I'll tell you what else I admired about him. In a day of "political correctness" and "candor", Earnhardt said what he meant and meant what he said. He was forthright and honest and if you didn't agree with him, so what? It didn't stop him from being the "bad boy" in black. He relished the role and loved to play it to the hilt. He pulled no punches, he never "sugar-coated" anything, and he always gave all he had. I guess you could say he was the "John Wayne" of Nascar.
After enduring vicious rumors, unflattering publicity, and merciless taunting from those who only wished they could be as good, now Dale Earnhardt will be laid to rest. And racing will never be the same again.........
(by Jeff Mitchell)
Life can be unfair, the way it twists and turns,
It can fill your head with questions, worries and concerns.
Sometimes we get lucky, someone shines us a light,
They can make the bad seem good, and the wrong seem right.
There aren't many people, to look up to nowadays,
They lose your respect, with words or their ways.
To find such a person, can be quite a joy,
He can brighten your days, like a kid with a new toy.
We all need a hero, someone to live through,
You feel like you know him, and he even knows you.
I found such a man, while I was just a child,
The excitement I felt, it made me go wild.
The passion he had, with all the skills to match,
Things that looked impossible, he did without a scratch.
Each Sunday that would come, I couldn't wait to see his car,
Knowing he would deliver, he always had so far.
You win some you lose some; he got more than his share,
Each time things went wrong, I can remember the scare.
But each time he'd surface, more determined than before,
If someone else had caused it, he'd even the score.
He didn't mix his words, not trying to impress,
If he had a thought on his mind, that's what he'd stress.
Off the track he shined, a family man and friend,
For those who knew him best, on him they could depend.
For 22 years, I've watched this man shine,
I never got to meet him, I came close a few times.
Dale you will be missed, that's all I've got to say,
There's a part of me that's missing, I Lost My Hero Today!
