POSTING BY JB MADDAWG
I’ll tell you how much of a race fan I am. Back in around ’86, I stood along my father at a local asphalt speedway that more than a few Nascar racing legends have mixed it up at. Darrell Waltrip had just finished the feature event (back when top drivers still would run at some of the smaller tracks) and was signing autographs. When it was my turn, I stuck a pad of paper at D.W., and said, “Jaws, (his TRUE nickname for long time race fans) does it feel good to have people booing Earnhardt instead of you for a change?” He shuffled nervously, and responded, “uh..I guess”, as the crowd around me chuckled and my dad pulled me by my shirt away from the line. I guess I was in early preparation for my work here at The ThrowDown.
Believe it or not, this story has a point that a savvy race fan would pick up on. People. Booed. Earnhardt. Hardly a memory “modern” Nascar fans can relate to. The mighty, legendary and even God-like Dale Earnhardt Sr. heard many jeers for many years at top race venues. He was abrasive, ornery and he regularly blamed everyone around him in post race interviews for miscues that were his fault on the track, more often than not. When I started watching racing in 1977, Darrell Waltrip was hated by millions for being a whiny little jerk in racing. It was nothing compared to the loathing a vast majority of fans had for Dale Earnhardt Sr. in later years. Yet, something happened along the way.
When the Pettys, Allisons, Yarboroughs and the legends of the track faded into history, Nascar ran into a problem that the NBA would suffer upon the retirement of Michael Jordan. They ran out of a poster boy to peddle their sport. Earnhardt Sr. had switched to Goodwrench as his primary sponsor, and unveiled his all black race car paint scheme. Much like the unhinged Raiders fans in the NFL, all the crazies, bikers and outlaw fans in racing supported Earnhardt’s dirty tactics on the track, and instead of supporting a clean-cut image, Nascar decided to take the low road. Well, that and the fact that it has been long suspected by insiders that Earnhardt had an in with Nascar’s powers that be, the France family.
Thus, a “legend” was born. Truth be known for anyone who’s familiar with Earnhardt’s driving pre 1988, he was almost completely unable to make a clean pass without taking off a coat of paint. Sure, contact is expected. There’s contact, then there’s just plain nosing the bumper or quarter panel of the car in front of you with the sole purpose of putting someone out of the race. It’s a dirty, shitty tactic of drivers that do not have the car or skills to pass for position. And Nascar embossed Dale Earnhardt Sr.’s ass in gold for doing so. Then, they really got ugly and came up with the nickname “the intimidator”, which slapped the face of just about every driver that had been black flagged for driving like an idiot. Nascar had their chosen one, and they weren’t going to have it any other way.
All that changed on February 18th, 2001. It was that day during the Daytona 500 that on the final lap, defending champion Earnhardt tried to cut off, or “block” the faster car of Sterling Marling on the final lap, lost control and his life. Without going into long discussions of seat belt rigging and safety devices, there is one fact that is never uttered by fans, Nascar or the sheep in sports journalism. But I will…Dale Earnhardt Sr. died driving the way he always did. Reckless and crazy brave, and he paid the ultimate price for it. This didn’t stop half-wit fans from immediately sending death threats to Sterling Marlin, which Nascar hardly lifted a finger to discourage, and turned the sport into a moving mausoleum.
Post death, race broadcasts would have a moment of silence on lap three, Earnhardt’s number, as some sort of creepy real-time race eulogy. Currently, there has never been a moment of silence for Adam Petty (#42), Neil Bonnet (#12), Kenny Irwin(#28) or any of the other driver that has passed tragically on the track. Earnhardt, though, was listed as a pioneer, whatever that means. Any time the mere mention of the Earnhardt name was uttered on a broadcast for the next two seasons, viewers were made to feel as if a group suicide was the only proper way to react to the death. Sickening didn’t begin to cover it. Even son and driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., would start making statements to “let it go”. But Nascar was only getting started.
When Nascar returned to Daytona in July, Earnhardt Jr. magically moved the boundaries of Heaven and earth by winning the next race at the track his father died at. Mind you, I’m not saying the race was rigged…but it wouldn’t be the first time Nascar has looked the other way when certain cars weren’t exactly “legal”. Quite obviously, Nascar had quickly found a replacement poster boy. The logical choice was their martyr’s son.
The fact is Earnhardt Jr. has never been, and probably never will be a top-tier driver. He has a handful of extremely questionable wins, and the backing of the governing body of the sport. After struggling year after year, Jr. has still not reached potential, and Nascar cannot have a representative that hasn’t won a championship. After a number of years of backing off the constant parading of Earnhardt Jr., Nascar has once again begun the full court press to elevate the man to deity status. On June 18th, Jr. won his first race in four years…on Father’s Day. The wailing of an entire sport once again filled the airwaves with “how ironic” the win was. Ironic, indeed.
I’m sorry to see a sport I’ve loved and watched for so many years is equaling pro wrestling status. I feel vaguely insulted every time one of the major race reporters utters a stupid phrase as “could this, could this, oh could it be the year Dale Earnhardt Jr. wins the championship?”. Nascar has now moved into the realm of “sports entertainment”, and I have begun to question many of their recent actions.
Fooled by this grotesque charade are the fans that never knew Nascar’s B.E. (Before Earnhardt) period. Long time fans on the other hand, have been slighted and are no longer paying decent money to show up at a wrestling match. When Earnhardt Jr. finally hoists the championship trophy , which I believe will be much sooner than later, will it mean anything? To anyone that truly knows what’s happening in the sport?
