Welcome to General Chat - GAW Community Area
This General Chat area started off as a place for people to talk about things that are off topic, however it has quickly evolved into a community and has become an integral part of the GAW experience for many of us.
Based on its evolving needs and plenty of user feedback, we are trying to bring some order and institute some rules. Please make sure you read these rules and participate in the spirit of this community.
Rules for General Chat
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Be respectful to each other. This is of utmost importance, and comments may be removed if deemed not respectful.
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Avoid long drawn out arguments. This should be a place to relax, not to waste your time needlessly.
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Personal anecdotes, puzzles, cute pics/clips - everything welcome
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Please do not spam at the top level. If you have a lot to post each day, try and post them all together in one top level comment
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Try keep things light. If you are bringing in deep stuff, try not to go overboard.
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Things that are clearly on-topic for this board should be posted as a separate post and not here (except if you are new and still getting the feel of this place)
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If you find people violating these rules, deport them rather than start a argument here.
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Feel free to give feedback as these rules are expected to keep evoloving
In short, imagine this thread to be a local community hall where we all gather and chat daily. Please be respectful to others in the same way
I don’t worship celebrities but I will never get over the tragic death of Dale Earnhardt, 23 years ago today. It’s kinda strange I had my near death experience on this day. If you don’t know who he is watch some old interviews and racing videos. I’m happy to share some if you like. I grew up watching racing with my dad and went to my first race in 1981. Then in 88 after marriage my husband and I went to all the races close to us until we had a baby. She was #1 priority. We continued to watch every Sunday with excitement. As a race fan you either loved him or hated him, no middle ground! When he died Nascar slowly died. They still race but has become woke and lost most of the old fans that filled the stands. Dale Earnhardt was more than a driver he was a big influence on Nascar’s decisions and was friends with Bill France the ceo, creator, leader of Nascar. Every thing must end eventually that’s life. I’m thankful he became a Christian before he died.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/nascar/news-why-dale-earnhardt-termed-the-intimidator
I get hating him. There were plenty of drivers I hated with a passion. I never knew how the Earnhardt diehard fans looked to the other fans. Many years ago hubby and I were looking at cars. Somehow we got in the subject of racing in the good days. He said one time at a race Dale wrecked and was out. He looked at turn one and then back to turn four and a huge section of multiple rows of Earnhardt fans were gone. So he started noticing it at other races. We died laughing because we always left if he wrecked out. Had never thought about ever one else doing the same. We met him by accident at Rockingham one day early before the race. If you have never been: it’s one road going to the track. One turn going to parking and under the tunnel. We were waiting to turn to park. It was one lane & it split going to tunnel or parking. Before that we were on the main road in traffic waiting to turn. With only one two lane road and race traffic it was busy. My husband jumps out in front of the 90s style blazers. I yelled at him and said, you just cut off Earnhardt. He thinks I’m crazy and imagining it, couldn’t be him. The airport is across the street from the track. Back then they would drive themselves if needed. The traffic splits and the blazer is beside us. I knew it was him so freezing cold I rolled down the window. He’s beside us grinning that sneaky smile. He said, how y’all doing? I said, you going to win today? He said, hooe so. It was Busch race and he won a lot there. I’m thinking he saw the dale license plate on front of our Camaro. I also think he respect my husband’s driving skills cutting him off. It was a very cool split second experience and a great memory.
I had look up Ayrton Senna. We never followed other racing besides Nascar. I remember a few getting killed but don’t know enough to talk about it intelligently.