My Ongoing Tribute to the Greatest NASCAR Driver Ever

Dale Earnhardt

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A season draped in black

By Jim Huber, Turner Sports Interactive
April 3, 2001
10:24 AM EDT (1424 GMT)

This just in:

The next time you exit Interstate 35W to get to the Texas Motor Speedway, be prepared to either slow to a crawl, tears blurring your vision, or cut off your neighbor in the right lane and force him into the grass.

It will be called "Dale Earnhardt Way" from now on, so initiated over the weekend. A flatbed truck pulled the freshly-minted sign around the track Sunday to a standing ovation from the estimated 210,000 fans---105,000 estimated still out on that exchange inching their way toward the track at the time.

And then they were invited to remain standing for a third-lap salute. Dale Jr., trying to defend his title there, led the pack out of the fourth turn under the green flag, roaring down the stretch with that enormous crowd on its collective feet in silent tribute.

This will be a long and arduous season for NASCAR as it allows its fans at every stop to join in the mourning. With most deaths, sudden or expected, we are allowed our grieving time and then it's up to us to close that chapter and move on. Usually, such closure is up to the individual's pace. Some of us get on with our lives rather quickly while others stretch it gracefully.

In the case of Dale Earnhardt, we might just as well wrap a black armband around 2001 and call it "The Farewell Tour (Minus No. 3)". Every track will have its moment, as well they should, every fan allowed his or her personal salute. Because the tragedy happened in the season's debut, we have the entire year. No one will be missed, save those stuck in traffic.

There will be huge number threes burned into infields, grandstands and exit ramps, and toll gates and pit areas named for the man. If he had chosen to simply retire at Daytona instead of expire, it could not have been a more tumultous and emotional sendoff as he made his final lap at every track along the way.

There is one suggestion for the rest of this year, however. Because so many fans sit overheating, bundled bumper to bumper, missing the opening rounds every week, why not wait for the race's end? One single, solitary black No. 3 slowly clockwise. The perfect "Amen," with everyone there this time.

Jim Huber's column appears every Tuesday on NASCAR.com. The opinions listed here are solely those of the writer.