Earnhardt's hometown removes his honor flags

www.thatsracin.com ^ | 7/24/08 | David Poole

[personalaccts]

Earnhardt's hometown removes his honor flags From Charlotte Observer, wire reports Friday, Jul. 25, 2008 KANNAPOLIS - The late Dale Earnhardt's hometown is taking down banners honoring the NASCAR great, at the request of a billionaire developer who is bringing a client to town Saturday.

The Salisbury Post also reported on Friday that the developer's company doesn't want the "Dale Trail" banners going up again.

According to e-mails obtained by the Salisbury newspaper, California billionaire David Murdock is coming to Kannapolis on Saturday with an important guest and wants to put the "best face on the city."

Murdock's company, Castle & Cooke, owns the North Carolina Research Center, a science research park being developed in Kannapolis at the site of the old Cannon Mills.

City Manager Mike Legg wrote in a July 18 memo to the city council that the "Dale Trail" banners would be permanetly removed. Earnhardt was killed in 2001, on the last lap of the Daytona 500.

The Salisbury Post says that in the past week, e-mails have been exchanged among Kannapolis city officials, Castle and Cooke, and the Cabarrus Convention and Visitors Bureau about removing the banners - and whether the NASCAR theme fits with efforts by some business and civic leaders to bill Kannapolis as the "Home to Science."

There are no indications as to the identity of Saturday's guest, but the Salisbury newspaper said there is speculation that it might be Oprah Winfrey. Murdock announced earlier this year that he is working on a joint project with Winfrey, an entertainment billionaire.

In the July 18 memo, Legg told council members and others that the banners would be taken down. He wrote that the Cabarrus Convention and Visitors Bureau agrees with the plan but wants to put up other flags or markers in the future.

"There may be a conflict as to what happens later," Legg wrote, according to the Salisbury newspaper. "There are many (including everybody at Castle & Cooke) that do not want to see anything 'Dale-related' going back up."

Not everyone appears so readily willing to remove the motorsports theme in Kannapolis, though.

The Salisbury Post said DeSales Wagster, president of the Cabarrus County Convention and Visitors Bureau, said Thursday that she thinks motorsports and high-tech research can co-exist.

"We are extremely proud of motorsports and what it has brought, as we transition into one of the largest bio-tech areas," she said. "They are very compatible. there is truly room for both."

[personalaccts]

Sad. I guess the billionaire thinks NASCAR is a "hick" sport.

[BenLurkin]

Maybe he or she thinks that NASCAR fans are bitter and clinging.

There are no indications as to the identity of Saturday's guest, but the Salisbury newspaper said there is speculation that it might be Oprah Winfrey.

[Devilinbaggypants]

Tell the billionaire to sit on his thumb and spin!

[Edgar3]

Screw that Commifornia idiot!

[Jersey Republican Biker Chick]

You know...he may get more than he bargained for..there are a lot of Earnhardt fans who may make a spectacle of themselves JUST to embarrass the billionaire now...

[mnehrling]

..and what is he going to do with all the citizens putting up the banners on their private property, such as homes and cars?

There will be a backlash.

[mgc1122]

Time for the bitter clinging hicks to replace the city manager and council. In the interim, they can wear man beater T shirts, drink corn whiskey, chew & spit tobacco and scatch themselves when Daddy Bigbucks comes driving by,

[Dinsdale]

Maybe one of them will put the billionare into a wall or tree.

It would be appropriate for an Earnhardt fan.

[xDGx]

Yep.

This could get interesting...

[Jersey Republican Biker Chick]

ha ha ha...good one.

[Selmore]

I visited and thought it pretty macabre. We idolize the dangdest people.

[Past Your Eyes]

Who’s Dale Earnhardt? What’s NASCAR?

[the_devils_advocate_666]

Sounds like they need to call in the Dukes of Hazard to remedy this situation.

[Past Your Eyes]

"We idolize the dangdest people."

