As a fan of Dale Sr.’s from day one and who always will be, I can’t go without bringing up the special Daytona 500 Anniversary win car they unveiled this week created by Motorsports Authentics commemorating Dale Earnhardt’s first and only win of the Daytona 500 in 1998.
I am fortunate to own more than one of those 1998 die-cast in my collection of Earnhardt memorabilia.
You know what turned me off about this anniversary die-cast that has been approved by Mrs. Earnhardt and Richard Childress? This is a sad and a very shameless way to try and make money on Dale Sr. by not recreating the real stock car but to make the special commemorative die-cast a COT. I am surprised that Mr. Childress went along with making the recreation of Dale’s Daytona 500 win a COT. I am sure there were monetary reasons this was made. Well to me it was a wrong decision to we fans of Dale Sr. I am referring to we fans who followed his career from the very beginning until his untimely death February 18, 2001.
I for one will not be adding this car to my collection. It is my opinion that a true fan of Dale would not want a # 3 COT car in their collection. He was not driving a COT when he won the Daytona 500 ten years ago. I don’t believe that Dale Earnhardt Sr. would like to see his commemorative win in the shape of a COT car. Dale in his life was always very particular about anything related to his name, his number of anything related to the “Intimidator or the Man in Black.” From what I always read he wanted memorabilia to be authentic and part of his fans memories of what he did in his career. A COT was NEVER a part of his career. Like with NASCAR, it is with most individuals, whatever it takes to bring in the $$$ is all that matters. Who cares about the fans and what we would like or want? To be honest, absolutely no one.
What some will try to do to bring in more money. I do have to take time and remember that the individual who was bringing in millions to DEI after Dale Sr.’s untimely death has been Dale JR driving the # 8. No more needs to be said. Since Dale JR announced his plans for 2008 I have received and still are receiving more offers to purchase Dale SR items then ever before in my snail mail and in my emails. Trains, planes, Christmas villages, little bears (bears that I bought back in the 90’s) and more. I guess you got to do something to try and bring in a fraction of what Dale Jr. brought in his entire time at DEI. His Dad would be very unhappy about so much that has went on since he left us but mainly since he left his children without anyone truly giving a hoot for them at DEI.
Has anyone ever seen Dale Sr. making left turns and occasional right turns in the what is known as the Car of Today or test driving a Car of Tomorrow as it was known up until this season? I don’t think so. NASCAR listened to Dale Sr. when he spoke. He would more then likely, have helped develop a car like this. Safer cars, safer devices for our drivers to wear in their cars,especially those safe wall barriers would have made a big difference and should have been in place long before they were.
When I first began sending out my newsletter in its first year as I now enter my eight season this year I made a comment to my subscribers in one edition. I said “eventually all tracks would place safe walls in whether mandated by NASCAR to do so or not.” I was told by many that would never happen. Some told me that the tracks would not spend out that kind of money as they did not have it to spend. I replied, “if they wanted to keep NASCAR races they would or NASCAR should take the races away from those who refused to comply.” Well we all know we see safe wall barriers at each track and NASCAR has put safety # 1 where it should have been all along.
I am sad that they could not have recreated the stockcar likeness that Dale Sr. was driving in that very special Daytona 500 back in February 1998. I might have purchased one if it was like that and had special words commemorating his win but since they chose to go the way of the COT, I won’t be talked into purchasing one. As I said, a fan of Dale Sr. would not even consider doing that.
Perhaps some day if a special person gets behind the # 3 and it returns to racing, then and only then would I consider buying one.
Editor’s Note: Please respond with comments below, or to Becky directly by e-mail at LuvsNscr88@aol.com.
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I agree 100%. I owne a room full of Dale Sr. Items. Have not purchased a thing since he died.It is not the same. It is all about the mighty dollar.From a true Dale Sr. fan Arlyn
I agree 100% also Nascar has ruined itself with it’s greed. I have 2 of his 1998 cars and will not be buying the new one!
