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”.
I am a die-hard Dale Earnhardt fan. The first Nascar race I ever watched, hooked me on Earnhardt. I fell in love with that black #3 car. I thought it was the best looking car on the track as well as the fastest. Earnhardt drove with a grace that was unrivaled. It didn’t take long for me to realize that there was nothing that Dale couldn’t do with a race car.
Not only was he a great driver, but he had an overwhelming personality. He was passionate. He had charisma. I couldn’t get enough of Dale Earnhardt. He was definitely an enigma.
I am also a Nascar collector. Of course, most of my collectibles are Earnhardt. The first thing I bought was an Action, 15 car set of Earnhardt’s race cars that my son talked me into buying. My collection has snowballed since that first purchase. I started with die casts, but now I collect anything Nascar. Especially if it is Earnhardt. It makes Christmas and birthdays easy on my family and friends. They never have trouble finding the perfect gift. Over the years, I have added other drivers to my collection, but nothing means more to me than the Earnhardt items I have acquired.
My husband says you will never see me without something Earnhardt on. He’s probably right. I wear an Earnhardt necklace, watch and wristband every day. I carry an Earnhardt purse and my car has Earnhardt seat covers, license plate and steering wheel cover. I own somewhere around 50 Earnhardt shirts. I could keep going, but I’m sure you get the point.
First, I should explain what the “Dale Trail” is, in case someone doesn’t know. The ”Dale Trail” was developed to help visitors find their way to points of interest related to Dale Earnhardt. It guides you along a route that highlights these points. The trail starts at the Cabarrus County Visitor’s Center on Dale Earnhardt Blvd. and continues on to Earnhardt Road (where the early Earnhardt family once had a hog-slaughterhouse), Ralph Earnhardt’s grave, the former site of Eddleman’s Garage & Flying Mile, Car Town (the Earnhardt family’s neighborhood), Main Street Kannapolis, Curb Motorsports, Cannon Village/Cannon Mills, Idiot Circle and on to Dale Earnhardt Plaza where a 9 ft. bronze statue of Dale is located along with a granite monument. From there you are lead to NC-3 which takes you to DEI. Fans can continue on to Jr Motorsports, the Kannapolis Intimidators Stadium, Richard Childress Racing and Punchy’s Diner. Then you can head on to Lowe’s Motor Speedway, the Sam Bass Gallery and Hendrick Motorsports.
Banners were hung marking the route. These are the “Dale Trail” banners. As many of you know, these banners were removed because they have worn out over time. I, of course, wanted to obtain one of the banners for my Nascar room. It would be the ultimate addition to my Dale collection.
Last weekend, the Cabarrus County Visitor’s Bureau gave me the thrill of a lifetime. They honored me with a “Dale Trail” banner for my room. They presented it to me at the Visitor’s Center among the many Earnhardt photographs. I was elated, to say the least. I felt as if I were receiving a piece of history. It is a piece of history that is very dear to my heart. It means more to me than they could ever imagine. The CCVB ladies made me feel like royalty. They recognized that my Dale collection is more than an obsession. It is a passion, a tribute to a great driver and a great man. Of all the things in my Nascar room, I can honestly say that the banner is my favorite piece of memorabilia.
Not only did I receive the banner, but I was invited to join them in their suite at Lowe’s Motor Speedway to watch the Nationwide race. I had VIP parking at the track which was good because I was close enough to shop at the trailers and take my purchases back to my car before going to the suite. There was no way I could go to the race and not buy something new for my room. Actually, I bought several things. They also reserved a room for me to stay that night which also was good because the excitement of the day completely wore me out.
Although I have been to LMS before, I have never had the opportunity to enjoy the race from a suite and it was a very memorable experience. Among the guests in the suite were a Top Fuel drag racer, an NBA player, a Mayor and members of a much revered racing family. There was good food and drinks, and of course, racing. The view was amazing. We were located between turns 1 and 2 and from where we were, I could see the entire 1-1/2 mile track. If I looked down at the track right below me as the cars roared by, it almost made me dizzy.
One of the highlights of the weekend was that I had the distinct honor of meeting and talking with Martha Earnhardt, Dale’s mother. She is a very sweet lady who took the time to talk with me and let me get a picture with her. I thought that was really special.
This was a weekend that I will never forget and I’m sure I’ll be talking about it for a long time.
If you are a true Nascar fan, you really should make the trip to Concord and Cabarrus County. There is so much there to see and do. Visit the track and the race shops. And, make sure you take in a little history, follow the “Dale Trail”. Go to the Cabarrus County Visitor’s Center and pick up a brochure that will lead you on a path that you won’t soon forget. Enjoy the legacy.
Ruth
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