DALE EARNHEART FAMILY AND FANS

DALE GAVE US THE CHANCE TO LAUGH AND CRY

TO REMINISCE AND REALIZE

WHAT GREAT TIMES THESE HAVE BEEN

WE NOW MUST TAKE THE TIME TO SIT AND SLOWLY LOOK

AND MAKE USE OF THE MANY MEMORIES

HE GAVE US ON RACING SUNDAYS AND EVERYDAY HE WAS WITH US

WE WILL SHED A TEAR OF SORROW AND LAUGH FOR THE GOOD OLE DAYS

AS WE REALIZE HOW MUCH ONE GREAT MAN

MEANT TO ALL OF US IN SO MANY WAYS

IN THIS TIME OF SORROW WE THANK OF THE EARNHEART FAMILY

EVEN FRIENDS OR FELLOW RACERS IF IT BE

THOSE WHO HAVE SUCCEEDED AND THOSE WE SHALL NO MORE SEE

WE WILL REALIZE THAT THIS TRAGIC ACCIDENT

WILL KEEP OUR MINDS AND HEARTS IN TOUCH

WITH THOSE MANY SPECIAL PEOPLE WHO WILL ALWAYS MEAN SO MUCH

WE HOPE YOU WILL UNDERSTAND AND REMEMBER

THAT THOSE MEMORIES ARE A MAJOR PART OF THE DAYS AHEAD

THE FEELINGS IN OUR HEARTS WILL GROW FONDER WITH EACH MAGICAL MOMENT WE RELIVE

WE ALL KNOW DALE ENJOYED THE TIME HE SPENT

IN PREPARING THOSE MEMORIES

HE ENJOYED ALL THE RACES DAY AND NIGHT

THOSE MAGICAL HEART FELT MOMENTS WITH EVERYONE HE LOVED

HE RACED AND ENJOYED LIFE TO THE VERY END

HE PASSED DOING WHAT HE LOVED

WITH EVERYONE HE LOVED TO PLEASE WATCHING

NOW WE HAVE TO SAY SO LONG TO A LEGEND,A HERO, AND A LOVING FAMILY MAN

A MAN MANY LOVED FOR THE INSPIRATION AND MAGIC

HE BROUGHT TO THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE HE LOVED, HELPED,AND THOSE WHO WATCHED AND ROOTED FOR HIM EVERY SUNDAY

MAY THE MEMORIES HE LEFT WITH US ALWAYS BE AS PRECIOUS TO EACH OF YOU

AS TO ME THEY SHALL ALWAYS BE.

DALE EARNHEART WAS MORE THAN A RACE CAR DRIVER, HE WAS SOMETHING SPECIAL MY DAD AND I USED TO WATCH HIM RACE EVERY SUNDAY WE HAD ARE BEST TALKS WATCHING DALE ON THE RACE TRACK. MY FATHER PASSED AWAY IN JULY OF 1996, I CONTINUED TO WATCH THE RACES TO SEE EARNHEART IT ME FEEL CLOSER TO MY DAD, WHEN DALE WON THE DAYTONA 500 IN FEBRUARY 1998 I CRIED. I WATCHED THE DAYTONA 500 THIS YEAR WITH MY HUSBAND I SAW THE ACCIDENT,BUT I FIGURED O' HELL ITS DALE EARNHEART HE MAY BE A LITTLE SORE OR HAVE A FEW BROKEN RIBS BUT HE WILL BE FINE, WE LEFT THE HOUSE AND WENT SHOPPING , UPON RETURN I SAW THE REPORT OF HIS DEATH ON CNN I INSTANTLY BEGAN TO CRY AND I STILL CRY WHEN I LOOK AT MY PICTURES, THE TV INTERVIEWS WITH THE FAMILY, WHEN DALE EARNHEART DIED A PIECE OF MY HEART THAT I HELD EXCEPTIONALLY CLOSE, A PIECE THAT REMINDED OF MY FATHER, ( A EARNHEART FAN FROM THE VERY BEGINNING ) AND THE MEMORIES OF WATCHING DALE RACE AND THE TALKS WE HAD DIED. I LOVE THE SPORT OF RACING I GREW UP IN A RACING HOME, MY FATHER RACED ON THE DRAG STRIP, HE STARTED MY WATCHING RACING FROM THE TIME I WAS SIX WEEKS OLD AND HE COULD CARRY ME TO THE TRACK. I GREW UP WATCHING EARNHEART, I HATE TO SEE ANY DRIVER GET HURT, BUT THERE WILL NEVER BE ANY RACER THAT COULD BRING BACK MEMORIES OF MY FATHER LIKE WATCHING DALE DID.

I GRIEVE THE LOSS OF WHAT I CONSIDER TO BE THE BEST THERE EVER WILL BE, MY HEART AND MY PRAYERS GO OUT TO TERESA, AND DALES KIDS. MY FAMILY WILL CONTINUE TO PRAY FOR YOUR FAMILY AND FOR EVERYONE AT DALE EARNHEART ENTERPRISES, RICHARD CHILDERS ENTERPRISES AND ALL THE DRIVES WHO WERE CLOSE TO DALE.

SINCERELY WRITTEN BY ONE OF THE MOST GRATEFUL, LOVING, APPRECIATIVE FAN,

DE ANNA LYNN HATFIELD - VIA

505 HULL ST. BECKLEY WV 25801

P.S. PLEASE DON'T BLAME ANY OTHER DRIVER DALE MAY HAVE BEEN MAD, BUT HE WOULD HAVE SAID" IT WAS JUST RACING" OR HE MIGHT HAVE SAID," WATCH THE REPLAY".

P.S.S. PLEASE FILL FREE TO RESPOND TO MY POEM IF YOU WOULD LIKE