Dale Jr. applauds Gordon’s gesture at Phoenix
Quote selected text Published April 23rd, 2007 in NASCAR News
Jeff Gordon never has been a favorite among fans of the late Dale Earnhardt.
At the time Earnhardt died in a crash in the 2001 Daytona 500, Gordon was sneaking up on most of his records and that didn’t sit well with fans of The Intimidator, considered by many the greatest driver in NASCAR history.
So there certainly were mixed feelings Saturday night when Gordon, winning for the first time since last July, matched Earnhardt’s 76 career victories, tying him for sixth on the career win list.
Just as many of those Earnhardt aficionados were working up the proper rage, a Hendrick Motorsports crewman dashed onto pit lane and handed Gordon a flag bearing Earnhardt’s famed No. 3.
The four-time NASCAR champion then made a joyous victory lap around the 1-mile oval holding the flag out the window for all to see.
Dale Earnhardt Jr., coming off a disappointing race in which he finished 19th, said he saw Gordon with the flag on one of the track’s big screen TVs.
“Congratulations to Jeff. He’s a class act and I’m happy for him,” Junior said. “I ran over to Victory Lane to shake his hand and let him know.
“I know a lot of fans of my dad’s aren’t the biggest Jeff Gordon fans, but he and my dad were business partners on a lot of things and worked together a lot more than most people realize.”
Bookmark to:
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- Gordon’s car chief ponders move to Petty
I think it showed class. Congrats to Jeff (I cant believe I said that). But I still think Hendrick has an agenda to try to sway Jr. over to them if he doesnt stay at DEI.
Shows, once again, Jr.s maturity. He should be gaining fans every week!
IT shows what a real man JR. is. I Love Jr and I will always love Sr. But Hendrick will never get him I dont think. I think if he goes anywhere he will go back to his roots at RCR…
Gordon actually did something that made me stand up and say, “That’s awesome.” That really was cool to see him carry the 3.
Those jack asses who threw the water bottles or whatever at Gordon during the victory lap should really have thought about why they were throwing them at that moment. Gordon held that flag because he wanted to and because he respects Dale (and maybe to make peace with some fans). The bottom line is he did it out of respect to everyone. Those dudes should have shown him some back.
I still think Gordon is a scared whine bag but that was cool and he is a great driver… Not the greatest, but great.
Redneck gurl, what in gods name are you talking about!? Who said he was going anywhere. There is no way he would be going to Hendricks, and a 99.9% possibility he is staying at DEI. Theresea Earnhardt understands that if DEI loses Junior, DEI is nothing. And i agree, I could not believe people were throwing things on the track, that was absolutley disrespectful to Gordon, NASCSAR, and the man, Dale Sr. THose are the fans that do not deserve to go back to another race
This is something that you will probably never hear from me again. Congrad Jeff for accomplishing tieing Dale Sr. I think what Jr did was a great thing. He truly is a well rounded driver and person. As for the fans throwing things at him. SOME people will never respect Jeff Gordon,even though he has won the same amount of races as Sr. So they are going throw things. I think that at that point in time that they need to give the respect that Dale Sr would have given him if he was still alive. Some people just have no class and don’t know when to stop!
I know for a fact that he has been talking to RCR and you are right about DEI will not be anything without JR, But Teresa is nothing.. but someone who has gotten money hungry… SO I hope he does leave in a way.. to teach her a lesson. she thinks she knows everything when she knows NOTHING…. And I agree about people throwing things on the track.. they ruin the race for everyone else…
Congrads to Jeff in his win. This goes to show that he has always had respect for Sr. and hopefully now the anti gordon fans will see that and respect him as well.
Yup i dont like Gordon, i drive my self, and i hope to meet him one day and race him, i respect him, ive never met him, so i dont know what hes like, when i say i dont like Gordon, i didnt want to see him tie Earnhardts anythings, but hes driving for the best team in NASCAR and also is a good driver, and him tying, even as Gordon said, isnt anything to what Dale Sr did through out his career, if you give Earnhardt the other 30 or so races he won at Daytona, not in cup points comp., hes over a hundred+ wins, and i dont even have to prove anyof that, because mostly everyone know that Earnhardt was one of a kind if theres going to be anybody the caliber of him, itll be a surprise, and think, DEI was dominating the 500 so was RCR in 2001, harvick drove to victory lane in only 3 races. Earnhardt was going for an 8th championship, and he would of gotten it sooner or later, same with several more victories, and there both great drivers, im a huge Earnhardt fan, but yes, Gordon is very respectable, ive come to turn roudn to not say i hate him, cause i never really did, i just didnt like him on the track, not cause he was better then earnhardt, just him for what hes done i wasnt a fan of the guy. D.E. fans never really did like him, its a part of it, but off the track is different then on the track, same with my legends car racing, your best friend off the track, isnt always your best friend on the track.
