By the time I got home after watching the race on Sunday at another Dale fans home there were 7 messages for me on my answering machine. Anyone who knows me, knows I am a fan of Dale Earnhardt his son, Jr. and the rest of the DEI - RCR - Team Monte Carlo gang in NASCAR.

The phone rang again and I did not answer it, instead I turned on the TV and it was then that I learned the sad news. The next day, when I was alone, after the news conference, I had to listen to the messages my friends and family had left me.

Most were short, "Sorry to hear about Dale, hope you are feeling OK.", some were longer, "Remember the time we saw him win the pole at Watkins Glen back in 1996 after he was injured at Talladega?"

"Remember when we were at Pocono when he passed Gordon and we all stood up and yelled?"

"Remember when we called in sick to work and drove up to NHIS in the rain to watch qualifying which was cancelled anyway? But we hung out in the parking lot listening to music and having a drink and a smoke?"

"Remember when we had to listen to his 1998 Daytona 500 win on MRN when the cable went out and you cried?"

"Remember when...Black Sunday made us all feel very small and insignificant...?"