The Day I Met Dale

Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Sharon King at a meet and greet with the driver at Talladega Superspeedway.

Earlier this week NASCAR fan and Talladega, Ala., resident Sharon King talked with Skirts and Scuffs about her experience as an extra in the short film "The Legend of Hallowdega." In a drawing held on the set, King won a meet-and-greet with one of her favorite drivers, Dale Earnhardt Jr. The meet and greet took place last weekend at Talladega Superspeedway, the day before the Amp Energy Juice 500 Sprint Cup race. Today King tells what it was like to meet Dale Jr. in a guest post for Skirts and Scuffs. We thank her for sharing the experience with our readers.

I have been waiting on this day for 10 years. That's how long I have been a Dale Jr. fan. OK, maybe I haven't been waiting for 10 years, but I most certainly have been waiting on this day for six weeks.

You see, six weeks ago, I participated in the filming of "The Legend of Hallowdega" that took place at Talladega Superspeedway. While I was there, I was given a raffle ticket and was told there would be a drawing later in the day for some awesome prizes. One of which was a meet and greet with Dale Earnhardt Jr.

At the end of the day, we all meet for the drawing. There is a child here who wants to meet his hero, Dale Earnhardt Jr., more than anything. Everyone is getting paid for being an extra in the film. Everyone, that is, except Dawson. Dawson is too young to have a proper work permit. He can't get paid for being here all day, and all he wants is to meet Dale. As a group, we decide not to have a drawing for that prize. Dawson wins it with the unanimous vote of the group. Dawson's dream will come true! We are so happy for him. None of us wanted to win that prize in the drawing and take it away from him.

As it turns out, the producers of the film and the Pepsi Co. Sports representatives tell us that by all of us agreeing to let Dawson have the meet and greet with Dale Earnhardt Jr., we have earned some good karma. They decide to give away another meet and greet. They pull a number out of the bag that held our raffle tickets. Nobody jumps up with excitement. Nobody has the winning ticket. They pull out another ticket, and guess who has the winning ticket? Me!

Dawson waits to meet Earnhardt Jr. at the meet and greet

The date is October 30, 2010. This is the day that I will meet the NASCAR driver who captured my heart 10 years ago when he raced onto the NASCAR scene. This is the day that I meet Dale Earnhardt Jr.! I've done a lot to prepare for this day. I went on the "I'm going to meet Dale Jr. diet" and lost 10 pounds. I bought myself some new jeans to celebrate. I get my hair cut, and I also buy new makeup. I want to look and feel pretty when I meet Dale!

For the past six weeks, I have been anxiously awaiting this day! I've spent many a night lying in bed thinking of what I would say or do when this moment arrives. I have had a hard time falling asleep for the past week. The excitement is too much to bear.

Oh. My. God! It hits me! During the filming of "The Legend of Hallowdega," the camera man zoomed in on my sister-in-law, Brandy, my friend Vannah, and me. He asked us to give Dale a message. Why, oh why, did I have to say "Hey Jr, will you be my baby daddy?" I think to myself, "I sure hope he hasn't seen that clip." I would just die if he asked me if I was the girl who said that! Besides, I already know that he doesn't like to be called "Jr." His name is "Dale." I think to myself, "I know what I'll do. I'll deny it." After all, it was a girl with long red hair that made that comment, and I have since had my hair cut much shorter. There's no way he'll know it was me! Whew!

The moment is almost here. I've been waiting in this hospitality tent for what seems like an eternity. It's past 1 p.m. Dale should be here by now. However, I've waited this long to meet him. A few more minutes will not kill me. Samantha, the girl who set up the meet and greet with Dale, is telling me that it is time to go to another tent, where the meet and greet will take place. My heart is starting to beat very fast. "It's almost time," I say to myself!

