Earnhardt's cars may not visit

The city clerk who brought Dale Earnhardt's cars to Country in the Park mourns his loss and awaits word on whether the cars will visit this year.

By ANNE LINDBERG

© St. Petersburg Times, published February 21, 2001

PINELLAS PARK -- When the shock and grief from the unexpected death of NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt rolled across the country Sunday, many in this city felt a special sense of loss for a sports star who had a connection with the community.

For the past two years, Earnhardt's stock cars have been one of the biggest draws at the city's annual Country in the Park festival. Racing fans have flocked to buy raffle tickets for a chance to win a door or a chunk of metal from one of the Intimidator's cars. The proceeds benefited the city's police Explorers unit.

Up until Sunday, local fans were assured of another opportunity to see an Earnhardt car and a chance to win some metal from one of his racers at the March 17 festival.

Now it's unclear if Richard Childress Racing, which owns Earnhardt's cars, will send any of the vehicles it had promised. It's also uncertain if there will be any car parts or lug nuts to raffle off.

City Clerk Kathy Witherington hopes to have a final answer this week.

If the cars do come, the tone won't be the happy, carefree event of the past two years. Instead, there'll be at least a moment of silence, and perhaps other activities, in Earnhardt's memory.

"He has such a following, he could gridlock our city," Witherington said. "It's family and friends. But, hey, that's what it's about."

She added, "If they allow the cars to come here, it could be one of the greatest tributes. ... It's going to be extremely emotional."

Witherington's eyes, still red from crying, occasionally teared up Tuesday as she talked.

A lifelong NASCAR fan, she was the city official who brought Earnhardt's cars to Pinellas Park.

Four years ago, police Officer Dan Levy saw a race car at the Burger King on Park Boulevard near 66th Street N. He called Witherington and told her to get over there quickly.

Witherington took photos of Earnhardt's black No. 3 car and spoke with the show driver, who travels with the vehicles to events. She even took a picture of Levy pretending to ticket the driver. And she asked if Childress Racing would send cars to Country in the Park.

In 1999, the city got a close look at several NASCAR racers, including one of Earnhardt's cars. Festivalgoers also had the chance to buy a chance to win one of the doors from an Earnhardt car. The door had a black smear on it from the tire of a car that had brushed against it in a race.

"It was an extremely happy lady," Witherington said of the winner.

Last year, the cars returned and a piece of metal from one of Earnhardt's cars was raffled.

This year, Witherington was watching the Daytona 500 on television when Earnhardt crashed into the wall.

"I didn't think it was as serious as it was," she said. "I've seen Dale hit the wall many times."

Then came the horrible news. On Monday, she and other city officials drove to Daytona Beach. They'd been invited to participate in the customary induction of the winner's car into the museum there. Because of Earnhardt's death, the ceremony was canceled.

Witherington said that when she got to the track, she sat down and cried.

"I was a blubbering idiot," she said.

She was so grief-stricken that several news crews talked with her about her feelings.

"It was almost like Superman," Witherington said. "No one could hurt him. He was my hero. Superman died in my eyes."

When she came into the office Tuesday, she looked at her Earnhardt memorabilia and found that it was too much to bear.

"I actually had to take my (Earnhardt) calendar down," she said. "I couldn't look at it."

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