[rave20]

Say you're in charge of NASCAR for a day. You have the chance to retire five numbers. Which ones do you choose and why?
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Off the top of my head:

43 Richard Petty
Seven Championships, 7 Daytona 500's,
200 wins, made NASCAR!

3 Dale Earnhardt
Seven Championships, 1 Daytona, ? wins

21 Wood Brothers & David Pearson
Don't know the stats off hand but second
only to Richard Petty/Petty Enterprises in
wins. Whos who of drivers in the car.

11 Junior Johnson as car owner
Six Championships (I think) and the rest of
the case already outlined above.

Maybe:
15 Bud Moore as car owner
Longetivity as an owner, ? wins and solid list of
drivers over the years

On the clock:
24 Do I need to say why?

[Team Yates]

Retire the 24? Can we do it right now? Sorry, but he is no where near the ranks of the others you mentioned.The only reason to retire that number would be because, who would want to hop in after that crybaby?

[rave20]

The only reason to retire that number would be because, who would want to hop in after that crybaby?
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DEEP BREATH!

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[rave20]

OK, really I included Jeff because he has Four championships. Four. That is more than ANY other driver in the history of the sport outside of Petty and Earnhardt. And his championships were all won under the old system so you can't even try to disqualify them. His win total is right up there with the modern and semi modern greats. Like him or not, Jeff does belong with this group. That said I think the next few years will really determine how much he belongs and whether his number being retired is really something that would fit. Sorry Yates.

[car99fan]

I think sehja is really seeing the point here. We're not talking about retiring the numbers of great drivers. We're talking about retiring a number that someone died in. The fact that it was arguably the best driver of all time probably shouldn't make a difference, but it does to me.

I don't really give a hoot if the number is officially retired or not, but like sehja, I won't think much of anyone who chooses to run that number again. At least not while the memory of Sr's death is so fresh. JR could get in it and not bother me, but I bet you he wouldn't.

Wait awhile- wait a LONG while- til no one who's watching the sport remembers watching that moment. Of course, by then, I can't even imagine what the sport will be like.

[rave20]

We're not talking about retiring the numbers of great drivers. We're talking about retiring a number that someone died in. The fact that it was arguably the best driver of all time probably shouldn't make a difference, but it does to me.
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I get the reasons people are asking for the 3 to be retired. Again you have to say what criteria do you use? There were a lot of drivers killed in race cars since Nascar's inception. Tiny Lund, Fireball Roberts, the list goes on. Did any of them have the stature of Dale? Well how do you measure that? Was his place that much greater or was he just that much more visible since TV was behind the sport? How many championships does it take to qualify?

I truly doubt you'll see the three unless all parties associated with the name E or the number 3 all agree and have merit in doing so. I do hope though it is not ever done for the marketing aspect.

[car99fan]

Originally Posted by rave20

Again you have to say what criteria do you use? There were a lot of drivers killed in race cars since Nascar's inception. Tiny Lund, Fireball Roberts, the list goes on.

You have a good point. Maybe it's best not to do anything "officially" and just let popular sentiment make the call.

Originally Posted by rave20

I do hope though it is not ever done for the marketing aspect.

A-MEN!

[sehja]

Oh I don't think it needs to be retired. I just think anyone who runs it any time soon - say 40-50 years - is making a hugenormous mistake. Surely a guy like Dale Earnhardt deserves the respect of letting nearly all his fans join him in the hearafter before they whip out his number again.

But my feeling isn't even about that Dale was a great driver - that and fact it was Daytona just adds more emotion to the thing. I'm really just talking about basic respect for the sport and for human life. If a no name died on the track I'd say the same thing. Mothball his number and give it some time.

As for commercialism - I believe they already get a cut of every 3 sold (flags, hats, whatever) They profit every time old tapes of the 3 car appears on TV. They benefit every time the 3 car appears at some function. I'd love to see Childress either give or sell the 3 to DEI for benefit of Earnhardt charities.

[candlejack]

I have been a Sr. fan since I was knee-high to a grasshopper. I think that the 3 should be retired. But, sinse it belongs to RCR, they really have the ultimate decision

[Team Yates]

What about this fact: at EVERY race track you will find a #3 souvenir trailer! You can't find a Davey, Alan, Kenny, Adam, etc. trailer! I find it crazy that you can still walk up to a #3 souvenir trailer and purchase all the "newest" items out with a #3 on it, and without any "memorial" dates, the last items of Davey's at the trailer were all "dated". So I guess in reality the #3 is still at the track - just not on the racetrack. This is said with no intensions of being derogatory to the fans of the #3. I know he is missed, but there are others who are missed. Those guys fans have to see others driving their guys car, and they can't step out to the trailers and buy anything with their guys on it.

[LSC9901]

Thank God everyone has an opinion and that we have the right to express it. I'm not against someone else using the #3. Dale Sr. was very important to the sport of racing but ......... the era also had a lot to do with his popularity. When I first became a NASCAR fan the races were at best tape delayed and often weeks old when shown on TV. The media has certainly helped make NASCAR what it is today. Dale Sr. would have never had the same impact 35 years ago as he had prior to his untimely death. I agree with a previous statement that refers to most sport number retirements being based on the accomplishments of a live person or at least of the persons graet performances and NOT because of their death. A question to ponder is would everyone be talking about the retirment of the number 3 of Dale had just faded away like so many others ? I also feel that it would be unfair to all the others who have perished in their cars. Granted they may not all have had the same success as Dale but to their fans they were as equally important. I understand his wife's point of view but in reality she has nothing to do with the number 3. NASCAR, who controls the numbers, should probably look at the criteria for retiring a number and should also look at whether or not numbers should even be retired. There are many ways great sportsman can be honored other than retiring a number. Dale will live on for many years to come just as Elvis and George Washington, who by the way didn't have numbers. Just as Davy Allison will always be remembered in the #28 I will remember that Ernie Irvan and Dale Jarret also drove that car. Isn't the memeory of the person far more important than the number or paint scheme of the car? Retire the Mr. Goodwrench paint scheme if that is what you want to remember him with or maybe ot should be the Wrangler paint scheme. My vote is to re-use the number. It doesn't have to be tomorrow but it will be OK for it to return. Other artists sing Elvis songs and the world doesn't stop and we need to move forward on this issue also.

[sehja]

I have to say. I really dislike Elvis impersonators.

[LSC9901]

So does that mean that you dislike Dale Jr ?? He is not the original driver of #8. How about those that have driven the #28, or #7 or any of the other numbers that have been passed on to other drivers for any variety of reasons.

Memories are great but we cannot go backwards in time. Since NASCAR doesn't seem to have any criteria for retiring a number then lets move on. I didn't see any great outcry for J.D. McDuffy when he died on the track a number of years ago. Granted he didn't have the fame of Earnhardt but he was a constant player in NASCAR. When the time is right Childress will hopefully put the number back into service with minimal disruption. Don't get me wrong, I liked Earnhardt. He was a real credit to modern day racing. He wasn't the best sportsman or driver in my view but his memory will live on for a long time, but the number 3 is just a number. Lets put it back into service.

[candlejack]

Originally Posted by sehja

I'd love to see Childress either give or sell the 3 to DEI for benefit of Earnhardt charities.

I think that this is a wonderful idea. With all the memorabilla and soveniers being sold all over the country, it would be great for Earnhardt charities to benefit from this terrible happening.

[Zack Man]

No it should be retired