It's hard to believe that 13 years have passed in the blink of an eye since that black Sunday. We miss you Dale, and we always will.


And now I'm glad I didn't know
The way it all would end the way it all would go
Our lives are better left to chance I could have missed the pain
But I'd have had to miss the dance.

 

This is the first year someone is driving the #3....big shoes to fill for Austin Dillon

 

Shoes that can never be filled, so this year and going forward, I will continue to support our family friend Kevin Harvick in the #4 at Stewart-Haas Racing.

While the media is playing up the return of that car number by Childress, the folks here in Dale's hometown are feeling betrayed, hurt, and angered.

Today at the Memorial Park, fans are gathering in small groups to leave flowers, remember the good times, and unsuccessfully choke back the tears.

This evening, Charlotte's skyline will be illuminated in Dale's memory with 46,000 blue lights on the Duke Energy Tower, which at 786 feet in height dominates the city.

Plus a candlelight vigil will be held at the former DEI showroom.

 

RIP, he is still missed, but the #3 does belong to RCR, and at least Austin put on the pole for this Sunday's Daytona 500, maybe just maybe, Dale is saying let her rip tatterchip!!

 

I believe the #3 and the #43 should both be retired...what they did for the sport is untouchable...but on the other side of the coin, people have to move on...I am surprised Richard Childress was ok with his number being used...

 

Austin Dillon is his grandson, and Richard Childress does own RCR, Richard Childress Racing, but this thread is about remembering Dale Sr. I met him at a race in Cayuga Ont, years ago and he was a riot, had out whole crew laugh and having a good time, he pitted to stalls down from us, and we thought we were the crew to beat at that track , well I saw Chocolate Mayer's do the gas during a pit stop that man picked up the second fuel can with his right hand then passed the empty fist can back over the wall and adusted the jack bolt, WOW!

 

Dale had a dual persona, outside the car and in a comfortable setting, he could be the funniest, goofiest, and kindest person you could ever meet.

Inside the car, it was like a switch was thrown and "The Intimidator" came out, you could see it in his eyes.

And you're right Oldblue, Danny "Chocolate" Meyers was the best fueller in the series, he's a mountain of a man and a life-long friend of my family.

 

Tell him one of the guys from Stevens Racing says Hi! I learned a much better way to fuel the car from him!

 

I sure will, going to have lunch with him next Saturday.

Danny is truly a gentle giant, and always willing to help out, he'd give you the shirt off his back or the last dollar in his pocket if you needed it.