The one sure thing I can say in conclusion is that if I were the one calling the shots in Nascar, I sure as hell wouldn’t be honoring the memory of a dead driver by turning a truly unique sport into a sideshow funeral dirge. I’m JB Maddawg, and I’m calling bullshit on you, Nascar.
bigangry72
JB Maddawg
rantavius
Great article. I would love to read more about the inside rumors and conspiracies within the sport.
I do, in fact have quite a bit more material on this subject, but I’m undecided whether or not I should release it to the public. Thank you, and the large number of readers that have supported this article.
I’ve searched everywhere on the net and You Tube, and cannot find the real last pre-race interview for the race the fatal day. I started telling my friends from day two after his death, that he killed himself in that race on purpose, and it has been covered up. NOW, before all you diehard Dale fans come unglued, hear me out, as many of my friends were and still are loyal fans, and after what I had to say, had too start agreeing with me. There are 4 points I’ll make then you decide, and keep in mind, the kind of man Dale was, he always did things his way. This is the only guess I’m making the rest is facts, my guess is he went out of country and found out he was terminally ill. Instead of withering away in a bed he chose to go out the way he wanted too. Here’s the 4 points, in reverse order. 4-He drove like he never had driven before, he ran blocker swerving back and fourth, not trying too win, knowing someone WOULD turn him, 3- Was always reported as a CUT seat belt not torn. 2- Pay attention to Teresa as he’s buckling in for the race, she is crying and kissing him like she knows she’s not going to ever see him again alive. #1- Pre-Race interview, he is talking about pro’s and con’s of restrictor plate racing, at the end of interview he gets up out of the studio chair and starts to turn and walk away, but then turns back and POINTS STRAIGHT AT THE CAMERA AND SAYS, I QUOTE HIS EXACT WORDS “AND THIS WILL BE A DAYTONA 500 NO ONE WILL EVER FORGET” Now, Himself, his son, and Waltrip coming in 1, 2, and 3 would not be something no one would ever forget. But, him dying in that race would be, and he was right, even people that weren’t NASCAR fans remember that day… I bet this gets censored.
I only censor comments that are written for the purpose of trying to personally insult me, and even then, it’s just for my enjoyment.
Here, you’ve made a very interesting and thought out case, and I’m glad you’ve expressed it on our blog. In fact, now even I really want to see that interview again, and the Theresa moment. The only point I have trouble with is that I just can’t see Earnhardt putting his death on the help of a fellow driver. Otherwise, your perspective is very interesting, and I do plan and taking a open minded look at it. Thanks Tony!
Ok, kool. Wish you luck, some of my friends darn near wanted too fight about it at first, but then one of them had the whole thing, with interview recorded. He later came back to me and said wow, it was all there, and made him start to believe it too. But, unless you can find the same thing, someone with a recording, I have had no luck in finding the real interview, the last full lap to show how much swerving he was doing, let alone the scene with Teresa just before the command to start engines. I don’t think he thought about the guy he would put his death on, but, he did know with him swerving at least 20 feet back and forth blocking the field that someone would turn him, just like he was famous for himself. To be honest… At the time I was NO kind of fan of Dale Earnhardt Sr. and that is probably the reason I noticed the rest later and put it all together. When he said, And this will be a Daytona 500 no one will ever forget. Myself thought what an arrogant prick. But by second day I had replayed it all in my head and came up with it, I was mad because of the death threats too Simpson Industry’s President and Sterling Marlin when I figured he got what he was counting on, but then the rest was history. P.S. That true last interview will be several minutes long, out in the grass well away from his trailer sitting in one of those Director’s studio chairs. Have had no luck locating it.
Fuck this article and fuck you.
First let me ask, who the hell is Kelly? Seems like someone needs to get a life.. damn
Anyway, while I personally know almost zilch about Nascar, my daughter is a fiend. That girl knows drivers, their stats, you name it she’s on it.. Going to share this with her..Very interesting post!!
I’ve narrowed “Kelly” down to either someone in NASCAR’s damage control department, or my ex-wife. You have to understand that in this sport, the Earnhardt family are sacred cows. They can hurl insults and death threats at me all they like, but in the end, they can’t stand the fact that there are people like me that won’t allow NASCAR, the sports media and Earnhardt fans to just rewrite the history of the sport. As you know, we kind of like being the “fly in the ointment” here! Thanks for the support.
High Five Sir Fly!!!!
Racing has always been about as dumb as roller derby. Fixed? Who cares. Chunky racist drunk rednecks watching cars go in circles.
Yet, you came here and clicked on a NASCAR post. Your brain must rattle around like a bb in a boxcar when you walk.
I was at one point a Dale fan but you are right. The longer he drove the worse he got. I believe in God and His ways. I also believe that God snuffed out Dale before he killed other drivers as well as himself. Dale was gutsy but to what end would things have changed if God had not stepped in. Sterling did catch hell behind that but he did not have to be an idiot to win. My driver back in the day was Rusty. From the white Kodiak car to the beer ride that saw R. W. Retire. I like what you said in ya column. Finally a gutsy writer tells it like it is.
Your friend
Joe Coley
First, thanks for reading The ThrowDown, Joe. Second, thanks for paying me a big compliment, in my book. As a writer, I don’t need pages of comments or to have my articles constantly passed around, but I hope folks recognize that I write if its a popular opinion or unpopular. Since you are a race fan, you probably guessed that this article was extremely unpopular with many fans. Yet, I felt it had to be said, and there are at least a couple in Nascar’s garage area that would agree with me. Thanks again, Joe. BTW, I met Rusty the night before he won the championship in Atlanta. He was extremely decent to me and greatly professional.