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Hello once again from California where it has been raining VERY hard this past week but it looks like the races will get in this weekend at Hanford and Perris unless another downpour occurs. This will be the first time in many year (at least 15, maybe more) that I won't be in attendance at the WoO opener. I have been very busy trying to get my race car back together and we are getting closer every day, just not going as fast as I'd like it to go. I will cover the past Florida Speedweks as well as my view on the death of Dale Earnhardt. So here goes....
Dale Earnhardt was to many what JFK was to the United States or Diana was to Great Britain. He was an icon, a hero, a great race car driver and above all else a great family man. This guy would give you the shirt off his back but he never wanted anything in return. He would bump you out of the way going for the win (just ask Terry Labonte) but he also expected to get his share of the bumps. In a recent IROC race at Daytona, Eddie Cheever and Earnhardt got together with a few laps to go sending Earnhadt sideways but somehow Earnhardt regained control and kept going. After the race was over he spun Cheever out down the backstraight. While they were interviewing Cheever, Earnhardt came up and told him that he would race him hard anyday and that by spinning him on the backstraight that they were even and they can race side by side again another day. That day never came as Earnhardt's life came to an end before they could ever race again.
Earnhardt may have softened a little bit in the recent years while racing with his son, but lately he seemed to have a renewed lease on life and was more confident that ever. I have no doubt that Earnhardt could have drafted by both his son and Michael Waltrip, but Earnhardt had won the Daytona 500 before, and I'm sure he was trying to do everything he could to help his son and his new driver win their first Daytona 500. I believe that Earnhardt is smiling right now looking down on what has transpired over the past few days. Everything from rediculous death threats against Sterling Marlin to being on everybody's mind, as well as their hearts in this time of pain. I'm sure Earnhardt would do it again as he proved to everyone that he was going to be a factor and he also proved that Michael Waltrip can drive a race car and win a big race with the right equipment. I have to admit that I was not a Dale Earnhardt fan but since this huge tragedy I have gained the utmost respect for the man and I wish I could have realized just how much he did for the not just NASCAR but the sport of auto racing over the past several years.
Earnhardt came from humble beginnings and worked his way up the ladder into a great businessman as well as a race car driver. After all the tributes on television as well as the newspaper and magazines across the nation, I realized that this man was not only a hero, he was a great man. The family will go on and race again, that is what racing families do, they stick together and they help each other out in their time of need. As I pay my last respects to Earnhardt, I will share a story that happened to me the other night while I was watching a tribute to Earnhardt on Fox Sports News. They showed Earnhardt and his son Dale Jr. hugging along with his wife Theresa just before the Daytona 500, then they showed Dale Earnhardt kiss his wife twice before entering the race car for what would be his last time. I found myself choked up with emotion as I realized that was the last time that he would see his wife and son. As my eyes welled up with tears, it came to me that this was why I loved the sport of auto racing so much. The sport can tear your heart out when something like this happens, but it can also bring you closer together. I will never forget Dale Earnhardt and neither should anybody that calls themself a race fan or a human being. Dale Eanrhardt will live in my heart and my memories forever.
BF's notes: The King of 360's races at East Bay were won by Lance Dewease and Kenny Adams on the prelim night and Jeff Shepard in the finale as he got by a heart broken Jason Sides on the final lap to take home the $10,000 prize. Other strong runners during the week were Joey Saldana and Wayne Johnson...The All-Stars started their season off at Volusia County with Dale Blaney taking the opener in a radically designed car that was a brain child of his brother Dave. What a debut!!!...Joey Saldana won the following night, then Craig Dollansky the night after that...The finale was taken by Danny Lasoski after a horrendous crash that wore his car out along with the car of Greg Hodnett. ...Danny Wood was very strong with a 2nd and a 3rd during the first weekend....Lance Dewease has shown some strength in the early going as he had two 2nd's and a third a Volusia Co...Tim Shaffer was also impressive in his own hardware as he tuned up for the WoO season once again running for Dave Helm...! Ronald Laney continues to impress with strong runs at both Volusia Co. and East Bay...The following weekend at the East Bay Nationals, Saldana picked off the first two nights before Greg Hodnett took home the friday night honors...The finale looked to be all Saldana until his muffler came off and he was disqualified...Gary Wright gladly took over and sped to the huge $25,000 payday...Ronald Laney was 2nd, followed by Greg Hodnett, Tim Shaffer and Craig Dollansky...Look for Dollansky to try to tackle the WoO full time this year as well as Paul McMahan in the U2...Brad Furr, Jeff Shepard (in the Forbrook 5) and Jason Meyers (the new driver of the Holbrook 8H) will start off the season with the WoO in California and follow them for the first part of the year before deciding whether or not to stay on tour or go to the Gumout series...Danny Smith showed he still has some speed left in him as he led until late in the race when he got smoked on the restart by Saldana at the East Bay opener...Shane Stewart will be helping Andy Hillenburg on his crew during the upcoming season...Cory Kruseman has started off very strong in the SCRA wingless action with a controversial win at Manzanita after making contact with Richard Griffin on the final lap for the win. Rip Williams, Steve Ostling, Troy Rutherford and Troy Cline followed...The Perris opener was all Kruseman as he drove by Griffin and left him to take the main event in honor of his friend Don Barnes who passed away earlier in the week. The "Kruiser" is a class act and one of the friendliest drivers that I have ever met...Following Kruseman at Perris was Griffin, John Scott, Troy Cline and Tony Jones. Well that is all I have for this time, the next time I will be telling everybody about a very special occaision that is going to happen tomorrow (Feb. 24th), I will get into it more next time but it is very special to me, my family, friends and racers from all walks of life. See ya soon, BF
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