 |
2 0 0 3 N E W S
A R C H I V E
The day Dale
Earnhardt died
 December 16, 2003 - On the day that Dale Earnhardt died, the rookie Kurt Busch awoke
refreshed. His girlfriend Melissa Schaper cooked him a breakfast of bacon and eggs, and
then he dressed in shirt, jeans, and a comfortable pair of shoes he'd worn since high
school. In five hours, he would compete in one of the world's most famous auto races. Full Story.
Championships highlight new showroom display at DEI
November 26, 2003 - During a career that spanned 22-full Winston Cup seasons, he won 76 races and
seven Winston Cup Series championships. He also won Rookie of the Year honors and, along
the way, he and Teresa Earnhardt built Dale Earnhardt, Inc. into a championship team.
The new display in the Retail Showroom of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. pays tribute to Dale’s
championships, the winning ways of Dale Earnhardt, Jr., Michael Waltrip and the No. 1
Chevrolet team. Full
Story.
Childress makes some emotional laps in Earnhardt salute
October 11, 2003 - The No. 3 Chevrolet was back on the track for the first time since Dale
Earnhardt's 2001 death when Richard Childress drove a replica of it during pre-race parade
laps.
 Childress, the car owner for six of Earnhardt's seven Winston Cup
titles, wiped away tears as he waited for the command to start his engine. He gave a
thumbs-up sign before beginning the laps, which were part of NASCAR's "Victory
Lap" tribute to longtime series sponsor R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co.
Flashbulbs popped and fans stood while flashing three fingers each time the car passed,
and Childress closed the brief tribute with a long burnout along the frontstretch. (AP)
 10/11 - Victory Lap Photos: Page 1 | Page 2
By the Numbers: Earnhardt and Gordon
 October 9, 2003 - In what is sure
to be one of the most emotional days in more than two-and-a-half years of NASCAR Winston
Cup racing, former champions Dale Earnhardt and Jeff Gordon will be honored Saturday
evening at Lowe's Motor Speedway. Full Story.
Victory Laps in honor of Earnhardt
 October 8, 2003 - While there is no pre-race show scheduled for this Saturday night's
NBC coverage of the UAW-GM Quality 500, this week's Victory Lap ceremony, in which Richard
Childress will drive the No. 3 Chevrolet of the late Dale Earnhardt, will be shown.
The Victory Lap program honors R.J. Reynolds' 33-year sponsorship of NASCAR's top division
and recognizes drivers who captured a NASCAR Winston Cup championship.
The broadcast hits the air at 7 p.m. ET, with the green flag scheduled to
fly at about 7:20. The show will kick off with a live performance from the band
"Three Doors Down" to be followed by a few driver interviews and the Victory Lap
ceremony.
R e l a t e d :
8/12 - Childress
to drive No. 3 car at Lowe's
9/30 - Park out of
the 30 for 2004
9/22 - 2004
templates are "B.S." to Childress
No. 3 forever
September 14, 2003 - She says she is Dale Earnhardt's biggest fan, and it is difficult to dispute that
claim upon meeting Susie Behler. There is the black wooden sign that reads, "3 we
miss u." There is the "No. 1 Fan" T-shirt. There are the earrings worn in
tribute to Earnhardt's famous stock-car driver son, affectionally known as
"Junior." But, above all, there is this... Full
Story.
Infighting lessons as Childress dominates
August 29, 2003 - Don't look now, but as the Winston Cup Series prepares for its last Labor Day
weekend Southern 500, the historic importance of this race, Kurt Busch's ongoing problems
as NASCAR's newest bad boy and the return of Jimmy Spencer have all overshadowed one of
the best racing stories of the year. Although people are aware of it, sort of, the fact
that Richard Childress Racing has made a major midseason turnaround, something you rarely
see in this sport, has been pushed into the background by Busch, etc. Full Story.
