May 22, 01:30 AM
When will they stop asking Dale Jr. if he misses his Dad?
Posted by Cheryl Walker under Racing ArticleThe passing of the racing legend Dale Earnhardt shattered the world of NASCAR, and many fans will never fully recover.
In the days following his death, the media covered the tragic event so thoroughly that when many NASCAR fans could finally put two thoughts together without crying even they were surprised. It seems Dale Earnhardt's mystique transcended the sport he earned so many fans in and invaded the mainstream world.
All thoughts ultimately turned to Dale's family, though. It was his beautiful wife, Teresa, and his children, Kerry, Kelley, Dale Jr., and Taylor, that everyone's prayers were sent upward for.
Everyone marveled at the composure of the family, and, of course, the media focused on Dale Jr. The young man that had to deal with the tragic death of his father also had the added burden of being photographed, filmed, and interviewed at every turn. I remember at the New York awards in the December following Earnhardt's death, during the moments that speeches were being given in his memory, the camera focused in so closely on Dale Jr.'s face you could imagine his breath upon you. I felt such compassion for him as he looked upon those speaking with such quiet bravery, with a television camera capturing every blink of his eyes. I didn't realize I was holding my breath until the camera finally broke from the intense close-up.
The years have passed, and so has the intense scrutiny. Despite his reputation as a fun-loving party-goer, Dale Jr. handled those personal intrusions with such grace, and continues to do so today.
The questions still come: ‘What do you think your Dad would think of this or that', 'What about your racing is like that of your Dad's?' and so on.
The one that makes me wince unkindly, however, is this one: 'Do you miss your Dad?' To ask a question like that with such an obvious answer is not really an attempt to hear the reply, but to elicit a response, and one that is not necessary at this point. We all know that he misses his Dad. It's time for that question to be as graciously un-asked, as how graciously Dale Jr. has answered it for too long now.
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Ben Smith Says:
May 22, 08:41 AMIt is obvious that all of NASCAR will always miss Dale Earnhardt. But it has been more than five years since has death and it is not healthy to live in the past. It is time to move on and give Dale, Jr. his privacy.
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Marti Says:
May 22, 10:01 AMSorry Al, but Dale is the Elvis of NASCAR. They will be remembering his BD and the date of his death years from now, just like they do Elvis. We don’t have to put his memory to bed, we just have to quit throwing stupid questions in Jrs face in the hope he’s going to break down crying on camera. Miss U 3!
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Tim Temple Says:
May 22, 10:58 AMI have to agree with Marty, Dale Earnhardt is the Elvis of NASCAR, but Dale Jr is more than just his father’s son—he is a successful NASCAR driver himself! Give him the respect and let him enjoy his own success! Tim
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Janet Says:
May 22, 02:35 PMDale Earnhardt will long live in the memory of any NASCAR Fan. Junior will create his own memories for the fans along the way. He has gained the respect and earned his way in the last 5 years and even prior to losing his father but he is human. The media needs to give Junior a break. He has to constantly be reminded of his father without the help of the media shoving it in his face. Show Junior half the respect you showed his father.
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Robby Says:
May 22, 03:41 PMWow, this subject is equivelant to playing with fire. Dale Sr., in my mind is by far greater than Elvis ever was, however I am only 31 and I know how my mom feels about Elvis. Probably much like I do about Dale Sr., that said, all I know is I still feel like crying when I think of him being gone….I just never thought he would die. It hurts even today for me, imagine how Dale Jr. feels. I am just a fan. Bottom line, Dale Jr. deserves the respect we would want if one of our parents died…I know it would hurt me so bad I would’nt be able to function for a while, maybe even a long time. Give the kid a break people.
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May 22, 06:52 AM
Nice article. I agree with you. I think it’s time to put the Dale Earnhardt tradgedy to bed. As great as he was, he was not Elvis. Junior is his own man and wants to be treated as such.