Okay, so I'm a big fan of NASCAR. I haven't been a fan all of my life, just since I met my husband. When he explained all about it some thirteen and a half years ago, he said, "You can like any driver you want except for the number 3 or the number 24." Well this was just an open invitation to like one of the two drivers now wasn't it? I ended up picking the number 3, Dale Earnhardt. I was only able to cheer him on for four years because he tragically lost his life doing what he loved in February of 2001. After he died, I sort of lost interest in watching racing at all because I felt like I had no one to root for and nothing to look forward to, that was, until July of that same year. My husband was watching the race from Daytona Beach, Florida. I got interested in the race when I saw that Dale Earnhardt's son, Dale Earnhardt Jr, was doing well and eventually won the race. I was a fan once more and I was going to root for Jr.
Well, a lot has happened over the years. I'm still a fan of Dale Jr. but my favorite driver is Tony Stewart. I've always watched Jr. and wondered how he even stood up under the enormous pressure to live up to all of the expectations that he do as well as his Hall of Fame father. He hasn't won in a while and people even make fun of him for not doing well.
Well, last night I saw something that just lifted my spirits. Dale Jr. was running in the Nationwide Series race in the number 3 car once driven by his father. Again, the track was Daytona. He won the race and as they interviewed him afterwards, he smiled such a genuine and real smile. It was something I hadn't seen from him in a long time. For just one brief and shining moment the pressure was off and he was simply allowed to enjoy racing. Congratulations, Jr. You deserve it!
No comments:
Post a Comment