My Hero

The greatest man I never met, has run his final race. 
The pain I feel is showing in the tears upon my face. 

With the love of a father, and that of a friend, 
He protected Mike and Junior right to the end.

In that special, unselfish move, for all the world to see, 
He showed why we love that BLACK #3. 

We have lost the heart of racing, it will never be the same.
But he was far more than just a racing name

His skill in driving was beyond compare. 
But it was the man himself that made me care.
 
Those steel blue eyes, that sly dawg grin. 
The way he cared , all part of him.

The loving husband, the faithful friend.
The proud father, memories that will never end.

He lived for Sundays, the race to win.
To beat the odds, was life to him.

To hear those engines roar to life
Was second only to God and his wife.

Strapped into the number 3 after Teresa's kiss;
Calm, relaxed, ready to race. Nothing was amiss.

As he made that final turn, in the number 3,
Was it more than air the MAN IN BLACK could see?

Did he see his daddy, and Neil Bonnet standing there?
And all of Heaven Angels, when all we saw was air?

I think that God was standing there to meet the elder E.
The one that he's been waiting for to drive Heaven's #3.

I do not know how long this ache will tear apart my heart.
It may never happen, it may never start.

No one can replace him, in our hearts or on the track.
Rest in peace my hero, I'll always love the Man in Black.

Barb Kerr 
02/19/01