8/16 - Dale Earnhardt Jr interview
8/16 - Richard Childress interview
BMS to dedicate Dale Earnhardt Terrace
August 12, 2003 - Bristol Motor Speedway officially will dedicate the new Dale Earnhardt Terrace
Grandstand during Sharpie 500 pre-race ceremonies on August 23. The late Dale Earnhardt
joins Richard Petty, Darrell Waltrip, Alan Kulwicki, Junior Johnson, David Pearson, Cale
Yarborough and the Allisons in having a grandstand named in his honor. Full Story.
Childress to drive No. 3 car at Lowe's
 August 12, 2003 - Car owner Richard Childress will drive the late Dale Earnhardt's No.
3 Chevrolet in a prerace ceremony at Lowe's Motor Speedway.
Childress unveiled the car Tuesday that he will drive alongside four-time Winston Cup
champion Jeff Gordon during the parade laps before the race Oct. 11. Full Story.
Richard Childress to unveil No. 3
"Victory Lap" Car Tuesday at Lowe's Motor Speedway
August 9, 2003 - On
Tuesday, Aug. 12, at 2:00 p.m., six-time NASCAR Winston Cup champion car owner Richard
Childress and four-time NASCAR Winston Cup champion Jeff Gordon will have a special press
conference concerning the Lowe's Motor Speedway portion of the "Victory Lap"
program which is recognizing R.J. Reynolds' contributions to the sport. H.A.
"Humpy" Wheeler, president and general manager of Lowe's Motor Speedway, and
Mark Dyer, vice president of licensing and consumer products for NASCAR, will also
participate in the press conference which will conclude with the unveiling of the
specially painted No. 3 Chevrolet Monte Carlo that Childress will drive during pre-race
festivities for the UAW-GM Quality 500 on Saturday night, Oct. 11. In what promises to be
one of the most memorable moments of the "Victory Lap" tour, Gordon will drive a
specially painted No. 24 Dupont Chevrolet alongside Childress and the No. 3 during the
pre-race festivities. Gordon's "Victory Lap" car will also be on display.
8/7 - Drivers put differences aside, place emphasis on teamwork -- Childress
pleased with organization's progress
8/2 - Harvick not too
late to chase Kenseth
7/26 - Little E a favorite son
6/29 - Just call him 'Dale'
6/29 - Earnhardt's love of outdoors memorialized
6/29 - Park p's and q's before entering a NASCAR race
2/17 - Dale was destined for greatness
Yeah, the music was a draw, but this was about Dale Earnhardt
June 28, 2003 - This
is a story of two women, connected by the memory of one man. One of the women is famous.
One of them isn't. But both of them were at Daytona International Speedway on Saturday for
the same reason. Full Story.
6/27 - Teresa
Earnhardt, Dale Jr., and Performers comment on Dale Earnhardt Tribute Concert
6/22 - For fans, Intimidator is eternal
Earnhardt, Childress teams driven apart
June 22, 2003 - One
sensitive development since Dale Earnhardt's death in February 2001 has been the
dissolution of an alliance between Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI), the team Dale owned, and
Richard Childress Racing (RCR), the team for which Dale drove.
The teams used to work together closely on technical issues and still consult each other
occasionally, but seem to have drifted somewhat apart in Dale's absence. Full Story.
Teresa Earnhardt keeps team on track
June 22, 2003 - Teresa
Earnhardt has been to Daytona several times since legendary NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt
died three Februarys ago, a sign she has made peace with the place where the couple
experienced so much success and immeasurable pain. So Earnhardt's widow will be happy, she
says and maybe a little nervous about introducing musical acts from Sheryl Crow to Alabama
in front of perhaps 50,000 of her late husband's loyal fans at tribute concert to him
Saturday at Daytona International. Full Story.
HIS LEGEND LIVES ON
Dale Earnhardt's impact on racing seems to
keep growing even after his tragic death at the 2001 Daytona 500
June 21, 2003 - Lynyrd
Skynyrd's Southern rock anthem ''Free Bird'' blares over the loudspeakers as shoppers
browse through the NASCAR bazaar that has set up shop at Infineon Raceway. Full
Story.
6/19 - Kerry Earnhardt has the name, but he's just learning the craft
Earnhardt lives on through his fans
June 10, 2003 - There
are sports fans ... and then there are NASCAR fans. Then there's a whole different level
of crazed enthusiast - Dale Earnhardt fans. Full Story.
