Dedicated to Dale Earnhardt, Sr.

[daytonajim]

This page is dedicated to Dale Sr. Please share your stories. - How did I get the handle aka: 'daytonajim'? Answer is below . Jim

Dale climbing into #3 - Photo by David Saad - In memory of David & Dale

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Father-Son talk on back streach - Date is 2/18/01 - just before the start of the race. Has to be one of the last photos of the two topgether.

I am starting this thread in memory of Dale & David. He is missed by so many people. Fortunately for DEI owners he signed 30 instrument gauges before his death.

I would like to encourage everyone to watch the You Tube video entitled 'Dale Earnhardt - Rare Clips from 2001'. It was filmed just a couple weeks before his untimely death and shows a 01 Intimidator being test driven at Earnhardt Chevy in Newton, NC.

The film is in three segments and my favorite is the third one which features Dale talking about 'Tinkering' with his new to him unmolested 1957 Chevy.

Unlike many of NASCAR Cup drivers today, Dale was a real 'Car Guy' and wasn't afraid to 'Wrench' on cars nor get his hands dirty.

Enjoy the Video..............



Video of the crash. If you look very closely in the very last frame you will see Jim Smith's 2000 Daytona Pace Car come into the scene next to the ambulance






Interview with Kenny Schrader - crashed into the infield next to the wrecked #3



Mike Helton (NASCAR) Press release interview



This may be a good spot for the Dale Earnhardt & Terry Bradshaw Pace Car ride. Dale was having some fun with Terry




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2001 DEI Intimidator SS The Numbers

85: Dale Earnhardt Intimidator SS Camaros were built.

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Jim's DEI #54
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1: '00 (prototype owned by Dale Jr. and the only one Dale Sr. ever drove).

1: '01 prototype.

83: '01 numbered cars.

1: '02 (non-numbered, specially built for Kelley Earnhardt).

33: Total silver-faced dashes were signed by Dale Sr.

Car numbers with black signed dashes: 1-12, 14-28, 46, 50, 52 and two prototypes.

32 signed in black ink and 1 signed in blue ink. (What # is signed in blue ink?)

38: T-tops. - 47: B4C Coupes.

Both prototypes were T-tops.

5 - ASR T-Top - 5 California Emissions - All 6 speeds

Last car is number 83.

30 deposits were taken before Dale Sr.'s death.

400 requests were received the week after the accident.

Intimidator SS #3 is owned by DEI and is believed to have less than 40 miles on the odometer.

My story by Jim Smith.......... Sandy says I have a 'Monkey-mind' when I wake up in the middle of the night & get on this site. I have so many stories & photos (over 8,000 GMMG's) to share I don't know where to start. Here goes............

My sons (Matt & Rick) & I attended many Daytona Speed Weeks in the late '70's & 80's. I had 4 of the best reserved tickets (up high out of turn 4 just down from the pits). Over thee years we experienced a lot of very interesting situations @ Daytona. My brush (eye-to eye) with Dale was when the race was red flagged after Dale crashed someone. Early on I didn't like him because he was always wrecking other drivers. The cars were parked at the start finish line & the drivers were out of their cars. The crowd was booing Dale & I'm sure I was the loudest. Dale looked me in the eye, came toward the fence & said 'If you think you can drive this car better than me get in it.' Game on - I immediately stated climbing the fence & was pulled off by security. Dale mellowed over the years & I actually liked him.

I was at Daytona & NASCAR for the good times & the bad times............

...the good.........

Dale Yarborough was the first driver to qualify over 200 mph in 1984 - I cam home & immediately ordered a new 1984 Monte Carlo SS (Win on Sunday - buy on Monday applied to me.

When Bill Elliot qualified @ 212.809mph - February 9, 1987

.....and the bad........

February 11, 1994 when Neil Bonnet died in qualifying. He came out of the Press Box, visited with me & the boys before qualifying & was dead an hour later after he crashed.

July 13, 1993 when Davey Allison crashed his helicopter @ Talladega with Red Farmer aboard

In March 1993 flying to the Bahama's for a dive trip & stopped to fuel the plane somewhere in Georgia. The Hooter's plane (Allen Kulwicki's) was on the tarmac with the steps down so I went over & hollered up thinking Allen might be there. The pilot invited me in, we sat, talked, had peanuts & a Coke. Three weeks later on April 1, 1993 Allen's plane crashed on the way into Bristol for the race - ice buildup . Darrell Waltrip's plane was right behind Allen & almost didn't make it either.

February 18, 2001 when Dale Sr. died - David Saad took the photos & David is also gone. I miss you guys. In memory of David his mom asked that the photo not be copied by anyone but me. Jim

-2000 Season?

Sr. & Jr. had the 'father-son' talk before Dale's last race. Photo by David Saad
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And now you know the rest of the story as Paul Harvey would say. I also do the Daytona Pace Car site - http://www.daytonapacecars.com/ Daytona Pace Cars has evolved into the GMMG Registry.

