If This Is A Dream, Don’t Wake Me Up

The following is a post from a guest blogger, Ruth Mattern. I wrote about Ruth and her visit to Cabarrus County earlier this week. Here are her thoughts about her experience in NASCAR country.

If This Is A Dream, Don’t Wake Me Up

 

Have you ever had something happen in your life that made you feel like Cinderella?  Like you were dreaming and afraid that at any moment you would wake up to find out it wasn’t real?

 

I have, and I’m covered with bruises from pinching myself to be sure I was awake.

 

I had an awesome weekend thanks to the wonderful ladies of the Cabarrus County Visitor’s Bureau, DeSales, Sharon, Erin, Sandy and Margaret.  For those who don’t know, Cabarrus County is where Kannapolis, Earnhardt territory, is located.  Or as they say at the Visitor’s Bureau, “The racing side of Charlotte”.

 

Dale Earnhardt Fan Visits Cabarrus County

A Dale Earnhardt fan visited Cabarrus County this past weekend.  I know many are laughing and thinking – Dale Earnhardt fans visit Cabarrus County everyday…many of them even live here.  Yes, this is true.  But this past weekend one of the very first requests for a Dale Trail banner was fulfilled and the recipient visited the county.

We Love Fan Pictures!

photo courtesy of txwendycp on flickr

One of our favorite things to do is to see pictures from fans who came here on vacation and followed The Dale Trail™. Recently I found some great photos of a vacation that included The Dale Trail, races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, and NASCAR Race Shops,  on Flickr. We’d like to thank the photographer, txwendycp, for sharing thesebeautiful photos with the rest of us!

News14 Charlotte Story on Dale Trail

Dale Trail Story on News 14, Showcasing Cabarrus Visitor Center and Curb Motorsports

This News14 story, run on the day the Dale Trail™ banners came down, shows some great footage of the Dale attractions in Curb Motorsports, stop # 8 on the Dale Trail. The museum showcases NASCAR, Indy and modified race cars, as well as LeeAnn Rimes’ very first car, a 1995 black Dodge Viper. Two rare glimpses of NASCAR history are on display front and center in the new museum’s street-side windows – the #2 car Dale Earnhardt drove in his first Winston Cup Championship and the #43 car Richard Petty drove in his 199th Winston Cup win – sister-car to the one Petty drove in his 200th Winston Cup win that now resides at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, DC.

Latest Dale Trail Updates

Dale Trail banners before they were taken down

It’s been almost a month since the Dale Trail™ banners came down, and officials are working diligently to breathe new life into the iconic trail. Cabarrus County Convention & Visitors Bureaustaff members are meeting with the city of Kannapolis and other area leaders to begin the process of replacing the banners with historical markers. And, in a wonderful twist of fate that Dale himself would have probably appreciated, the media frenzy that ensued after the banners came down resulted in nearly a million dollars in free publicity for the Dale Trail.

It is unclear at this time when those markers will be in place, but officials are optimistic. In addition, other exciting enhancements being considered are: an interactive GPS unit, and a DVD narrated by NASCAR celebrities. Requests for the Dale Trail banners have flooded the CVB, and we have a waiting list in place. Requests have also been received from the Earnhardt family. The CVB is working with both family and fans to fulfill those requests as quickly as possible.

Great Post and Photo Gallery of Dale Trail

I found this great blog post about The Dale Trail™ from October of last year. The post includes a photo gallery of many of the stops on The Dale Trail.

Dale Trail Banners Coming Down, But the Dale Trail is Still Very Much Alive!

Image courtesy of the Salisbury Post

Today the banners came down, but the Dale Trail™ is still alive and kicking! You can still come to Kannapolis and do a self-guided tour of Dale’s hometown, using our Dale Trail map. We also still have the Dale Trail T-shirts for sale. We don’t know at this time what we will do with the banners after we get them back, but many fans have called, and we have been taking down names in the order that they call.

We hope you will post your thoughts and comments about the Dale Trail, and what Dale Earnhardt meant to you. And we REALLY hope you will come follow in his footsteps by visiting the Dale Trail! The Dale Trail starts at the Cabarrus County Convention & Visitors Bureau, 3003 Dale Earnhardt Blvd., Kannapolis, NC. Or, for more information, call 800- 848-3740.

Group Tours of The Dale Trail

null

The Dale Trail™ is the perfect activity for a group tour, and if you’re looking for exclusive stories, first-hand knowledge of Dale’s family history, and intimate understanding of Kannapolis history, you can look no further than Adventures in Motorsports, a local tour provider that offers a guided group tour of The Dale Trail. They provide step-on guide service and exclusive receptions with appearances by Martha Earnhardt (Dale’s mother) and Sam Bass, motorsports artist (based on availability). 

Visit to Hendrick Motorsports

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of visiting Hendrick Motorsports, home of Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the #88 car. I was attending a luncheon for Team USA Baseball, who was in town for a game against Chinese Taipei at Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium, home to the Kannapolis Intimidators. (Team USA later won the game!) Each guest at the luncheon received a hat for one of Hendricks’ NASCAR teams, and we noticed that Dale Jr.’s Amp hats were the most popular with the Taipei team.

Anyway, while there, I had the opportunity to speak with some Hendrick staff, and to see the newly renovated museum and gift shop. Hendrick completed these renovations shortly before the May races at Lowe’s Motor Speedway, just in time for the huge crowds that came out to support their favorite drivers and buy their merchandise. Hendrick staff noted that the crowds were noticeably larger this year, partly due to the addition of Dale Jr. to the roster.

The staff also showed us the Team Center, a large meeting space perfect for corporate and special events. In fact, they were preparing for a wedding reception to be held there this weekend. The new museum and gift shop is gorgeous – I wish I had had my camera with me. Beautiful cars and displays shine as if they are cleaned every day, and the merchandise tantalizes you into wanting to buy something. I encourage any NASCAR fan to visit it – you may not walk in a fan of Hendricks’ teams, but you may walk out a fan – at least of this wonderful facility!

NASCAR License Plates Include #88

While you’re driving The Dale Trail through Kannapolis, you just might see Dale’s Mother, Martha (pictured at far left) sporting a new Dale Jr. #88 license plate that reads “GMAW” for “Grandma.” This from WCNC, the Charlotte-area NBC Affiliate:

KANNAPOLIS, N.C. — If you spot a NASCAR license plate that reads “GMAW,” you may very well be following racing royalty. Martha Earnhardt is the late great Dale Earnhardt’s mother, and proud grandmother to his son, Dale, Jr.

On the family’s legacy, she says, “My husband started driving, then my son, and now my grandson. It’s been in our family since I was 18.”

The state Department of Motor Vehicles offers 25 specialty NASCAR plates, including one with Dale Earnhardt, Jr.’s number 88.