The #3, Childress, Big E, and Austin Dillon
What's in a number? For some nothing at all, for others everything.
Some people see nothing in a number but a digit or an age, others see a driver or football/baseball/hockey/basketball player. The number I am referring to is the #3 made famous by Dale Earnhardt Sr. in the NASCAR Winston(now Nextel)Cup series, and thought by some to be retired by NASCAR or by Richard Childress(Big E's car owner and friend/hunting buddy)but neither was true as NASCAR does not retire numbers(hence the numbers 43, Richard Petty, and 45, Adam Petty, both run.)
Richard Childress said in 2001 that he would not run #3 again and while yes we have seen two or three times where Dale Earnhardt Jr. has run the number(02 Daytona-win, 02 Charlotte-36th, and 10 Daytona-win) most people thought that those were OK to do because Jr. was driving the same number that he drove to two(2) Busch(now Nationwide) championships(1998,99) and he was driving the car as a tribute to his father.
Big E, Dale Sr., The Intimidator, the guy that wrecked your guy, whatever you want to call him there is no way to not have known who he was(if you watched NASCAR before 02 anyway) he WAS the guy in the black #3 and there was basically no middle ground when it came to whether you were his fan or not. Known more for his "dirty" driving style than being "a good boy" on the track(see Bristol 95 and 99) also know as one of the best "plate" racers EVER(10 wins at Talladega, including his 76th, and final win, and 34 total wins at Daytona, including one Daytona 500 win.)
Austin Dillon is Richard Childress' grandson and has by admittance of his father and grandfather been running the #3 most of his racing career(he did not run it ARCA)so when it came time for Austin to choose a number to run in the Truck series he asked his grandfather if he could use his number(the his being Richard Childress) and RC told Austin that while yes the number was his number Dale Sr. was the one that made it famous(very true, I had look it up to find that yes this true, the fact that RC drove the car not that Dale Sr. made it famous) and Austin told his grandfather that he understood that(remember that Austin is not old enough to have ever seen his grandfather drive the car) but that he wanted to drive his grandfather's number, which by the way was the #3, RC was concerned about what the fans would say but agreed to let Austin run the number. Austin CERTAINLY knows how significant the number, styled the way it is, and the color of the car/truck a young Austin is said to be photographed standing on the 1998 Daytona 500 trophy(can't find it anywhere so not sure on the existence of said picture)as well as being RC's grandson he HAD to know about Big E and RC's relationship(it wouldn't surprise me to see a picture of Big E, RC, Austin on a hunting trip.)
When it comes to whether the number should be run in NASCAR at all I really don't know on that one because new fans of NASCAR know only of the LEGACY of Dale Sr.(that being one of safety) and in a few more years that may change as well, BUT, I do think that RC did the right thing by making Austin PROVE that he could take the pressure of the number and being the grandson of one of the best car owners in NASCAR(I consider RCR and Hendrick's tied for best chevy car owner) that being said I am going to quote Kelley Earnhardt in saying that "I am supportive of seeing the #3 in the track but I do wish that RCR would have chose a different stylized version of the number and not the exact version my dad made so famous." again this is a direct quote from Kelley Earnhardt while yes I have missed seeing the #3 over the last ten years(with the exception of the few races Dale Jr. ran it) I think everyone would agree that 3 is what makes you think of Dale Sr. but if Austin wanted to run 3 or 3 people would be fine. I say the kid has proved that he can handle the pressure, in a truck at least, and next year we will find out if he can handle the pressure in a car, and RC said that the stylized 3 will not be going to cup with Austin.
Some people see nothing in a number but a digit or an age, others see a driver or football/baseball/hockey/basketball player. The number I am referring to is the #3 made famous by Dale Earnhardt Sr. in the NASCAR Winston(now Nextel)Cup series, and thought by some to be retired by NASCAR or by Richard Childress(Big E's car owner and friend/hunting buddy)but neither was true as NASCAR does not retire numbers(hence the numbers 43, Richard Petty, and 45, Adam Petty, both run.)
Richard Childress said in 2001 that he would not run #3 again and while yes we have seen two or three times where Dale Earnhardt Jr. has run the number(02 Daytona-win, 02 Charlotte-36th, and 10 Daytona-win) most people thought that those were OK to do because Jr. was driving the same number that he drove to two(2) Busch(now Nationwide) championships(1998,99) and he was driving the car as a tribute to his father.
Big E, Dale Sr., The Intimidator, the guy that wrecked your guy, whatever you want to call him there is no way to not have known who he was(if you watched NASCAR before 02 anyway) he WAS the guy in the black #3 and there was basically no middle ground when it came to whether you were his fan or not. Known more for his "dirty" driving style than being "a good boy" on the track(see Bristol 95 and 99) also know as one of the best "plate" racers EVER(10 wins at Talladega, including his 76th, and final win, and 34 total wins at Daytona, including one Daytona 500 win.)
Austin Dillon is Richard Childress' grandson and has by admittance of his father and grandfather been running the #3 most of his racing career(he did not run it ARCA)so when it came time for Austin to choose a number to run in the Truck series he asked his grandfather if he could use his number(the his being Richard Childress) and RC told Austin that while yes the number was his number Dale Sr. was the one that made it famous(very true, I had look it up to find that yes this true, the fact that RC drove the car not that Dale Sr. made it famous) and Austin told his grandfather that he understood that(remember that Austin is not old enough to have ever seen his grandfather drive the car) but that he wanted to drive his grandfather's number, which by the way was the #3, RC was concerned about what the fans would say but agreed to let Austin run the number. Austin CERTAINLY knows how significant the number, styled the way it is, and the color of the car/truck a young Austin is said to be photographed standing on the 1998 Daytona 500 trophy(can't find it anywhere so not sure on the existence of said picture)as well as being RC's grandson he HAD to know about Big E and RC's relationship(it wouldn't surprise me to see a picture of Big E, RC, Austin on a hunting trip.)
When it comes to whether the number should be run in NASCAR at all I really don't know on that one because new fans of NASCAR know only of the LEGACY of Dale Sr.(that being one of safety) and in a few more years that may change as well, BUT, I do think that RC did the right thing by making Austin PROVE that he could take the pressure of the number and being the grandson of one of the best car owners in NASCAR(I consider RCR and Hendrick's tied for best chevy car owner) that being said I am going to quote Kelley Earnhardt in saying that "I am supportive of seeing the #3 in the track but I do wish that RCR would have chose a different stylized version of the number and not the exact version my dad made so famous." again this is a direct quote from Kelley Earnhardt while yes I have missed seeing the #3 over the last ten years(with the exception of the few races Dale Jr. ran it) I think everyone would agree that 3 is what makes you think of Dale Sr. but if Austin wanted to run 3 or 3 people would be fine. I say the kid has proved that he can handle the pressure, in a truck at least, and next year we will find out if he can handle the pressure in a car, and RC said that the stylized 3 will not be going to cup with Austin.
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