February 8, 2007

By Rebecca Gladden

Rebecca Gladden

Towards the end of last season, I was standing in line at a race track shuttle stop with a group of people waiting to take the short tram ride to the infield.

It was an eclectic mix of folks standing in line that day. Mingled among energetic race fans, some of whom were making their first-ever trip to the garage area, was a number of war-weary media members, appearing burdened by the weight of their heavy cameras and laptops and by the sheer length of a competitive season that is the longest of any major sport.

Contrasting their fatigue was a particularly animated young man, mid-20s I'd say, standing directly behind me in line. He and a group of friends passed the time sharing tales of their encounters with the NASCAR drivers they'd been lucky enough to meet at various autograph sessions and fan events.

But this fellow had an unusual tale of a well-known driver he'd met in a different manner.

To hear him tell it, he was at work one day when a visitor quietly entered the business establishment and started walking casually about.

"He kind of looked familiar," the young man said. "I didn't see his face right away, so I wasn't sure who it was. He was dressed really casual in jeans and a hoodie and wearing a Budweiser cap. When he got a little closer, I could see that it was Junior!"

The race fans recollection caught the attention of several of us in line, so enthusiastic and impromptu was his delivery. He explained that his place of employment was associated with Dale Earnhardt Jr. through sponsorship.

"The funny thing was," he continued, "that no one else had noticed him yet. He didn't arrive with any fanfare and we didn't even know he was coming. He wasn't surrounded by an entourage. It was just Junior paying a visit to one of his sponsors. He was dressed so casually that to see him, you'd have no idea he was anyone special."

The fan said that as soon as he recognized the visitor, he grabbed a Sharpie and approached him for an autograph.

"He was really nice and just as down to earth as you could imagine. Of course once I asked for his autograph, other people noticed him and figured out that Junior was in the building and lined up to meet him."

Dale Jr. stayed and signed autographs for about 90 minutes, he recalled, chatting casually with employees.

"He was really cool," the young man said. "He didn't draw attention to himself or act like he was a big deal."

"He was just a regular guy."

This little eyewitness tale of a Junior encounter is nothing if not anecdotal. I imagine that some of you are already anxious to fire off an email telling me about the time you met Dale Junior and what a jerk he was.

Such is the nature of fame.

But Earnhardt Jr., who ranks among the world's most recognizable and highly paid sports figures, demonstrates an almost desperate need to show people that despite the fame and wealth -- despite the fact that he can afford to build a complete Western town, go-kart track, and golf course (the "Sausage Links") in his backyard -- he is still who he always has been - a small-town guy from Kannapolis, North Carolina, who believes in hard work and who tells anyone that will listen that he could happily go back to working on cars at his dad's auto dealership tomorrow.

But for now, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is doing what he loves - driving race cars - with a unique blend of boyish enthusiasm and old school values. He often speaks of his respect for the sport's veterans and pioneers, even hosting a popular show on the SPEED Channel called, "Back in the Day" which features vintage NASCAR race highlights.

Heading into this week's season kick-off event, a non-points race known as the Bud Shootout, Earnhardt commented on last year's preseason controversy regarding slam-drafting in typical Junior fashion:

"I didn't understand why everyone was making such a big deal about it. I guess I understood their point and I wasn't saying that (bump-drafting) wasn't happening, but I always thought it was fun when you can beat and bang a little bit. I mean, this is the Shootout! It's a race! With a lot of cash! It takes about an hour-and-a-half to run, and the winner gets more than $200,000!"

"You shouldn't be able to earn that much money in that short of time and it be easy. Denny did it the hard way last year, and he deserved every bit of it. He had a great car, and he held off the best drivers in this series. We threw everything we had at him, and he threw it right back at us. That's how you win the Budweiser Shootout."

And that kind of straight talk is how you win the respect of your fans, Dale.

The thoughts and ideas expressed by this writer or any other writer on Insider Racing News, are not necessarily the views of the staff and/or management of IRN.