An Eye Opener
"Dale" the movie premiered last night on CMT. The production is a work of art and class with the focus being on the positive growth of Dale coming up the ranks as a driver and what he did for NASCAR and the fan base. The movie had me mesmerized, yet I kept expecting to see parts of the turbulence that surrounded the Earnhardt family. All of that was left out. There was nothing about the distant relationship between father and son's or the big whip Dale Sr. carried that drove a wedge between he and the young Earnhardt's. That's another story I suppose, but in my mind it is all part of his legacy. I learned some things I had not known, the biggest being the incredibly close relationship he and Richard Childress had and the influence D.W. had on the young Dale. I also have a new found respect for Teresa. This woman stuck by her man, a man that undoubtedly drove her to the brink of insanity, yet she remained his constant companion and business partner. I have a better understanding as to why his estate was left to her and why she maintains her steadfastness in the running of DEI. If it wasn't for her DEI would not be. So many Jr. fans feel that Dale would want Jr. to own DEI, but I feel the opposite after watching the movie. DEI is where it belongs and there is no one better qualified or more deserving of it than Mrs. Dale Earnhardt.If you missed last night's airing, it will be re-broadcast tonight.
6 comments:
I enjoyed the show, but had seen almost all the footage elsewhere.
I thought it was pretty well done, but went into it "knowing" that it was only going to show the good side of him.
As far as who should own DEI, I look at it this way: When a couple builds a business and the husband dies, who normally takes over the business? It almost always stays in the wifes hands. Someday the kids, ALL THE KIDS, might inherit it.
Just because Jr. is the most famous of Dale's children doesn't give him the right to inherit the business by himself. In one scene Dale said that he wanted to build something he could pass on to the kids. He didn't say something to pass on to Jr.
You are right about the Childress friendship. I knew they were close but had no idea they were that close.
Unfortunately Canadian televsion in my area didn't carry it so I will have to wait for the dvd to come out...sigh such is the life of a poor Canadian Nascar fan...
It was great. I think I cried the last 20 or 30 minutes, I know, what a big baby I am, lol. I also watched the pre-show, I actually found something funny and that was when they said Mike Skinner was leading the race. LOL, Skinner never led a race, j/k. I thought it was awesome. I will say that I miss what DEI use to be.
Dale's estate was left to "her" because of the way the tax structure on estates is set up in NC. Had he spread it out to the kids there would have been severe taxes and penalties, so he kept it simple. He did not know he would be leaving us so soon; otherwise he would have updated the will. We have the same setup here in PA and I recently went through the same thing when my Dad died and all was passed to my Mom, but in the end us 3 kids split the remainder of their estate. It's just the way it is...besides, when he made his will, all the kids were very young and not even in the picture for any estate dividends. And I still don't like her. She is a stepmother and she doesn't have to give those kids anything...and that ain't right.
Unfortunately I missed both showings. I did want to see them though and I am sure I will get another chance.
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