Earnhardt is, of course, NASCAR’s Intimidator. And he hails from Kannapolis. When millionaires Larry Hedrick and Bruton Smith asked him to join their ownership group, he thought about it and talked about it with his family. Then, he was told the team would consider changing its name from Piedmont Boll Weevils to Kannapolis Intimidators.
“My wife was really excited about the name of the team,” said Earnhardt, who spoke at a press conference at Fieldcrest Cannon Stadium Tuesday afternoon. “This is important to me because Kannapolis is my hometown. I like to see good things happen to Kannapolis and I try to be involved as much as I can with as little time as I have to do things.”
Earnhardt was in Canada Monday, in Rowan County Tuesday and is flying to Kansas today. “Idon’t know about Thursday and Friday,” he said.
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But Earnhardt didn’t want to miss the look on everyone’s face when the new logo was presented.
It’s a dream come true for a guy like Earnhardt. Two of his favorite things — racing and baseball — will now co-exist.
He’s a small-town guy with big-time aspirations. Just like Hedrick, who grew up in Union Grove. And Smith, who is from Locust.
And just like Todd Parnell, who will return for his fifth year as the team’s general manager. He too is from little bitty Stanly County town of Locust. But all four see a bright future ahead for the new ownership group and the new name.
“We are the only franchise in America that has an ownership group like this,” Parnell said. “The only one.
“Sometimes, everything just works out perfectly and the opportunity presents itself and you just can’t afford not to grasp it.”
It became national news. ESPN, for one, ran a story. Parnell has received calls from here to Texas to Washington and says the new name will only enhance the team’s reputation.
“I think it really helps as far as letting people know exactly where we are,” Parnell said. “Piedmont, to me, was kind of a skewed thing. You really didn’t know where or what Piedmont really was.
“Now, people know exactly where we are, who we are and what we are.”
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What the Kannapolis Intimidators are right now are a happy band of baseball lovers. And they intend to take this baseball/racing thing and fly with it.
Hedrick was at his best Tuesday, tossing out his cornpone humor. He figures the bases can be called Turn 1, Turn 2 and Turn 3. When a player scores, he’s crossing the finish line. In between innings, everyone has a pit stop.
“And if a fight breaks out,” he said, “we’ll have to red flag ‘em.”
It brought plenty of guffaws from the visitors, which included the usual dose of coat-and-tie, hand-shaking politicians, as well as a horde of media types.
And they came because of Earnhardt, the most famous name in NASCAR.
“I started racing in Kannapolis, right across the lake on Lane Street,” Earnhardt told the crowd. “My first race car was built in a little shop there.
“But I’ve been a ball fan for a lot of years too.”
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When Smith and Hedrick had a press conference three months ago to announce their ties, Hedrick told us, “The best is yet to come.” Then, came Earnhardt. Then, came the name change.
As much of a popular item the Boll Weevils logo was, he expects the Intimidators to be even bigger. He sees it as a top 5 seller around the world.
And that tribute goes to NASCAR artist Sam Bass, who was enlisted to come up with the design.
Bass basically had a “K” to work with.
“They said they wanted to capture the spirit that is Dale Earnhardt,” Bass said. “I needed to design something that was fast, aggressive, free-spirited and have the ability to come from the back of the field to the front of the field at Talladega in less than five laps.”
The new logo has claws and teeth. The color of the shirts are, naturally, an intimidating black.
“I knew Sam would come up with something that would be great for Kannapolis,” Hedrick said. “The Intimidators are going to be pretty neat.”
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But the Boll Weevils logo was pretty neat too. What happens now to Bo the Weevil?
Fortunately, Parnell realizes the love of the kids for that bug. And he says the mascot will still be around.
“We’re developing a new mascot but because Bo worked so hard to create a real tie with the kids, we’ll keep him around,” said Parnell. “People are going to have opinions on this. It’s big news.”
As exciting as the new direction is, let’s say a little prayer for the death of the Boll Weevils.
Remember riding down Weevil Way? Remember buying souvenirs in the Weevil Warehouse? Remember taking your kids to the playground known as Weevil World?
And what happens now to the Weevil sweatshirts and Weevil t-shirts and Weevil caps and Weevil key chains and Weevil balls and ...
Parnell said the team will be holding a Christmas Blowout sale soon.
“In my opinion, the Boll Weevil stuff is now a collector’s item,” Parnell said, adding with a chuckle, “Instead of lowering prices, we need to jack them up a little bit. I know what I’m going to be wrapping up for Christmas presents to all the Parnells.”
You know, we don’t like change in the South. the “Boll Weevils” logo was one the greatest of any minor league baseball team in America. Now, the Intimidators plan to be even greater. There will be a new feel to the team next summer. With the addition of racing to our world of minor league baseball, Parnell and his owners are expecting everything to be — let’s all say it together one last time — unbollweevible.
And now, back to the real business at hand.
Mackie, can you say, “In-tim—i-da-tors?”
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Ronnie Gallagher is the sports editor of the Post.
Ronnie
