Dale was a legend -- he was one of us

Anyone remember this guy? He at one time was as rough as they come, but after he had bent everything possibe he became as smooth as a diamond.Its been a while since anyone has said much about him. He was always there in the early days with his wild but intense driving style, mainly on the short tracks in the southeast. Some have photos of him standing next to them smiling,I have burning image of him in my mirror on the track. But I remember him as a friend in the pits but a fierce competitor on the track. How do you remember him??
updated by @johnny-mallonee: 12/05/16 04:00:58PM

wasnt aimed at you but nothing has been said lately about him and im not going to let him slip into oblivion without a fight or three

I was never fortunate enough, and/or lucky enough, to be able to compete with Dale Earnhardt on the track......but I was an absolute fan of "the man". As you said, in the early days, he was a "diamond in the rough". As time went by & he gained more experience, he became an absolute "diamond" as far as stock car racing is concerned. I was a witness once to a Richard Petty quote in the garage area at Daytona when he said, as Dale was practicing on the track, that "there was the best there ever was" (in NASCAR). I always considered that gospel (considering the source). There have been many great racers in NASCAR racing, but I believe that any of the "greats" would be honored to be included in a group with Dale Earnhardt.