"I was determined to show my “time capsule” photograph to the 14 surviving drivers captured in that historic moment..." - Michael M. Shay (Photo: Michael M. Shay)
Article written by Michael M. Shay
Editor’s note: We typically don’t run reader guest columns at SPEEDtv.com, but for Father’s Day, this one seemed to merit an exception. Enjoy. — Tom Jensen
This story is for those who believe things happen for a reason.
I grew up watching NASCAR on a black and white Philco television in the 60s. Back then, few in the Northeast except Dick Berggren, my dad and me even considered stock car racing a sport. We’d get to see little snippets of races on “Road and Track” or “Wide World of Sports.”
In 1979 it was time for the first live flag-to-flag coverage of the Daytona 500. My dad was a Plymouth mechanic, so he always went with “The King,” Richard Petty. I liked the “Alabama Gang,” mostly because Dad didn’t. Petty won the race and the Allison brothers were fighting with Cale Yarborough in the infield after a last lap crash. What a race!
Sadly, that was the only Daytona 500 I got to watch with my dad. He died of a heart attack at the shop later that year, much like Dale Earnhardt’s dad, Ralph did in 1973. I was 18 then. I had to quit college and get a job in construction to help take care of my mom and my handicapped brother. I know all too well about that chip they say Dale Earnhardt carried on his shoulder and that ache in his heart he felt for his father.
I miss my dad every day. He said something that day that I will never forget.
“Keep your eyes on that kid in the No. 2 car. He’s gonna be good, someday.” I did that for 22 years, lap after lap. I saw thousands of laps and most of Dale’s milestones …t he “Pass in the Grass,” the ’97 “Flip and Go,” and the hand-slapping drive down pit road after finally winning the 1998 Daytona 500 on his 20th try … snippets of time that I remember like they happened yesterday.
Another of those snippets was from 1994 when David Hobbs asked Dale how he could go ahead and race in the Daytona 500 after his good friend, Neil Bonnett was killed in practice. Dale said something like, “The best we can do is hold him in our hearts and remember him well.”
It’s not often that we get words to live by from a race car driver, but they were personal to me because I had just lost a friend. We were doing well in the “Thunder” Class at Hudson Speedway. He passed away of a diabetic coma, ironically after deciding to quit racing because of the toll it was taking on his body. I was left feeling that life wasn’t fair. Call it what you will, commiserating or whatever, but I found solace in what Dale said at a time that it really counted for something. Thanks, Ironheart, those words of wisdom have helped me through some pretty tough times.
On Feb. 18, 2001 with 30 laps to go in the race, the prophetic words of my dad combined with the amazing talent of “the kid” in the No. 3 and the team he owned, came together and provided me with the opportunity to capture a moment that everyone else missed.
I was located in the Oldfield Tower, Section “N,” Row 31, Seat 7 with my trusty Nikon. Several rubber bands were holding the film door closed. I was cheering for Dale Earnhardt Inc. driver Steve Park in the No. 1. Our section had a race pool and Park was one of my picks. Dale Earnhardt Jr. gave Park a bump and ducked to the inside in front of his dad going into Turn Three. When they were coming out of Turn 4, I snapped a picture.
