I got the wife interested in the sport so she wouldn't hassle me if I wanted to lay on the couch and watch a race. Then she became a bigger fan than I. She loved Earnhardt.

We live about 100 miles from Charlotte so we have been to several Cup races. Charlotte, Darlington, Talledega and then Daytona the day Earnhardt died.

I'll never forget walking to our car after the race still listening to the MRN feed (the broadcasters talk among themselves during commercials) on my headphones. I was happy as can be because I had just that morning declared I was pulling for Mikey Waltrip and he won his first Cup race that day. Eli Gold was the closest to turn 4 and he said, "Guys, they're cuting the roof off of Dale's car." That's the first moment I knew it wasn't good. She's never watched a single race since that day.

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Behind every great man is a great woman. Behind every great woman is a great behind.