Dale Earnhardt: R.I.P.
By any measure, I am not a race car fan, but I was moved by the sudden, tragic death Sunday, February 18, 2001, of racing's 49-year-old king, Dale Earnhardt.
On television Tuesday, a NASCAR driver and friend of Dale Earnhardt shared that his wife always puts a Scripture on his dashboard before a race. He said when Earnhardt heard about it, he asked that the fellow's wife also put a Scripture on his dashboard, which she always did.
The Scripture she had put on Bernhardt's dashboard for the race which killed him Sunday was Proverbs 18:10, about running to the Lord!
So, on the 18th, there was the 18th chapter of Proverbs saying, now to the world, "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe." Strangely prophetic.
The cartoon on one editorial page this morning showed the NASA shuttle astronauts in space waving to a passing race car marked "# 3" heading upward, with the name "Earnhardt" on the back.
A friend said that a cartoon in another newspaper shows race car #3 arriving in heaven, with St. Peter waving a checkered flag as he passes!Somehow I don't think it works that way, but that is probably Earnhardt's new address. That is because another friend heard on a Christian radio station that a representative from a Christian race car ministry testified that Earnhardt was a believer and that he had prayed with him and his wife the day before the race! Another friend told me about the many ministries to the race car profession, including Campus Crusade for Christ's Athletes in Action ministry.
The seven-time Winston Cup champion and 1998 Daytona winner hit the wall head-on at 180 mph (290 km/h). His son, Dale Jr., finished second behind Michael Waltrip. Waltrip told the news conference that when he got to the victory lane he expected that Earnhardt Sr. would come up and give him a congratulatory hug at any moment.
"That wasn't to be. My belief is that in the twinkle of an eye, you're in the presence of the Lord, and that's where I think Dale is ... That ain't a bad thing either,'' Waltrip said.
For more on Earnhardt's faith, click here.
Let us pray that this icon's death will cause many to be reminded of their mortality and their need to get right with God.