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The Autograph
By Steve Wingate
I'd like to start off by thanking all the fans that took the time to respond to "From Davey to Dale…" a few weeks ago. Although it is my policy to personally respond to everyone who writes me, I was unable to write everyone back due to the large volume of email I received on this article. All of your responses were read and greatly appreciated. Of the many responses I received however, there was one that I feel everyone needs to read. It was from an Earnhardt fan named Scott from Memphis, Tennessee, and he told me one of the best Earnhardt stories yet. I will put his response in my own words, but Scott deserves the credit, and I will forward any email to him personally. So here is "The Autograph". Thanks, Scott.
Scott writes: Although there were drivers I liked, I was pretty much a Chevrolet fan. So far as Earnhardt was concerned, I straddled the fence until the spring 1993 Atlanta race. A local home improvement warehouse was holding a grand opening that included a visit from Dale Earnhardt from 5 to 7 PM one night. Although I was not an autograph hound or a particularly big Earnhardt fan, I still decided to go and get Ironhead's signature on my NASCAR media guide. I arrived late due to an unforeseeable accident and rushed up to the service desk and asked where Earnhardt was. I was directed to a bay at the rear of the store, but was encouraged to hurry, as Dale was preparing to leave. As I approached the bay, I saw Earnhardt in the back seat of car that was backing out. I was disappointed and angry with myself for not getting there sooner, and I knew that Earnhardt couldn't possibly delay his departure any further, especially for just one fan.
What happened next would endear him to me thereafter.
Dale Earnhardt looked in my direction, then made an apparent request for his driver to stop, rolled down his window and motioned me over. He happily signed my media guide, then shook my hand as I wished him well in the upcoming Atlanta race. This small, yet unselfish gesture ended my fence straddling days. My initial interest in getting his signature had been a lark, and when I saw his car backing out to leave, I had no expectation that he would delay his schedule for a fan. Dale made a fan out of me that night.
I think we can all see what Scott's story says about Dale Earnhardt. It shows us a side of him that was often hidden from the media and the public eye. We all heard the nice things that were said about Dale after his passing, but this fan's true account brings real validity to everything that was said. Dale Earnhardt was a man who worked his way to the top, yet never forgot where he came from or what got him there.
2001 Car Guy of Benchfield