That's why I'm aka: 'daytonajim'
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#0031 Lead Camera Car leading the pack - Jim Smith Collection
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When the GM Heritage Center sold a bunch of cars @ Barrett-Jackson in 2009 I was fortunate enough to get #0031 - Lead Camara Car. I knew GM had it - tried to buy it for years & on a fluke it came out & was sold. Thanks to Jay in TX for making this happen. Now I had 3 of the 4 & my pal George has the 4th car.
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I just have to stop now. There is so much more to tell. Sandy is right about my 'Monkey-mind'! It's time to pass this on for your stories. See what Craig started? Enjoy. Jim Smith[/b]
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A few photos.............
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Jim Smith Collection - 3 of 4 'real 2000 Daytona 500 Pace cars (#0031 Lead Camera Car - #0045 & 0058)
Split-Field #0029 is owned by my pal George
We have all four 'real' 2000 Daytona 500 Pace Cars
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[daytonajim]

Submitted for 'super26' - Jim



My contribution to DE page... Jim, I'll let you load these as you see fit...(I'll mess them up) good stuff.. I forgot I had these... (I think I have the last picture of dale as he was getting strapped in car & driver intro ??) this is on pit road at the 2001 Daytona 500 , & #8 & #15 as they crossed the line .. & DEI showroom in newton DEI #3 & 5th Gen PR1 (you can add a thanks Jeff C if you wish..)



Dale & Sterling Marlin







Dale getting strapped in



My pal David Saad was a NASCAR photographer & took this photo of Dale in the car.







DEI #3 @ roll out of new 5th Gen DEI







Finally a 5th Gen that I like. Jim

[Mr.SS]

I am as big a Dale Earnhardt fan as anybody, and I am sad for you losing your friend, but the two pictures that you say are the last pictures of Dale. One was obviously from the 2000 season as the Nascar 2000 decal is on the window pillar. The other one is from way back in the 90's as it is a Lumina body and Mac Tools wasn't on Dale's car for a very long time before his death (Snap On came on board in the mid/late nineties). Maybe you posted the wrong pics?

[daytonajim]

Thanks Scott. David's mom must have had the information wrong. You appear to be the expert. They are still great photos of Dale.- Jim

[Mr.SS]

@daytonajim wrote: They are still great photos of Dale.- Jim





Agreed. He was lucky to have been able to get them and to have met Dale as I expect he must have several times.

[NCGuy68]

I shook Dale's hand way back in 1990 at Orange County Speedway in Rougemount, NC. He and Rusty Wallace were there as a Promo Thing and actually drove local racer's cars in a 25 lap event. That was before Dale and Rusty became Nascar Super Stars.



Dale was friendly, down-to-earth and signed anything his fans put in front of him. Little did I know at the time how he would make such a HUGH Impact in the Racing Community ........ .



I'am Very Proud to say I DID shake his hand before he passed away .......

[NCGuy68]

Here is some trivia for Ya'll so you can Dazzle your family and Amaze the boys at the local 'Watering Hole'....... :obscene-drinkingdrunk:



1. 'Dale' is Mr. Earnhardt's middle name after his father Ralph Lee Earnhardt who was also a racer car owner and driver. Ralph was the first man to understand and use 'Tire Stagger'.



2. Dale's first race car was indeed Pink ....... , was a 1956 Ford Victoria and the motor was built by Ralph. The owner was Rod Osterlund and he and the boys at the shop mixed together some paint that was just laying around thinking it would be red. BUT, it turned out pink and they couldn't afford to repaint it.......



3. The '56 'Vicky' was numbered K-2 and Dale drove it on dirt tracks in and around the Charlotte, NC area. Ralph advised Dale to 'Get off the dirt and onto Hardtop tracks' if he wanted to 'make some money' - $$.



4. It is popular Urban Legend that Dale found father Ralph dead from a heart attack in the shop. In fact, it was Dale's mother Martha that found him dead on the kitchen floor of the family home in Kannapolis, NC.



5. Dale's long time fuel can man, the popular Danny 'Chocolate' Myers is currently the Curator of the Richard Childress Racing (RCR) museum in Welcome, NC.



6. A while back, Richard established the winery 'Childress Vineyards' located on his estate in the Yadkin Valley of NC.

Much of the grapes used to produce his wines are also grown there and his 'White Table Wine' is a strong seller.

[NCGuy68]

@daytonajim wrote:Submitted for 'super26' - Jim



DEI #3 @ roll out of new 5th Gen DEI







Finally a 5th Gen that I like. Jim

Whats NOT to like about them?

A Supercharged 5th gen Camaro making 704 hp and 695 ft-lbs of torque at 11 psi boost is simply Bad To The Bone!....

Each one is custom dyno tuned and all of the mods are done 'in-house' at Earnhardt Chevy in Newton, NC. To me, the $60K price tag is a bargin!







Promotional card from DEC - 2012.

[NCGuy68]

More Trivia to have fun with....................



1. In the late 1960's, Dale along with his father Ralph, went to a local Chevy dealer to purchase a motor for Ralph's race car.



2. Ralph bought a 302 cu in Z28 Short Block - The High Reving Small Block Motor.



3. Dale was so impressed that anyone could get speed parts 'Over-The- Counter' he vowed to own a Chevy dealership in the future.



4. This year, 2012, Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet has been in business for 25 years and are happy to meet your 'Speed Parts' needs.



5. The 2001 Intimidator Camaros are Dale's answer to the Jack Roush high performance Ford Mustang of that year.

[super26]

EARNHARDT DEALERSHIP CAR