Ain't that the truth? I dunno who this Earnhardt feller is but I have a shrine to Cyrus McCormick on my property.

[PurpleMan]

“I guess the billionaire thinks NASCAR is a “hick” sport.”

God, you’re just asking for it by throwing that hanging curveball.

[mnehrling]

Let's just put up Ricky Bobby posters everywhere.

[wideawake]

Is this some kind of joke?

[Selmore]

If Oprah is visiting how bout some Obama flags. Just rip the stars and stripes off the pole or slap a decal over it.

[Beagle8U]

Anything but that gay Jeff Gordon!

[mnehrling]

..or the douche Tony Stewart..

[GregB]

Let’s get this spread to all of NASCAR and his hometown!!!!They ought to have a redneck parade for his highness and Jeff Foxworthy as the Master of Ceremonies!!!
GET-R-DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Vision]

Hope the town gives those two a welcoming they never forget.

[Beagle8U]

JR!

[Jersey Republican Biker Chick]

Redneck tanktop...

[Vision]

Get the story on the NASCAR web sites.

[thefactor]

get the mullets, jean shorts, and black t-shirts ready!

boogedy, boogedy, boogedy, let's go racin'!!!

[afnamvet]

Perhaps a mass Kannapolis mooning would show the billionaire and client their disgust with political correctness and elitism.

[JZelle]

I thought Ted Turner lived in Georgia?

[Texas2step]

Ping...didn’t know if you wanted to ping the NASCAR thread fans, or not...

[numberonepal]

If I owned a biz there I’d hang the biggest gosh danged number three I could make and I ain’t even an Intimidator fan.

[numberonepal]

JUST to embarrass the billionaire now...

You dun red my mind before I thunk it. See post #30.

[afnamvet]

You guys see this?

[El Gato]

Maybe he or she thinks that NASCAR fans are bitter and clinging.

If he or she is very lucky, she/he won't find out just how bitter, and what they are clinging.

[uglybiker]

Every home and business should proudly display at least one of these.

[McGruff]

...the developer's company doesn't want the "Dale Trail" banners going up again...

Probably a dam Yankee too. Somebich better stay north of the Mason-Dixon line unless you want another Civil War.

[McGruff]

..or the douche Tony Stewart..

You didn't really say that did you?

[MinuteGal]

I hope when this billionaire brings his billionaire client to town on Saturday every upstanding resident puts a wringer washing machine on the front porch, waters the dead petunias growin' in the tire on the front gravel and moves the outhouse into the driveway.

A banner should be hung over Main Street, "Welcome to Spatula City".

Leni

[kenth]

There’s just not much you can’t fix with a ‘69 Charger, a bow and some dynamite.

[McGruff]

That sombich sad what?

[NormsRevenge]

I linked it up on the race thread. pretty questionable move on the part of the developer. nascar is a science too.

There are Trucks tonite, Nationwide Sat and the Brickyard 400 aka the Zero Coke 400 aka .. Sunday

[personalaccts]

I thought it was funny. I live 20 minutes from Kannapolis. I drive the “Dale Trail”.

[Rebelbase]

The Kannapolis City Council bender over to accomodate a cultural “offense” is no different than the Brits putting booties on their police dogs so as not to offend muslims.

[doodad]

I guess I need to gas up the Camaro, brush out the mullet and head on up I-85.

[Rebelbase]

Oh great. First was the Northeast liberals socializing the urban centers of NC, now the Left Coast liberals are moving in to the smaller towns. We’re doomed.

[martin_fierro]

[SouthTexas]

Ok, I’ll stop before I get kicked off the thread. ;)

[afnamvet]

Nah, keep goin’ ; )

[McGruff]

You be that fellar who want to remove them Dale Earnhardt flags?

[SouthTexas]

Other than immediate family, the only funerals I have taken off for were Ronald Ragan’s and Dale Earnhardt’s.

[McGruff]

My condolences. Not something to joke about.