Political Quotes

“I rise today to note with sadness the tragic death of Dale Earnhardt. For the past week, the Nation has mourned the loss of a racing legend. But in my home State of North Carolina, his death has a special significance because we have lost a cherished native son. Dale Earnhardt was a hero to countless NASCAR fans in North Carolina and across our country. His success on the track helped elevate stock-car racing from a regional pastime to a national sport. Racing brought Dale fame and wealth, but he never forgot his roots in Kannapolis, North Carolina or the hometown fans who backed him from the beginning. He never let them down. They always knew they could count on Dale to give it his all every time. Dale Earnhardt was a champion from the start, winning NASCAR rookie-of-the-year honors back in 1975. In 26 years of racing, Dale won 7 Winston Cup Series titles, 76 races in all, including the 1998 Daytona 500, and became the leading all-time money winner in racing history. His fans and his fellow racers called him 'The Intimidator'--not just because he won so many races--but because he was a fierce competitor. Dale Earnhardt was more than a great race car driver. He was also a great American success story, rising from poverty and a ninth-grade education to become a racing legend and extraordinarily successful businessman. He was also a great husband to his wife Teresa, and a great father to his children, Taylor, Dale Jr., Kelley, and Kerry.”