It seems Mrs. Earnhardt has beecome a professional wodow and will milk her late husband’s name for every dime she can. Has she no shame?
I think It is cool because its something different. It keeps Dale’s memory alive because it draws your attention to what was and ask you to look at the COT and maybe wonder what might have been. Also I remember that day and the year that followed Dale’s death, and remember how the fan’s that used Dale’s death to print unauthorized t-shirts,decals and yes repainted die casts to make a buck. So quit your whining and don’t buy it. Here’s another fact for ya, before Dale died, it cost almost $100 to get his autograph through the fan club. If you went to the track say Watkins Glen it cost almost 400 dollars in tickets and cold pit passes(just for a chance that he might sign something. By the way I do agree that it seems to be all about the money, but its been going this way for a very long time. you should know that we the fans let them get away with it by continuosly buy extremely over priced tickets and products.I suggest that you support your local race tracks anyway. These are people you know and live around and you get more for your money at the local track. Hell at some levels for the price of a nascar ticket you can have your name on thier car at a local track.
Another example of the degredation of NASCAR and the reason that I don’t care a hoot about what they do any more. Less time watching this last batch of pretty boy superstars just gives me more time to go to my local dirt tracks and watch some good ‘ol boys.
alan
Don’t start with the tired old “DEI should be for the kids” bit. If Dale Earnhardt wanted DEI to go to the children, then his will would have so stated. I may not agree with all Mrs. Earnhardt does, but if she made Dale happy, which she obviously did, then who am I to question her actions?
2 things — I agree 100%. First a chocolate bar and now this.
Secondly, Big E did leave the company, in part, to the kids. They D have a financial stake in DEI and is why they continue to want it to succeed. They just could not work with Teresa any more.
I don’t know where PJ Force had to pay $100 to get Dale’s autograph but I never did. My husband and I were married on 4/29/00. My parents sent Dale an invitation to the wedding and asked him to autograph it. He did and it is now framed and hanging next to my bridal portrait and never cost us a dime except for the postage to mail it.
No, I won’t be buying the “COT” car because it is wrong to put that number on something he never drove. Just as it is wrong for na$crap to say that Dale was a 7 time nextel/sprint champion. If B. France wants to “go back to the way it used to be”, he needs to start there!
Chuck Abrams-How do you know Dale Earnhardt left the company, in part, to the children. Where is your proof? It is a matter of public record that the company was left solely to Mrs. Earnhardt. You need positive proof before you make a statement like you just did. Your statement is so typical of the blind leading the blind and refusing to see the facts.
I have seen elsewhere that the kids do have a financial stake in the company. It may be small, but that is what I read. Now, if that was a mistake, then so be it. I have no problem with admitting that if what I read was not correct. I am not refusing to see any facts, it may be that the facts are just a bit blurry right now.
I think that 2008 car of Dale’s is not right! they shouldn’t make any other cars of his except the ones from 1979-2001! I bought a 1:64 scale die cast 2001 Monte Carlo (the one he died in) two months before that race, and now it sits in that tin worth a lot of money, and no I’m not selling it to nobody! but that 2008 model doesn’t look right if you ask me I think it is a disgrace to Dale! I don’t like NASCAR’s stupid rules nowadays the drivers can’t bump around anymore unless it is an accident I mean what the hell, NASCAR used to be funner back in the day when all drivers especially Earnhardt had to bump and run to get to the front of the pack in order to win the race, I think it is stupid they had to change it NASCAR was more entertaining back then if you ask me when Earnhardt was still racing! Go Dale Jr.! I want to see you hoist that Sprint Cup trophy over your head this year!
i agree with the fact that teresa is milking dales name for every penny she can i mean i miss the #3 on the track but it should only be driven by an earnhardt and not some kid that came from say new york or just because its richard childresses grand son let the 3 be. and stop trying to make new items like the dale sr. cot that is a disrespectful thing to do in his memory