It was Christmas in March for this race fan. On Tuesday, the good folks at ESPN sent me my own copy of “Dale Earnhardt: The Legend Lives”- a “bookazine” saluting the late seven-time champion. Unlike those packs of underwear I used to get from my grandma, I was not disappointed in this.
Right as you open the cover, you got those steely eyes, looking ahead, highlighting a face covered in grime and sweat, after a hard day’s work. It could just as easily have been the face of a cowboy fresh off the prairie, but for this “Man In Black,” his drives involved Monte Carlos, not Longhorns.
That’s just the beginning for the photography. For those who either didn’t follow his career closely, or had long since forgotten, readers get a look at some of his famous rides besides the legendary black #3 Goodwrench Chevrolet: the white #8 Dodge he drove in the 1975 World 600 at Charlotte, the #2 Oldsmobile he drove in the 1980 Daytona 500, the #3 Wrangler Chevy longtime fans will remember, and that #3 “Silver Select” Chevrolet driven in the 1995 Winston Select- just to name a few. Then there’s photographs of Earnhardt away from the track when Dale was just being Dale- running equipment on the family farm, and posing in his motorboat.
In many ways, Earnhardt was a very complex individual. Who he was off the track was different than what fans saw on it. Depending on your relationship with him, you took away something entirely different from the same individual. Everyone from fellow legends Richard Petty and Junior Johnson offer their perspectives, and even current champion Jimmie Johnson, though just a kid couch surfing at Ron Hornaday’s many moons ago has his own humorous tale of a gift from Earnhardt.
His fiercest rivals- Geoff Bodine, Darrell Waltrip, and Bill Elliott are quoted- plus readers learn of a foul-smelling prank Earnhardt played on Rusty Wallace, and the good scare Wallace gave him as a payback.
No volume on Earnhardt would be complete without a look into the relationships he had with those he held most dear: his buddy and fellow competitor Niel Bonnett, his unique friendship with Richard Childress, and his best friend, business partner and wife, Teresa. His youngest son, Dale, Jr. speaks of his admiration for his father, and even the famed “Junkyard Dogs”- Dale’s pit crew with Danny “Chocolate” Meyers- regaling fans with his recollections of the Intimidator.
The title of the publication says it all. The legend lives, though the man has been gone for nearly ten years. The fact the memories are still as alive as they are today says a great deal of the love and admiration his fans had for Dale Earnhardt, and even that begrudging respect he earned from those who disapproved of his demeanor.
The Hall of Fame collector’s issue hits the newsstands next week, in celebration of the soon to open NASCAR Hall of Fame. It also seems fitting as the Intimidator’s birthday- April 29th- isn’t all that far down the road.
It’s a compelling read. A “must have” for the Earnhardt fan, and an essential primer for those who never got the chance to experience the man who was part Elvis, part Michael Jordan, with a little John Wayne thrown in for good measure.
When I did my series called “Remembering Dale” in December, 2008, my last installment was entitled “Heroes Never Die.” Volumes such as the one I’ve highlighted today almost makes one feel as though he’s still among us, perhaps out of sight, but certainly not out of mind.
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The book comes out March 30 and it’s $9.99. I’m looking forward to reading it.
@Janine. I’ll be curious to hear your take and what you like about it. This is definitely one I’ll look to preserve and give the kid glove treatment.
Jim, I’ll get back to you after I read it.
Thanks for this article. I hadn’t heard about the “bookazine”, and I will definitely be on the lookout for it. I AM a huge Earnhardt fan, and I miss him every day. Sundays were forever changed for me on February 18, 2001.
Please get some facts straight. Dale’s first start was in the #96 and his pit crew was called , The Flying Aces.
Got a feeling this is going to be yet another book filled with mistakes.
@Jerry. Now, I don’t want to be passing along bad information, so I’m glad you’ve raised some concerns. My question for you is- what race did the #96 run? The photo in this publication indicates the #8 having run in the 1975 World 600, his Cup debut and his lone start of the year for Ed Negre. I was only 10 at the time, and not a race fan then, so I don’t know. I DO know, from historical account, that Dale made one start for Walter Ballard in 1976, as well as one for Johnny Ray. In the ‘76 Atlanta race, Dale ran the a #77 Chevy Malibu- according to the book. What cars he ran for Henley Gray in his one 1977 start, and for Will Cronkite in 1978 for one race, I do not know. I will look into it though. What race did you Earnhardt run the #96 in? Are you sure that WAS his debut?
I’d never heard of the “Junkyard Dogs,” but I do know that’s what Danny “Chocolate” Meyers said his crew was called. Knowing that those change over the years, I’d be curious to learn about the “Flying Aces.” The “Dogs” would have been the crew with Myers, Kirk Shelmerdine, Will Lind, David Smith and Cecil Gordon.
@Jerry. Dale didn’t run in the #96 car until 1978, and that was the one he drove for Cronkite. Dale had made four prior starts to that race.
As for the crew name, it looks like you and ESPN are both right. As you know, in Dale’s long career, he went through numerous crew changes, especially at crew chief. In any case, both the Flying Aces and the Junkyard Dogs were names used for Earnhardt’s pit crew.
you people need to get over it. he’s dead, he is always going to be dead, dead, dead, get over it.
@g.skinner. Get over what? The publication is commemorating a charter Hallf Of Fame member. What is wrong with that?
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