Loose In Turn Three - May 2 2008 Edition

Welcome another exciting edition of "Loose in Turn Three" with myself, Tim Zaegel of DoYouNASCAR? and Charlie Turner from "On Pit Row / Bench Racing With Steve & Charlie".

This week we opted to tackle a variety of issues digging into the heart of NASCAR itself. We're going to open it up here by discussing whether or not NASCAR should make it common practice to take wins away from drivers when the occasion calls for it, thoughts on Dale Earnhardt Day and what we all think about restrictor plate racing. Hope you enjoy the read!

Does Dale Earnhardt Day Merit all the Attention it Gets on April 29?

Bruce: There are so many different opinions on that. Some pipe in and say give it a rest, others say it's not enough. The last time I had my keyboard slapped for saying something about Dale Earnhardt, I had to take a step back and understand that I admired the driver of the RCR No 3 car to the point that his passing left a hole in my NASCAR experience. I don't mind hearing his friends and family recount tales of their encounters. Heck, Steve Park's story was hilarious, thinking the voice mail on his answering machine to call DE about a ride was a hoax. I don't mind tales like that. You see it wasn't his driving that caught my focus. It was where he was and what he did to get there. The next time someone knocks me for having some regard for the man in black, I'll just ask them if they're OK with me knocking their role model down a notch. For me, Dale Earnhardt day is fine. It reminds me of my inspiration that I got from his example.

Charlie: Does the day merit the attention that it gets? It does if you think it's important. I put a lot of effort into my annual celebration of the anniversary Dan Gurney's run for President. But I have other plans for April 29th.

TZ: Umm, I think it definitely warrants a certain degree of recognition because Earnhardt truly was, in a sense, a pioneer for this sport ... or, rather, an ambassador. I mean, if we're going to recognize certain former Presidents, Christopher Columbus, Martin Luther King Jr, etc. in the real world, then why not recognize Earnhardt in the NASCAR world? The only problem I see with it, though, is that I think we overplay it just a tad considering that we're not giving the same dues to other former greats that have since passed on. What will see on Benny Parsons' birthday, or Cale Yarbrough's once he's passed? An article or two on nascar.com?
The Rest of the Discussion:

- Should NASCAR Begin Stripping Drivers of their Wins?

- Would NASCAR be better off if it had never instituted restrictor plates?