The gang stood for three
hours not sitting down until Lap 175 of the 200 lap race. Crystal who was tired from getting up at 4 a.m. went under the bleachers
to take a nap.
“I did not care
how loud it was, I am not a race fan so the race did not matter to me,” said Crystal. But she missed a crash that had 25 cars in it, one care flipped over
10 times. The big accident happened right in front of the gang.
“I had never seen
anything like it before, Tony Stewart flipped over at least 10 times in front of us,” said Tommy. The clean up from
the accident gave time for the gang to rest. “I Felt like I had been driving the race car all day,” said Joe.
It also added to the
drama because once the clean up was over it was 20 laps to go. When the race restarted, the leader of the race was Michael
Waltrip, Second place was Dale Earnhardt Jr. and third place was Dale Earnhardt.
These 20 laps were the
most intense, “I won’t for sure if Waltrip could hold on but I knew if he could not do it the two Earnhardt’s
were right there with him,” said Tommy.
The last 20 laps went
by really fast and before anyone knew it, it was one lap to go. The leader with one lap to go was Michael Waltrip; second
place was Dale Earnhardt Jr. and third was Dale Earnhardt. The elder Earnhardt was doing something very out of character,
blocking.
“He was not trying
to win, he was blocking so his best friend Michael Waltrip and his son Dale Jr. could fight for the win.” said Tommy,
who’s eye began to wilt up with tears as he replays the last lap in his mind. “They came (the pack of cars) out
of turn two and headed right past us.” Tommy was about to cry and could not say anymore.
Joe jumped in and said
“Dale passed us 30 seconds before he died.” Dale was blocking for his son Dale Jr. and eventual winner Michael
Waltrip. As Dale blocked with everything he had, He was entering turn three and was hit from behind by another driver and
his car made a sharp turn head on in to the concrete wall at 190 mph.
He died on impact. “We
did not know that he was gone until we were a long way away from Daytona somewhere near Savannah
Georgia and we got the call,” said Joe.
The call was from Matt’s
mom Teresa. She asked Tommy “How did you enjoy the race?” Trying not to dwell on the bad news because she knew
how much they liked Earnhardt. Tommy said, “It was the best ever.” Teresa said, “Oh you did not hear did
you.” Tommy’s world came to a crashing stop.
“Everything went
in to slow motion,” said Tommy and then he asked the fateful question. “Hear what?” Teresa told him “He
did not make it”.
Tommy was driving and
he broke down, on the phone he said, “He’s gone, what do you mean he’s gone” then he began to cry
and said, “He’s dead.” “It was just like my father’s death all over again… I never even
met the man but it felt like he was a part of my family.”
They were about to stop
and find a hotel but Tommy said, “Nope I don’t feel like stopping now I gotta get home.” They drove though
the night. “It was quiet for the rest of the four hours we had left in the car,” said Joe. “I was sitting
there in total shock and really did not know what to say or do, but think.”
They made it home sometime
around 5 a.m. “I went to sleep not sure as to what I had seen,” said
Joe.
“I thought it was
just a bad dream and when I woke up it would be ok…but it wasn’t ok,” said Tommy
Three days after Black
Sunday, Joe was going through his suitcase cleaning it out and he comes across this box.
“I had totally
forgotten about it and at first I really wasn’t sure what it was,” said Joe. He found his unopened Dale Earnhardt
Oreo Collector car.
He still has that car;
it is covered with a small American flag like a war hero returning after making the ultimate sacrifice. “I just thought
it would be a proper memorial to him,” said Joe.
It’s been seven
years, since Black Sunday. Tommy does not follow NASCAR like he used to. “It’s just not the same… I can’t
get in to it like I used to.”
Last October at Martinsville
Tommy went to the race with Crystal and Joe. It was his first race he had been to since black Sunday.
Tommy wiping his eyes says
“I’ll think ill come back to another race, but I still can’t get the images of Dale blocking for the win
on the last lap. He will always be my favorite driver.”
Questions, Comments;
Email Joe
The views and opinions in this article are that of the writer(s) and not necessarily that of SCR
2006 StockCar Review.
