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RECENT NEWS:
Please bear with us as we are in a state of transmission. We are converting this page to the full memorial and moving all the latest news to our new sister site Dale Jr's Garage.com. This will be ready within the next following weeks in time to be fully done by the end of this year.Thanks,
Aaron
HARVICK GETS SECOND VICTORY; 7th IN STANDINGS
(July 15, 2001) - Rookie Kevin Harvick won again at the innuagural running of the Tropicanna 400 at the new Chicagoland Speedway. Chicagoland is a 1.5 mile tri-oval with basically one groove throughout the whole track. Despite its configurations, the race still was very exciting. Harvick started 6th and proved to be the most dominant car throughout the day. No one else seemed to be able to conquer the track like Kevin could. Two drivers were taken to the hospital after two different wrecks that were hard hits. Mike Skinner cut a tire and ended up against the outside wall in flames. Mike could have a fractured leg. The other happened to Buckshot Jones who hit hard on the driver's side door. He was taken out on a stretcher and there is no word on his condition. Towards the end, Jeff Gordon had engine trouble and Dale Jarrett and teammate Ricky Rudd finished in the top 5. With Gordon finishing 17th, Jarrett is tied at the top of the points with Rudd closer than ever. Kevin Harvick has moved from 10th to 7th with his win and he is still short one race. His season has been unbelievable.
Picture from NASCAR.com - click pic to go to
DALE EARNHARDT (JR) WINS - UNBELIEVABLE!!!
(July 7, 2001) - OK, This was such a great night for everyone who has been suffering/mourning for Dale Earnhardt. Again, just like after he died, I am going to get personal with all of you. After Earnhardt died Michael Waltrip won the Daytona 500. The very next week Steve Park won the race at Rockingham. Then two races later Kevin Harvick won at Atlanta in his 3rd race and in the same fasion as Dale did the year before. The year had become weird and unbelievable the way the wins were coming in a special order. Then, the only person left to win that would make the whole season extraordinary would be Junior, but where would it be extra special? DAYTONA. I figured this out a couple weeks after Harvick won. I told everyone that Dale Jr. is not going to win again until Daytona because it would make everything just so special for everyone. Sure enough, it happened. Dale Earnhardt (Jr) won at Daytona! And to make it even more special, eleven years ago exactly was the date of Dale Earnhardt's first win at Daytona. It's just unbelievable.
Now to the race. Dale Jr. started 13th and went on a tear up through the field and by the time he got up to lead for the second time he was unstopable. While in the lead, Jr. could block the high and low lines and could stop anyone from taking the lead from him. He also said over his radio to his crew that he was only pushing on 3/4 of the throttle and he had to keep it that way so he didnt run away from the field and then get hung out to dry when he got to far ahead. He was just so dominant, leading 115 of the 160 laps.
All night long, as in any restrictor plate race, drivers worried about "The Big Crash". Well, the Big One came with less than 20 laps to go. Mike Skinner checked up for someone who was slowing to come into the pits and he was hit from behind by Kurt Busch. This caused a big wreck which collected atleast 12 cars including Sterling Marling, Jeff Gordon & Kevin Harvick (minor damage). The leaders pitted and Dale Jr came out around 10th and he moved up to 6th but his charge was stopped once again by a caution brought out when Gordon's car blew up or was leaking oil on the track. This set up a 6 lap, single-file shootout which cause the fans to see Jr. fly up through the field and take the lead with 5 laps to go. Bobby Labonte followed Jr. into second but he was only to be overtaken by Michael Waltrip. For the final two laps Michael Waltrip spent his time not racing but blocking, returning the favor to the late Dale Earnhardt. Michael followed Junior home to the checkered flag. During the scrambling, Tony Stewart went below the yellow line to pass 2 cars and the new NASCAR rule is that you cannot go below that line. Tony Stewart was black flagged but he never answered the flag and went on to finish 6th. There is no word yet on NASCAR's decision.
After the cool down lap, Dale Junior did donuts in the infield just like his father after the '98 500. He then shut off his car and got out and celebrated in the infield as Michael Waltrip drove up beside him, got out and celebrated on his roof just as he did when he won the Daytona 500. Dale Jr. and Michael hugged on Michael's rooftop and exchanged excited words. All the crews just ran to greet their drivers and just surrouded them. Then Dale started the car up and went to victory lane and celebrated. After getting out of the car again, he quoted, "I just don't know what to say...He was with me tonight, i don't know how i did it but he was there and Michael helped me, I guess we are even now....I'll be crying sooner or later, I don't know I feel so good right now...I dedicate this win to him. I don't know anyone else I would rather dedicate to that it would mean more to me." After that quote Steve Park came in Victory Lane and joined Dale Jr. with a big hug. What an immotional day. Michael Waltrip finally gets to celebrate his Daytona 500 win along with Dale Jr. **Tony Stewart was dropped to 26th place, last car on the lead lap, for going below the yellow line during the race**
Listen To Audio From the Race!
Jr. takes the lead
Waltrip takes second
The finish
Jr's comments in Victory Lane
PREVIOUS NEWS:
AN EARNHARDT IN VICTORY LANE!
(June 9, 2001) - Yes, it's true. Kerry Earnhardt drove home to a first place finish in the ARCA event at Michigan Speedway today. Last year he came home a close fifth while being guided by his dad on the radio. This year he won the race while being guided by his dad who now resides in heaven. Kerry, after winning, was greeted by his brother Dale Jr. on his way to victory lane. Dale Jr. stuck his head in and said a few things that Kerry did not comment on. However, when Kerry got out of his car to celebrate in victory lane the entire crowd errupted in cheers and grew louder as Kery removed his sponsor's hat from his head and placed the Earnhardt tribute hat that all the crews wore at Rockingham on his head instead. Kerry dedicated his 2nd career ARCA win to his father. What an emmotional day at Michigan today.
COUNTERFEIT EARNHARDT MERCHANDISE
(June 4, 2001) - Since Dale Earnhardt's tragic death there has been a huge increase in fake Earnhardt items being produced and sold. To protect yourself from being conned, always puchase items that say "Officially Liscenced", and try to only buy from company's that are well-known. Another tip: try to stay away from merchandise that contains "1951-2001" because most of this is unauthorized apparel.
HANS DEVICE WINS AWARD
(May 18, 2001) - It took a long time for HANS device inventor Robert Hubbard to get his invention noticed. The device that could of saved the life of Dale Earnhardt won the Louis Schwitzer Award for innovation.click here to read more
EARNHARDT RESCUER WILL NOT RECREATE EFFORTS
(May 11, 2001) - After rescuer Tommy Propst announced two weeks ago that when he had gotten over to rescue Earnhardt after the accident, Earnhardt's seat belt had not been cut. Now Propst refuses to demonstrate just how he had found Earnhardt because his lawyer says it's best not to do so right now. Is NASCAR hiding something or is Tommy's story a fraud? click here to read more
EARNHARDT's SEAT BELT NO FACTOR
(April 10, 2001) - Many college professors have studying the impact of Earnhardt's crash and have came to a theory that it was not the broken seat belt that killed Earnhardt but the nature of the crash. These experts also pointed out that Dale would have most likely died anyway due to massive brain trauma if his seatbelt did not tear. click here to read more
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