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Earnhardt visits his beloved Redskins
Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2005 10:36 pm
by 1niksder
NASCAR's Earnhardt visits his beloved Redskins
Associated Press
National Football League News Wire
ASHBURN, Va. -- Talk about distracted driving: Dale Earnhardt Jr. loves the Washington Redskins so much that he has the scores relayed to him during his NASCAR races.
Earnhardt got a chance to see his favorite team up close Thursday, watching training camp practice as a guest of owner Dan Snyder and coach Joe Gibbs.
"During the race season, I'm under caution, I'm getting stats and numbers told to me over the radio during the race," Earnhardt said. "I've got to know. I can't concentrate on what I'm doing if I don't know what the Redskins are doing. My fans tell me if I lose, it ruins their week. But if the Redskins lose, it ruins my week."
On the NASCAR circuit, Gibbs and Earnhardt are rivals -- Joe Gibbs Racing vs. Dale Earnhardt Inc. -- but Earnhardt's worship of the Redskins is such that he's always been shy around the coach who's won three Super Bowls.
"As a kid, I remember seeing a glimpse of him walking through the garage, and it was like seeing Elvis," Earnhardt said. "I didn't even have the guts to go up and speak to him. Up until 15 minutes ago, I might have said 10 words to him my whole life, so this is really a treat."
Earnhardt signed autographs after practice and was invited to eat dinner with the team. He said if he ever got a chance to drive for Gibbs, he'd have to "seriously consider it."
"That'd be awesome," he said.
Gibbs, though, didn't see that happening.
"If I had about $100 million, I could do that -- that's what he left out," Gibbs said, laughing. "He makes about $50 million a year, so if I could pop that, he might have a chance. You know you're in the wrong sport when both your drivers have Lear jets and helicopters, and I don't."
And what about Earnhardt saying that he gets football scores during races?
"I don't know about that," Gibbs said. "I've never heard that over a headset, I'll put it that way."
Earnhardt said he always dreamed of playing for the Redskins, but he wasn't built for it.
"I was 5-3 when I got my driver's license at the age of 16," he said, "so I wasn't going to make much of a football player."
Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2005 10:43 pm
by georgiaredskin
Earnhardt just earned himself another fan
Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2005 10:58 pm
by blchizzleke
My favorite NASCAR driver like my favorite NFL team...sweet
Posted: Thu Aug 11, 2005 11:27 pm
by RedskinsFreak
Dale: "Uh, Joe, I hear the #18 might be open. Can I, can I, can I, huh?"
or
Dale: "Uh, Joe, we got an opening in the #15. Is Tony busy next year?"
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 12:07 am
by ejay183
Well its no suprise many people
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 12:13 am
by Punu
i love Earnhardt
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 12:46 am
by Scottskins
somebody shoot me please
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 1:00 am
by air_hog
I Earnhardt a part of Joe Gibbs Racing?
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 1:30 am
by Chris Luva Luva
air_hog wrote:I Earnhardt a part of Joe Gibbs Racing?
It says in the article that they are not.
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 8:05 am
by Warmother
I saw some program before the NASCAR season started that visited Dale at his home. JR has a wall in his trophy room covered with Redskin stuff.
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 8:11 am
by JansenFan
Jackson and I actually got to meet him yesterday. He seemed like a down to earth guy.
It is said that during races on Sunday, he has the Redskins score radioed to him periodically throughout the race.
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 8:27 am
by (d)oink
Thats cool.
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 9:12 am
by Coachkyle
He seemed real down-to-earth, a nice guy...
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 9:23 am
by redskindave
Dale Jr is awesome!
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 11:39 am
by gibbsfan
it,s good to see jr has a heart for the burgundy and gold.thats having it bad when your under caution and you need updates on the redskins game.thats one thing i do like about jr.i guess jr was like i was when i first met joe gibbs, now get that deal done to race with joe gibbs racing,he and tony now that would be scary if it every would to happen inwhich i don,t see it happening.
it,s good to see jr be a part of training camp.
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 11:45 am
by Texas Hog
not a Nascar fan...but now I have a reason to root for Earnhardt. I knew he was a fan...but I'm glad he feels the same as I - "if the Redskins lose, it ruins my week."
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 11:47 am
by BossHog
Richard Petty is apparently a big Skins fan too.
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 12:16 pm
by Redskin in Canada
I am behind ANY driver that is a Skins fan!!!
But I know who my favourtie car builder is...
Posted: Fri Aug 12, 2005 12:28 pm
by RedskinsFreak
BossHog wrote:Richard Petty is apparently a big Skins fan too.
I'm sure there's a fair share of "experienced" Carolina folk who still root for the Redskins from before the Panthers existed. Redskins territory used to go all the way through the Carolinas.