MOORESVILLE - Mourners gathered at Dale Earnhardt Inc. Wednesday to add to the numerous flowers and momentos and to share their grief with other distraught fans from across the country.
Many items were from adult fans, but children also added to the display. A huge banner read “Forever #1 in Our Hearts” from Chase Middle School in Forest City.
Billy Hardee brought his Dale Earnhardt mailbox from Ruffin,S.C., and placed it among the flowers.
Another fan left a beaded necklace spelling the racer’s name.
“He really made it exciting for me, I lived every week to watch the race on Sunday,” said an emotional Dave Williams, who contributed an Earnhardt flag to the memorial.
Some traveled great distances to see the memorial.
The Torrance family drove all day from their home in Warsaw.
They were one of the many families there who made racing a family affair.
“It just won’t be the same for us. If you go to Mom’s house on Sunday, you’re going to be watching racing,” says Barbara Torrance, daughter of Dot and Ellis Torrance.
Ellis Torrance has passed down his love for NASCAR to his children and wife. He claims he hasn’t missed a Sunday since he began listening to races on the radio in the 1950s, before they came to television.
“I’ve always said that if I die on a Friday or Saturday, don’t bury me on Sunday because I know he wouldn’t be there,” Dot Torrance said, joking about her husband.
The trip to the memorial brought some closure for Lisa Torrance and admiration from her father. “This is just wonderful, I can’t believe how much support there is,” he said.
Jeff Curry also became a fan with his family after his father took him to his first race years ago. He joked that he became a fan because his dad resembles Earnhardt.
But he added: “He gave it everything he had and never let up once.”
Many fans have felt numb and empty from losing their icon Sunday. But they seemed satisfied when they saw the memorial.
“It all hasn’t truly sunk in for me,” said David Nichols, who drove from Markville, Va. “I’ve cried for two days. I loved the man. He was like a big brother to me.”
Many feel they’ve lost a family member.
Said Wayne Sisson, from Ohio: “I met him in Michigan, and I was impressed how he really took the time to talk to fans and the recognition he received. Everyone knows the name Dale Earnhardt and people either like him or they hate him, but they still know him.”
As soon as they heard of Earnhardt’s death, Sisson and his wife, Wanda, “jumped in” their recreational vehicle and drove to Mooresville.
ABC News correspondent Jeffrey Kofman was surprised by the number of people visiting the memorial. Kofman, who interviewed a number of fans, said he has noticed a growing trend of public mourning.
“Ever since Princess Diana’s death and JFK’s assassination, people have been grieving more publicly than in the past. In the past, people would grieve privately with family and loved ones, but now this new ritual has evolved that is very interesting,” he said.
Many fans respect Earnhardt’s decision not to wear the head-and-neck support (HANS) that other racers had decided to wear.
“I supported his decision,” David Nichols said. “He liked to move around and really drove by the seat of his pants.”
Ronnie Zerkel of Mt. Jackson, Va., seemed to agree. “Back when there were stricter rules for NASCAR, there weren’t as many accidents. But I’m not sure all the changes are for the positive. I agree with his choice, and I think he’d rather take the chance.”
Added Posy Williams, of Belmont: “That’s the way he was, and he never even wore a full helmet because he wanted to feel the wind on his face.”
The outpouring of support has shown the depth of the Earnhardt fans’ devotion to their hero, and Sunday racing may never be the same for them. Williams said it best, “I never knew there were so many fans, and he might have not known either.”
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