So now, I'm in this smaller tent. I listen as a man from MRN is talking to us about Dale. He asks us if there is anything we would like to know about Dale. Before I know it, I open my big mouth and blurt out, "Boxers or briefs?" Did I just say that out loud? I obviously did. the man from MRN is laughing as he says, "I've seen him, and the answer is 'briefs!'" At this moment, I am hoping and praying that Dale isn't standing behind the tent. If so, he would have heard me and my big mouth. I soon find out, much to my relief, that Dale wasn't standing behind the tent. He didn't hear me! I breathe a sigh of relief! Through a crack in the tent, I see a black Chevy truck pull up and I see Dale as he climbs out of the truck!

My mouth is starting to feel dry. I think I need a mint. the last thing I want is to meet Dale and not be able to speak, or better yet, have bad breath. Yes, I will have a mint! As I'm sucking on the mint, I keep telling myself to breath. You see, I was able to get close to Dale to get an autograph last year when he was in Talladega. I held my breath the whole time he was signing the hero card I handed him. I think to myself, "This will NOT happen again!" I will not forget to breathe this time!

Earnhardt Jr. pauses while speaking at the meet and greet.

Dale walks into the tent and takes his place in the center of the room. He is talking to us, but I'm so busy reminding myself to breathe, I hear about every other word that comes out of his mouth. I keep telling myself to breathe, as Dale talks about how much he likes Talladega. He also talks about bump drafting and running at 200 mph. Dale says it's important to work with your teammate at Talladega and says that if you dump a driver during the draft, he will get you back. Dale Jr. is talking talking talking, and I'm reminding myself to breathe, breathe, breathe! I do not want to pass out from lack of oxygen and miss my chance to meet this man! I firmly tell myself, "Breathe, Sharon, breathe!"

Now it is time for Dale to meet all of us. Dawson, my young friend, is first in line, followed by his parents. I'm fourth in line to meet Dale. I think to myself that I am so happy I'm fourth in line, because I know that Dale wouldn't be bored by the time he meets me. I'm feeling sorry for the 40th person in line. Surely, Dale will be bored with us all by the time the 40th person has a turn to meet him!

I watch as Dawson and his parents meet Dale and think to myself how awesome it is going to be. I notice that Dale is making eye contact with everyone! Wow! I'm amazed!

It is now 2:06 p.m., and it is my turn to meet Dale. "Breathe, Sharon. Breathe," I tell myself as I approach this man who is looking me in the eye. I approach Dale, and hand him a Simpson, Dale Jr. National Guard replica helmet to sign. I find the courage to tell him that the helmet will be donated to a charity auction with the proceeds going to help needy families. (I do not mention that "Baby daddy" comment that was made in the behind-the-scenes footage of "The Legend of Hallowdega." He does not know that it was me!) Dale responds to my comment by saying "Good Deal" as he puts his arm around me and gets ready to take a picture.

OH. MY. GOD!! Dale is touching me! Cameras are going off everywhere. I look at one camera and smile and turn to look at the other camera and smile. All the while, Dale has his arm around me. Then I realize that my arm is around Dale too. When did this happen? Who cares? At least I didn't forget to breathe! It hits me! Dale Jr. isn't only touching me, but I have my arm around him too! I touched Dale Jr.!!!!

I wish Dale good luck in the next day's race as he smiles at me and I walk away. Just as fast as it happened, my turn with Dale is over. My moment with him is gone. It is time for my husband to meet Dale. I never noticed because I'm still reminding myself to breathe. You see, Dale Jr. just touched me and I'm never washing this shirt again!!!!

This is the one when Dale Jr. was looking at King as she took the pic!

A few moments later, I have calmed down. I'm watching Dale as he meets his other guests. I get ready to take one last picture of him. Holy cow! Am I seeing what I think I'm seeing? I am! I am seeing what I think I'm seeing! Dale is looking right at me, and he is smiling! The other guys that are standing next to him are oblivious to what's going on, but Dale Jr. is looking right at me and he is smiling. I quickly take a photo!

I watch as Dale meets with the rest of his guests, knowing that he has made every single one of them feel as special as he made me feel. After he has met everyone, he takes time to sign a box full of Diet Mountain Dew hats. I reflect on how genuine he has been with every one of us when it was our time to meet him. I think to myself, "This is why I'm a Dale Jr. fan. This is why I will always be a Dale Jr. fan." Dale signs one last cap, and he is gone. The moment is over.