Memories race through RCR museum
 May 16, 2003 - Richard Childress
momentarily became speechless as he thought of the past on Thursday. The past was
difficult to ignore as Childress unveiled a homecoming for some of the most potent cars in
the history of his Winston Cup team's arsenal. Twelve black No. 3 Chevrolets driven by the
late Dale Earnhardt again grace the floors of the shops where they were prepared, the show
pieces in the expansion of Childress' racing museum. Full Story.
 N E W
S S T A N D :
Remembering Dale Earnhardt
5/21 - 'The
Intimidator' still stirs many
5/21 - The black No.
3
5/21 - A license to
make money
5/16 - Childress' shrine simply 'overwhelming'
5/16 - Museum an Earnhardt fan’s dream
4/30 - 3 cheers in memory of the Intimidator
4/29 - Earnhardt fans flock to pay homage
4/29 - Got 3 ways to mark Dale Earnhardt Day?
4/29 - Earnhardt
fans trek to racing mecca
4/28 - Easley Proclaims April 29, 2003 Dale Earnhardt Day
4/18 - April 29th is second annual Dale Earnhardt Day
4/11 - New RCR
Museum to open in mid-May
4/8 - Dale Earnhardt -
"Corvette American Legends Tour"
4/5 - Ohio fan has over 80,000 pieces of Earnhardt memorabilia
3/3 - Teresa
Earnhardt unveils Highway 3
Flashback:
2001 IROC Round 1 -- Earnhardt gets back at Cheever after IROC incident
2/24 - RCR to continue licensing No. 3
2/14 - Earnhardt's influence still felt at Daytona 500
2/14 - Fans
won't forget No. 3
2/14 - 2003 Earnhardt
Z06E Corvette Raffle (scroll down) | Z06E Ad
2/12 - Commentary: Like
father, like son (also see audio link in right column)
2/11 - Legacy of
'Intimidator' felt in qualifying
1/30 - PEOPLE Exclusive: Life After Dale
2/26 - Mrs. Earnhardt to dedicate N.C. Highway 3
12/3 - McREYNOLDS:
A FOX first and one of "Earnhardt's proudest moments"
11/25 - Earnhardt tribute committee to continue as nonprofit
10/25 - Davey and Dale
10/23 - Earnhardt's
No. 3 lives on
10/23 - Governor
officially recognizes N.C. 3
DEI / RCR / Kerry Earnhardt News
6/23 - Skill won
race, not cheating
6/23 - Battle of
Gordons turns ugly
6/22 - 11th-place finish best for Earnhardt
Dale
Earnhardt Inc. Makes Its Mark By Dominating Restrictor-Plate Races
6/3 - The other Earnhardt at career crossroads
5/21 - The road back
for RCR
5/21 - Keeping the
DEI fires burning
5/16 - Winston Open pole goes to Park on first time out with RCR
5/7 - RCR names
Park to drive No. 30 AOL Chevy
3/16 - The driving
force behind a racing empire
2/16 - Childress chases title without legend, friend
2/16 - A burden never ending for Little E
2/15 - RCR finds
blueprint for success
2/13 - Daytona Twin 125: GM - Dale Earnhardt Jr press conference
1/26 - Inner
strength - After recovering from head injury, Park is ready to get his career back on
track
1/15 - Earnhardt Jr. says contract with DEI awaiting signatures
1/14 - Childress
plans winery, hotel
1/8 - New season, new
start for RCR
12/18 - A pivotal season awaits Junior
12/17 - Difficult year puts Childress in a strange place
12/17 - DEI stable looks to capitalize on late-season surge
12/17 - Difficult year puts Childress in a strange place
11/18 - Images: Chocolate Myers' final race
11/14 - Chocolate
Myers leaving the pits
11/14 - Chocolate Myers going behind the wall for good
11/10 - Longtime 3 team member Myers to retire
10/23 - Starting
over has been hard for Childress' Earnhardt team
Daytona Aftermath / General NASCAR
Copyright © 1998-2002 The Earnhardt Connection
Home Page | Contact Us
|