Jr is a true man, class act, very respectable, i hope to earn that respect, Gordon shouldnt have had beers thrown at him, he was respecting the greatest driver to ever be alive, and maybe ever in this world, we dont know. No one will be comparable to Earnhardt ever, not championships, not stats, hes was his own man, so is Jr, and also Gordon, theyve all got there style. when i get there (gotta be positive, not bein an ass), ill try to get the same respect, at the level im at, im already respected, by fans & drivers, plus i was fan favorite, so i appreciate respect, and who ever gives it, shall get it back, and were on that road to cup i believe, but thats a whole nother story, check us out at Polenzmotorsports.com.
David Polenz #3 http://www.polenzmotorsports.com and Davidpolenz.bravehost.com
I respect dale jr. for going to congrat jeff and let him know it was ok to carry the flag in honor of dale sr.
Jr. couldn’t have said it better Jeff is a class act. Congratulations
to Jeff and his whole organization.
Damn…that Jr. has so much class and maturity in him that it is amazing! I love it! I don’t know how anyone could dislike the man!
These people throwing bottle’s or anything at gordon or any other driver on the track are not to smart. Any nascar fan should respect every driver that’s out on the track and off the track if it wasn’t for them risking their live’s nascar would not be here for us to enjoy the race’s that we watch or go to the race’s.The driver’s know it’s raceing,it’s a sport and that’s the sport wanted to do.Have respect for the sport and these guy’s who love what the do.Earnhardt Sr. is at every race.He is looking down at every race.SR.will never be forgotten.Gordon and Earnhardt were freind’s .Some time’s you win ,Some time’s you lose.It’s called Sport’s.
I really love what Jeff Gordon did. He did that to show his friend and mentor that he really appreciated what he did and to be able to tie Dale Sr’s record that is something that was really special to him! Just so everyone knows, I am not a Jeff Gordon fan. I grew up watching Dale Sr and now I watch Dale Jr, and I would really like to see Jr go to RCR not Hendrick if he ends up leaving DEI!
Word to Neckcar fans…..Dale Sr. has been dead since 2001, what damn difference does it make?
Move on and get a life!
“reality
Apr 24th, 2007 at 9:34 am
Word to Neckcar fans…..Dale Sr. has been dead since 2001,
what damn difference does it make?
Move on and get a life! “
We can all tell that you are not a fan, or you would know that Dale Sr brought a whole lot to the sport, just because he is dead does not mean that he doesn’t live on in the hearts and minds of his fellow drivers, friends, family, and fans! People like you really piss me off and so I pull out the soapbox. I grew up watching racing be it dirt track or NASCAR or IRL or what. And as I said earlier, Jeff Gordon carried the flag to honor his friend and mentor! A lot of the drivers came into the sport because of Dale Earnhardt. And there is no way we are going to “move on” because he is as much a part of the sport as Richard Petty, Rick Hendrick, Richard Childress, Jack Roush, Roger Penske, and the others that have been around for a while, because he is at the track every weekend in spirit.
Okay putting the soapbox up for now.
Trust me, “DALE”. I can just about guarantee that Jeff Gordon was not trying to
kiss your ass by carrying the flag! If it bothers you so much, may I suggest watching the
races with no volume?
Well I am a fan and I was just being a little lazy, cause I did not feel like typing even more than I already had! I know that Dale Earnhardt didn’t like to be called Dale Sr. but when I am in a class that I am supposed to be paying attention to the instructor in and running out of time before she realizes that I am not doing my work and that I am on the internet. Yeah I am one of the few college kids that actually go to class.
I am at a small college in texas. My instructor would have gotten a little upset if she had realized that I wasn’t paying any attention to her! I agree about it being wrong to throw things on the track. I wonder how they would have felt if it had caused one of the drivers or officials or crew members or family members to have been hurt!
Tell your girls to be careful, I know in my state we have laws against carrying guns on campus but there are always different ways of getting around it!
Ash
“if” doesnt matter? I’ll bet you make a past time of chuckin’ empties in the backyard, dontcha smarty?
Records were made to be broken. Dale Sr. would have no problem with jeff pasing him. In the future someone will come along and pass Gordon. I don’t love Jeff or hate hime but I do respect his driving abilities.
To the fans who threw the beer at Jeff, do you think Dale Sr. would like that?
I don’t think so. You are the classless fans(In a great minority)that the rest of the sporting world looks at and says ” See they are just a bunch of rednecks”
Dale Jr. did a great thing by his actions and words and shows how he has grown up and matured, unlike some of the drunken fans in the stands.
New Nascar rule, you are caught throwing objects on the track, you are banned for life from any track.
To asshat: Hey when I drink it is never while watching a race but while at a club with my friends when we celbrate someone’s b-day or as the case will be in two weeks a graduation from college! And we never throw our empties at anyone! We show more respect for those around us than that!
To Dale: I am always careful and I know how to use a pocket knife if need be! I have a 3.3 or a 3.4 gpa but that was after having one bad semester.
To Jaws: I love the idea of the new rule, if they see you throw something then you have to stay home and watch it from now on!
i think they should kick people out or fine them or something if they are caught throwing something on the track.like i said before when i was at talladega and they were throwing everything they could get there hands on ,and i don’t drink but i sure did smell like it after having to dodge all those cans and coolers….everyone throwing cans and such
were not all dale jr.fans.
dale