Austin Dillon and the 3

SOURCE: Race Week Illustrated

3. Whenever a NASCAR fan sees or hears that number, when instinctively think Dale Earnhardt.  The man in black was bigger than NASCAR itself. After his death there were tributes out the wazoo. But today two men carry his legacy today

Austin and Ty Dillon are the grandsons of the car owner of the 3, Richard Childress. Richard swore he would retire the 3. He lied. When Austin turned 18 he was given the 3 in the now K&N Pro Series East.

Now Austin carries the legacy in the Nationwide series the #3 Advocare/ Bass Pro Shops/American ethanol Chevy. Some like the idea of Austin driving the 3. Others don’t. The only memory I have of the man in black was his death. I think that was the only race I watched with him in it.

SOURCE: Yahoo

I love the idea of Austin being in the 3 car because it is the best way we can keep the legacy of Dale Earnhardt. We can’t do that with our t shirts, hats, and new diecasts that that Lionel releases every year for some reason. We won’t even do that with the microscopic 3 decal on Kevin Harvick’s car.

Now there are talks of Austin driving the 3 in the cup series. It has angered many Dale Sr. fans. I believe Austin should drive the 3. Dale wasn’t the first, and certainly be the last. Junior Johnson drive it before Dale, people drove 3 before Junior.

When Childress dies, hopefully not soon, and his team goes under, someone is going to drive the 3. It will eventually happen, so the best way to let us adjust to another driver using it is allow Austin Dillon drive the black 3(It has to be black). Childress has promised us it will be a different style, so it’s not that bad.

The three will be used again in my lifetime, and I hope it does. The 43 is still used, and Richard Petty is arguably the best racecar driver to step on the planet. His legacy lives on in the 43 with Aric Almiroa, so dales should with Austin Dillon.

SOURCE: nascar.com