I will remember this day for the rest of my life! I leave the hospitality area feeling that Dale knew just how much a moment with him has meant to each and every one of us. I think he enjoyed meeting us as well. He showed us all that is is a genuine person. He is just like us! He is one of us!

That, my friends, is why Dale Jr. is the most popular driver in NASCAR. That is why I have always loved and supported him. Why I will always love and support him! That, my friends, wasn't an ordinary meet and greet with just any NASCAR driver. That, my friends, was a meet and greet with Dale Earnhardt Jr.!

And guess what? HE TOUCHED MEEEEEEEE!

Photos used with permission from Sharon King.

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Guest Post (Kelly Crandall): The Month of May Means One Thing for Danica Patrick and Millions of Fans: Indy

From time to time the ladies of Skirts and Scuffs hand the reigns over to a woman who isn’t part of our usual group of contributors. Today we welcome Kelly Crandall who is a regular at Bleacher Report. (Read more of her work and her bio by clicking the link.) Kelly was quick to point out that this story is a bit “outdated”, but we don’t mind at all. We are happy to have Kelly’s post here on Skirts and Scuffs and welcome her back anytime.

You can see them line up rows deep at souvenir haulers around the country or talking about her on racing message boards. Danica. Danica. Danica.

It’s not a popular name or one that is heard often like those of Michelle, Kimberly, or Tiffany, but it’s a name that specifies a woman that is extraordinary. Even if it’s one name, one word, many know whom it refers to without any more information. If the question were posed though, “You know who Danica is right?” the answer nine out of 10 times would be “yes.”

“Is that the racecar driver?” others might turn around and ask.

Yes, that Danica, NASCAR Nationwide Series and IZOD IndyCar Series driver. With just one word, Danica has joined the ranks of other superstar athletes’ also recognizable by one word: Kobe, MJ, and Tiger, to name a few. She captured the hearts of millions from the beginning and “Danica-Mania” has been in full effect.

“Danica is everywhere: media, online, makes everyone very familiar with her,” says Jeff Smelser of Olympia, WA. Smelser is an avid NASCAR fan with a casual eye for IndyCar events.


The cause of her appeal could be any number of things. Maybe the fact that she does not have a normal nine-to-five job, more like zero to 100 in less than three seconds. Who would not want to be her for a day? Hard to do so might as well jump aboard her fan wagon and go to the top with her. Add in that she learned the art of marketing/branding and there isnowhere you will not see her. Well, except in victory lane.

In 89 races to date – pre-Indianapolis – she had one career win, which was ripped apart for coming on fuel mileage. She has also never won a championship, but did finish fifth in the final championship point standings in 2009. Still, many contend Danica is not a consistent driver and is an all around failure. Nothing more than a sex symbol that thinks she can drive is a common sentiment; having a sponsor like GoDaddy.com will do that.

Numerous photo shoots, magazine spreads, and commercials have made Danica a household name. Even those that are not racing fans have seen them and know her. To some it’s no big deal. If you have it, then use it Rebecca Kivak, 28, of Wilkes-Barre, PA said. To others it’s simply unacceptable and not where her energy should be.

“I wish she would concentrate more on her abilities as a racer and less on her physical attributes. They speak for themselves,” said Sue Simpson, 54, of Daytona Beach, FL. Simpson said over the years she watched Danica closely, has met her and will be watching Indy. Unfortunately, even if Danica were to win, it would not change one thing.

“I feel she is cheapening her brand [with all the advertisements]. I have a hard time taking her seriously, though I really want to,” Simpson said.

Ignore the fact that Danica is just like any citizen when she is not driving a racecar and can live her life the way she pleases. There seems to be an unwritten rule that not winning means she is not to grace TV.

“Winning is everything,” simply states Matt Kacar of Gallatin, TN.

