Richard Shelby: “last October, Dale Earnhardt drove his familiar black Goodwrench Chevrolet, with the silver No. 3 painted on each side…”

“last October, Dale Earnhardt drove his familiar black Goodwrench Chevrolet, with the silver No. 3 painted on each side, past a waving checkered flag to win the Winston 500 at Talladega Superspeedway. The victory was Earnhardt's tenth first place NASCAR Winston Cup race at Talladega, a feat no other driver has accomplished. It was the 76th win of his career; sadly, it was his last. A week ago Sunday, Dale Earnhardt died in a tragic accident on the last turn of the last lap of one of the last great American traditions, the Daytona 500. NASCAR lost one of its greatest drivers who was in large part responsible for the tremendous growth of the sport from a regional pastime to an international success. Winston Cup drivers lost a fierce competitor whose aggressive style set the standard for a generation. Millions of fans lost the 'Intimidator,' a hero admired as much for his charismatic demeanor as his talent as a driver and tenacity during a race. Whether you cheered for him or against him, you couldn't help but admire the passion with which he pursued the checkered flag.”