When Drivers Go Out of Their Way to be Nice

Get accused sometimes of bashing when we talk about drivers.

And, I posted today about my feelings of asking for driver autographs while "working" in the business. Don't.

Those subjects and the recent anniversary of a very black day in NASCAR's Daytona history reminded me of a couple of really nice things that someone who could be very intimidating did.

1) Sometime in the mid-90s, very, very early on a crisp November Sunday morning in the infield at Atlanta I was walking from the infield media center to the track cafeteria on the road that also ran in from the old turn one vehicle tunnel. As I walked by a black Chevy Yukon with the windows blacked out, the horn blew loudly and I about jumped out of my skin.

The driver side window rolled down and Dale Earnhardt with that impish smile and crows feet congregating around his eyes "ordered" me to get in the vehicle. At the time I was working for the Richmond track and hadn't worked with Dale directly since 1983. Teresa was in the passenger seat. Dale said, "I just wanted to tell you in person in front of Teresa how much I appreciate the things you did for me at Wrangler. You need to hear it and so does she." Well, you could have knocked me over with a feather, but it was a very special moment.

2) Also, in the late 90s, my wife managed a one of a kind boutique owned by a major department store chain in downtown Charlotte that sold only cosmetics and fragrances primarily to customers from the surrounding big bank headquarters buildings.

The high performance of her store one year was rewarded by dinner with a group of about ten other high achieving ladies at a very pricey and exclusive Morton's Steakhouse in downtown Charlotte. Unknown to her was the fact Dale and Teresa were also eating there that evening. She hadn't seen Dale in years.

As she described it to me, someone suddenly put their hands on her shoulders while all the other ladies at the table gasped in astonishment! Of, course, it was Dale, who proceeded to inquire about her and our daughters who used to swim with his kids in the motel pools at Bristol and Nashville in the summer.

Before he left the table, Dale graciously signed several cocktail napkins for the ladies.

My wife still gets tickled remembering those ladies almost peeing in their pants!

Kind of like the old Candid Camera television show slogan... "When you least expect it, you're elected, it's your lucky day..."

Drivers aren't always as intimidating as they seem and I will forever appreciate what Dale did for my wife and her group.

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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"
updated by @dave-fulton: 12/05/16 04:02:07PM

Not to give all the credit to Dale, I had very nice experiences with lots of drivers.

Derrike Cope used to volunteer to babysit our two daughters in Spartanburg so my wife and I could have a night out.

Kyle Petty went out of his way to be nice and attend functions and go over and beyond what you would expect any driver to do. Of, course, he had the very best teacher in the business. One thing that really impressed me with Kyle was his manners. Everything was always "yes sir" or "no sir" and he ALWAYS asked if there was anything else you needed him to do.

I have driven Davey Allison and Robert Yates to Orlando and back for dinner with sponsors on the eve of the Daytona 500 without complaint. They were gracious and understood the business.

Harry Gant was a pleasure to work with. Do anything you asked.

I've taken Richard, Kyle, Terry Labonte and brother, Bobby unannounced and unpublicized to Children's Hospital in Richmond and marveled at their interaction with kids. A lot of other drivers were "too busy" to go with us.

I even had DW, unsolicited, get in our car and shake it down at Charlotte for our rookie driver while he was driving for Junior.

I believe when folks see you try to do things the right way, they often return the favor.

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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"

It is our place to bash at times Dave.Nascar needs the black hat guy's just as much as they need the white hat ones.Most you guy's on here know many driver's and nascar folk's personally.When i lived back in Concord NC and was into racing more then now.I worked in a shop that allowed me to learn some of the guy's in a personal way.

It did not take me long to understand most were great guy's.I did say most not all (in my eyes).One that come's to me as being a great guy is Joe Ruttman.I was around Joe for a short period of time but have a long lasting respect for what kinda person he is.I would hear things about Joe like ,he can not run up front,he was a back marker ect..I wanted to punch them for talking like that about this guy.Then i would think hmmmm they don't know the Joe i do.In my uneducated way of putting things into type i'm trying to say it's not bashing if you know the truth and alot you guy's on here know the truths,it's were i get the real story on Racers Reunion.

Max, during NASCAR's 50th Anniversary season of 1998, we held the Associated Press Sports Editors National Convention in Richmond.

Bill France, Jr. gave the keynote speech and we held a picnic and drive the track day for the sports editors.

Cup & Busch Series were off racing somewhere, but it was an open date on the Truck schedule.

Stacy Compton and Joe Ruttman volunteered to come to RIR and spent the entire day giving rides in two seater trucks. They were both just great and helped convert a lot of folks to covering NASCAR races that day.

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"Any Day is Good for Stock Car Racing"