001).]
You don't have to like him or his sport, but you still should respect his abilities and his contributions to the sport. To many he was a hero, who they'd care about as much as a member of their family. You may think death is just some thing that happens, nothing to change it, then so be it. But still show some respect for the great man.
You don't have to change humanity to be loved.
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"No, 3 & 6 are mandatory, so you only have to do them if you want"
Alex, fellow classmate, trying to explain an assignment (2/2/01)
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Death before Dishonor!
However Dishonor has
quite a disputed defintion.
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I will shout until they know what I mean.
--
Neutral Milk Hotel
****
Read three (three!) chapters of "Dirk Tungsten in...The Disappearing Planet"! Then, go insane!
Anyway, I wasn't saying that it doesn't suck that the guy had to die. I'm just tired of all the media hype that famous people get when they die.
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My new year's resolution is the same as last year's: 1024x768.
1. One of the other drivers was talking about him, after the fact, and said that, after he had won his first race, he had wanted to bring some friends to his home to celebrate. He had beaten Earnhardt in the race, but he knew Earnhardt had a plane big enough to hold 40 people. He asked Earnhardt for the use of the plane, and to send him a bill. When he got the bill, it said "Congradulations from Dale and ?(Julie?) No charge". A small thing for some one with so much money, but still very nice.
2. Again, I can't recall who said it, but they were talking about a family member who was having trouble during bad weather, who couldn't get away from their home. Earnhardt sent a four wheel drive and a driver to help them out.
I get the feeling that this is just two small things in a long list of thing that he had done for other people.
Terry Bradshaw interviewed Earnhardt the night before the race. They were in a pace car, going around the track at maybe 100mph. Bradshaw was scared shitless, and having the time of his life at the same time. Turn three at Daytona has a spot where, if you hit it just so, you lose contact with the track for an instant, Bradshaw looked like he was about to pee his kilt when they went over it. At the end, as they were pulling into the pits, Earnhardt hit the breaks and spun the car around. Bradshaw's eye's were as big as dinner plates when he got out of the car, but his smile was equally big.
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I DO NOT ENJOY BOTH GENDERS!!!
Ultra Magnus
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"And Mojo was hurt and I would have kissed his little boo boo but then I realized he was a BAD monkey so I KICKED HIM IN HIS FACE!"
-Bubbles
Of course, knowing who Renae is, or why we are apparently supposed to know her, might help us a bit.
I went like this. And then Ryan went like that. Wasn't that funy at lunch?
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"...screw logic, let's go for a theory with no evidence!" - Omega.
Irony ensues.
Free Jeff K
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My new year's resolution is the same as last year's: 1024x768.
:::smacks self with hind leg::: Ow. Sap. Still, first time I've said that since being here. Here as in State College, not here as in Flareville ("Home to the world's only genitalian sundial!")
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"You just push off....and the falling sort of happens on its own." ---Dave Titus
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"And Mojo was hurt and I would have kissed his little boo boo but then I realized he was a BAD monkey so I KICKED HIM IN HIS FACE!"
-Bubbles
And with all the random "small reddish vegetable illegally acquiring resupply and refueling points" refs going on....
Hlrg. Don't miond me. I haven't been eating right. Or sleeping right. Or anything else. Except having dreams crushed. Whatever.
"Nothing to see here...move along..."
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"You just push off....and the falling sort of happens on its own." ---Dave Titus