He is one of many that say Danica is overhyped and overanalyzed. Something that could change by the end of May when IndyCar’s biggest race takes the stage: the Indianapolis 500. Since her debut at the track known as the Brickyard in 2005, talk has been how Danica is destined to win it. By far it’s her best track, but with statistics not reminiscent of how well she runs. Pretty decent in themselves though: average start of 7.4, average finish is 11.25, in five races.

As a rookie she led, becoming the first female to ever accomplish the feat, and finished fourth. That was the moment that Danica Patrick arrived. The moment everything changed in the racing world. If you did not think she knew what she was doing, you now did. If you had no driver to root for, you now did. Or if you were waiting for a competitive female, the search was complete. Last season Danica kicked it up a notch, finishing third and leaving fans anxious for the 2010 edition. Teams began their preparations for the big race and fans began to clear their schedule for Noon on May 30.

Every driver who qualifies has his or her enthusiasm matched by millions of fans around the world. Racing die-hards, causal watchers of just the Indy 500, and those that tune in to see how Danica does. Do not fear; there are plenty of them out there, whether they choose to admit it. Some curiously wonder if the female can beat the men at their own game. A few, like those mentioned above that criticize her still want to see a victory. It’s what makes her an asset to motorsports, Californian Rex Emerson said.

For fans of Danica’s, to those that feel she gets too much attention, the broadcast of the Indy 500 is bound to have plenty of Danica time. It will come over defending race winners, such as Scott Dixon and Dan Wheldon, plus the possible four other females in the field. Only one, however, will have the hopes and dreams of men and women, boys and girls, around the world on her 5-foot-2 inch, 100-pound shoulders.

The pressure and expectations that have been set upon Danica by both her and others will never be stronger than when it comes to Indy. Heading to a place where many know she is one of the best in the field brings more anticipation for a spectacular run. Of course, that is before the whispers begin of her doing the unimaginable.

“Can you imagine if she wins that race?”

The Indianapolis 500 is the biggest auto race in America with a steep tradition like no others in sports. Drivers put their lives on the line for over three hours, at 220 plus mph for the victory of a lifetime: A glass of milk and to kiss dirty, greasy bricks that make up the start/finish line. Repulsive to some, but once a year 33 drivers reach into their heart and soul more than anywhere else for the chance to be able to do it.

When the garages opened for the 94^th running, the feeling was already different. The attitude of Danica’s No. 7 GoDaddy.com car and team were not what they should have been. Qualifying 23rd, her first non-top 10 ever at Indy, did little to ease the minds of fans even with another week left to get it right.

“Indy is one of Danica’s best tracks, if not her best,” said Kivak. “I normally would have expected a top five, but knowing of her struggles with her car during qualifying, I was hoping for a top 10 finish.”

Down and out for the win wrote the media while fans said it was no shock she was complaining and making excuses. For 15-year-old Camille Jones of Clayton, NC no matter what happens she stands firm that Danica would never let down the fans. She can drive a racecar like the best of them, even a car that was ill behaving. Somehow she would get it to the front.

Jones is not just another fan of IndyCar’s fastest female; she might be one of the biggest.

Her time is spent on the social networking site Twitter where she fights with those that speak ill of her favorite driver. Other times she is updating the page, which is decked out in a Danica Patrick background, profile picture and colors, with words of praise and encouragement. Any article about the driver she finds is linked for her followers to read.

When it came time for Indy, Jones once again stood out. She made cupcakes on qualifying day that featured number sevens with lime green and orange sprinkles. From there she followed all the news online, driver “tweets,” and anything else associated with Indy. Jones was ready for the Danica show.

“I knew her car had been really acting up the past few weeks and I was really anxious to see how well she pulled it towards the front of the pack,” she said.

Ratings for the race will show over 252 million people in the United States and abroad had their television stations tuned in. At 1:04 p.m. ET “Back Home in Indiana” was sung by Jim Nabors, by 1:07 the cars were fired and rolling off the grid for the 1:13 green flag. The time for speculating and predicting was over, nothing but pedal to the medal mattered now. Early on contenders fell by the wayside; others asserted themselves as the ones to beat.

