Whether you were a fan of Dale Earnhardt or not, you had to admire and respect the talent and the determination that defined his life. I've seen him do things with a racecar that just seemed impossible. We've all watched Dale emerge from the smoke of cars crashed in front of him and somehow appear on the other side of the trouble without so much as a scratch on his car. He seemed to have a knack for putting his car into a spot that no one else could. Part of the style that earned him the nickname of the "Intimidator" was wrapped in talent that allowed him to do the impossible. Personally I think he could have been named the "Determinator" because that was his style. He was simply determined to succeed, and it didn't seem to matter what the odds for success were or what was in his way. He was going to prevail, no matter what.   In Sunday's race Dale Sr. seemed determined to see that his son, Dale Jr. or Michael Waltrip won the race. For any of us that have children, we know it's a sweeter prize to see them succeed when we've set them in our footsteps to follow.   Sunday's tragedy has left a big empty space in my heart and all of the Motorsports Community. Even though I feel horrible for the Earnhardt familly, I am comforted by the fact that Dale Sr. died doing exactly what he had dreamed of doing all of his life. If you had asked Dale Sr., how he would like to end his career and life, he probably would have chosen the same path. He lived to race and racing was his life. He spent many years struggling to make enough money to do the thing he loved. From his talent and determination, he built a name and a racing empire that will not soon be equaled.   He also provided the opportunity for other drivers to live the same dream that he shared. He sponsored many other drivers that he competed against every week. He bought tires for and gave money to Dave Marcis to continue his career when no one else would. He formed a path and market for his son to follow in his footsteps to allow him to share in the triumph of racing together.
	Dale Earnhardt was a self-made man who lived his life to the fullest and got to pursue his dream with great success. Not many of us can say the same thing. He died doing what he loved to do: race cars. This is one of the most tragic events in the history of NASCAR and in all of Motorsports. We have lost one of the truest sportsmen from the truest sport on the planet. Dale made an impact on all of us and we are all better to have known this man with his talent, determination and personality. I will miss his sly grin and his playful nature.   I would like the family to know that we send our prayers and thoughts to them in this difficult time. We will help by sharing our fond memories for a man we all admired.