With the sun setting on the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the early evening, Danica was at the front like Jones predicted, just not the preferred place. Dario Franchitti chugged the milk for the second time in his career, Danica settling for fifth spot after a month happily forgotten. Hearing boos after qualifying, frustration during the week, and ending with members of the team digging deep, Danica’s 2010 Indy 500 was hard fought.

“Overall, I thought her day was pretty darn successful compared to the past few weeks,” Jones said. “Seeing her with a top five sent Danica fans roaring with excitement, she was finally back where she belonged. Until of course the camera shot over to her teammate, Marco Andretti, sitting on the pit wall, visibly frustrated and already whining.”

Andretti’s post race interview was not filled with compliments or congratulations. The young driver insisted three competitors passed him under caution and took his third place spot. For the next few hours as league officials reviewed the tapes, opinions on Danica’s finish continued.

She backed into it, she got lucky because of the wrecks, and it was a matter of strategy by her team played perfectly. Fans will be fans, with their own opinions and theories on every little detail. In the end though the officials get the last word and late that night the announcement was made: Danica made an illegal move and finished sixth, not fifth.

Jones was one of the many that did not agree, but dwelling was no use, Indy was finished. Weeks of working out every detail, car kinks, and aerodynamic numbers were all in the rearview mirror. When asked, relieved and thankful was what Danica told viewers as she took a deep breath. Around the world others did the same.

“Other than that [changing her position], I believe Danica showed us that she can rally to the front and give her car a good finish,” Jones said. “Danica Patrick never disappoints.”

No argument there. Everything she does is broken down, analyzed, and put out for all to see. It’s hard to blame any of them though; these are the fans that live for racing. They do not apologize for it or pretend not to understand. They are the ones that buckle up and experience the thrills and spills with their idols.

A year from now Danica Patrick will give it another shot, leaving Camille Jones and other fans ready to do it all over again too.

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Guest Post (Barbara Nixon) - Checked Off My Bucket List: Riding in a Pace Car During a NASCAR Race

If you are a NASCAR fan on Twitter you may be familiar with Barbara Nixon (@BarbaraNixon). Barbara recently marked off an event from her bucket list that many of us have only dreamed about. Today Barbara shares her story with our readers. This post originally appeared on her own blog Public Relations Matters and has been republished with her permission – Thanks for sharing with us Barbara

One day in February, not long after my husband Kevin and I went to the Pothole Daytona 500, I tweeted that one of the things on my bucket list was to ride in a pace car during a NASCAR race.

I wrote it not thinking I’d get much of a response other than maybe a “me, too” from another NASCAR fan. But was I ever surprised when Brandon Mudd, the Public Relations and Media Manager for Gateway Raceway, replied to me a few minutes later.

My first reaction was, “Yeah, right.” Then after a few Twitter, LinkedIn and e-mail interchanges, I realized that this was actually going to happen. All I had to do was get myself (and my hubby) to St. Louis the weekend of July 16 & 17.

Gateway Raceway provided my husband Kevin and me with Hot Pit / Garage / Media Center passes, along with passes to Victory Circle, and even Infield Parking. If you’re not a NASCAR fan this is what it means:

• Hot Pit Passes: We were able to stay in the pit area (where the car & truck teams are during the race) before and through the entire race, meeting as many drivers and teams as we wanted to. We just had to be sure to stay out of their way when they were working.
• Garage: We could see what the teams were doing to get the cars & trucks set up for the races.
• Media Center: We had a place to cool off and relax a bit. The temps were into the 100s, and it was 135 for a while on pit road.
• Victory Circle: Before and after the races, we stood in the Victory Circle area. I was able to get a lot of great pictures of drivers chatting with each other before the driver intros, and I was right there as Kevin Harvick drove up his winning truck for the CampingWorld.com 200 race. We even got to see the infamous Hat Dance.
• Infield Parking: This made it easy for us to go back to our car as needed to cool off and get refreshments. For a while, we even turned the car around so it was facing the track, and watched parts both races from the air-conditioned comfort of our cars.

On Friday afternoon, we arrived at the track and milled around in the pits and garage area for a few hours before the scheduled start of the CampingWorld.com 200 NASCAR Truck race. As it came time for the pre-race festivities to start, I noticed some pulled-aside conversations going on in Victory Circle. The power had just gone out (momentarily, we thought). It was still daylight, and the loudspeakers worked via generator, so most of the pre-race could happen planned, while we waited for the power to kick back on.

They did the driver intros, which was fun to watch from behind the scenes as the drivers chatted with and teased each other as they waited their turn to be introduced in qualifying order.

Then it was time for the National Anthem. Lincoln Brewster, lead singer and guitarist for a Christian band, prepared to play the song. But there was no power for his electric guitar. He was urged to just sing it a capella, like it’s usually done . . . but he admitted he didn’t know all the words! Yikes. So then it was time to watch Brandon and his team scramble around to find someone who — with no notice or practice — could and would sing the National Anthem before a NASCAR race, on national television. (I would have volunteered, but I think my hubby of almost 25 years would have walked out on me if I did. And if you heard my singing voice, you’d have turned the channel quickly, too!)

All of a sudden, NASCAR’s Jimmy Small volunteered to sing it. Whew! Crisis avoided. Jimmy approached the stage . . . then the power came back on enough for Lincoln Brewster to go ahead with his Jimi Hendrix-inspired rendition of the National Anthem.

And the power stayed off. As it turns out, there was a major power problem offsite. Brandon wrote and distributed a news release from the Media Center with the details. I just happened to peek through the window as he was writing.

From Our NASCAR Weekend at Gateway Raceway 

The truck race was delayed until Saturday at 12:30 . . . which meant that the nice, coolish evening race we had planned for was now going to be a part of a LONG double-header day of racing on Saturday.


We went back to the hotel to cool down, then headed back to the track on Saturday morning after a fantastic breakfast of the best corned beef hash I’ve ever had at Crepes, Etc. We made a quick stop for supplies, including some Baskin and Robins hard candy for Tati Papis, who had recently lamented on Twitter that the ice cream lady at the track was nowhere to be found.

Our first stop when we got back to the track was at Max Papis‘ hauler. I think I surprised Max when I introduced myself to him (trying not to sound like a fangirl!), but then asked for him to see if his wife Tati would come out. I gave the ice cream candies to a laughing Tati. Then Tati, Max and his crew chief Bootie Barker posed for a photo with me. Nice folks, all of them!

From Our NASCAR Weekend at Gateway Raceway

Here’s some video I took with my Flip camera of the CampingWorld.com 200 race (before, during and after), including the Hat Dance by race winner Kevin Harvick and his team. This short video includes the command “Drivers start your engines,” trucks rolling off pit road, racing to green, a few pit stops, then the post-race in Victory Circle.

For the next few hours, we milled around in the pits, the garage and the media center. I took about 250 pictures that day. You can see the best of them in my Picasa web album.

Finally it was time for what I (thought I) had come to the track for: my ride in a pace car during a race, the Missouri-Illinois Dodge Dealers 250 to be exact. The National Anthem was sung without a hitch, then Brandon walked me down pit road for my ride in the car. I took video with my Flip camera (from the back seat) throughout the two laps I had on the track.

The Bottom Line: I was able to cross one item off my Bucket List. The ride was fun, and I came away with even more. Throughout the weekend at Gateway Raceway, I was constantly amazed by how approachable the drivers are and how much access the fans have to them. What other sport lets you up so close, not just before a game, but during? 

Many, many thanks to Brandon Mudd for responding to my tweet that I thought would go unanswered.

From Our NASCAR Weekend at Gateway Raceway

(PS: A Confession :: We didn’t stay until the end of the Nationwide race to see Carl Edwards win. We were exhausted and drained from the 100+ temps, even though we’re Floridians now and drank more than a gallon water each during the day. We listened to the race on MRN radio in the car on the way back to our hotel, then watched the final 50 or so laps from our air-conditioned room with our feet up — and lots of great memories of the day.)

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