Tributes to 'the greatest driver NASCAR ever had.'

Updated: Figure's throughout the World of motor racing have paid tribute to Dale Earnhardt, tragically killed in Sunday's Daytona 500.

Richard Petty:

"Like all of the NASCAR family, I was stunned and saddened by the loss of Dale Earnhardt. We shared a common bond in championships as well as a mutual respect. Our family has raced against his family since this sport began, going back to when my Dad and I raced against Ralph Earnhardt.

"My thoughts and prayers and that of the entire Petty organization are with Teresa, Kerry, Kelly, Dale Jr., Taylor and the rest of the Earnhardt family."

Mark Martin:

"I will tell you that some of the fiercest and most successful drivers are also the most aggravating on the track. Dale was incredibly tenacious; he drove me to rise to his level. He made me want to be the best, because he made me want to beat him.

"I have never in all of my experience raced against anyone with as much desire to win as he had, and that's saying a lot, because I've raced against them all. He was so tenacious, but he was so different from that away from the track. I was really fortunate to know that side of him, because not everyone did, but there was a softer side to Dale that most people (and) I know didn't know he had, but it was there.

"It's just so tragic. He was so much to so many. He's left a giant, dark, black hold behind him. I really don't know what to say. There are so many decisions, so much grief. He will be missed by millions.

"I remember in 1990 or '91 when we were both racing in IROC [International Race of Champions] that right after the race in Daytona we flew up to Cleveland for the race and then back down to Charlotte.

"Well, I was living in Greensboro at the time and I had no way home at like 11pm, so Dale drove me all the way up there and then back to Lake Norman, just to shoot the breeze. I just couldn't understand that; he must have gotten home after 3 am or something, and to this day, I still don't understand, but he was just that way. Different, and special."

Jerry Nadeau:

"All of our thoughts and prayers go out to Teresa (Earnhardt), Dale Jr., and all of the Earnhardt family. I can't imagine a race without Dale in it."

Matt Kenseth:

"I only knew him a little bit, mostly because of racing against Dale, Jr. He came to the Busch banquet the year Junior won, so I got to spend a little time with him, but what I knew of him was mostly about, you know "DALE," in capital letters, the legendary, hard-driving champion. It's overwhelming, all of these losses, and it's hard to get over them."

Kurt Busch:

"I grew up in an Earnhardt family. They were all fanatics, my mom, my dad, brother, everybody. My parents really enjoyed the way he raced, the way he changed other people's driving styles, and because my dad liked him so much, I liked him, too. That's what I respected, because that's the way I am - I always want to be at the front, but that's not to say that's my style of driving.

"My first race against him was at Dover last fall, which was also my first ever Winston Cup race, and right after I got out of the car after qualifying, Dale was the second person to come over to me, after my crewchief, Matt Chambers, did. He asked me if I was going to lift, because he was sure I wasn't going to lift, and then he laughed and asked me if that was all I had. I thought I was doing pretty good, because like I said, it was my first-ever Cup race and I had just qualified tenth, so it was pretty funny, but also an honor.

"And yesterday, I got to race around him some, and he was doing some more rookie training, but he was the seven-time champion, so I took it in stride. My spotter told me to follow him, even if he stopped to get a hot dog. I'm just sorry that I won't be able to compete against him again."

Jeff Burton:

"He's tough as hell on the track. He never gave anything, but you always knew what to expect, and he had a lot of respect for it, because he treated everyone equally. He was really frustrating to drive against, because there were times when he could have made it much easier, but that wasn't in his personality. You always had to work that much harder with him.

"It seems like we've spent the last couple of years in the garage parked next to him, and so I got the chance to get to know him a little bit better. We had some common interests that he was working hard to get me involved in because he was already in them. He was always there to offer advice or counsel me on whatever it was. I had a photo shoot a couple of weeks ago and I had some time to wait for the next set, so I called him up to ask him for some help on something and I finally had to tell him that I had to go; he always made time for me, and he'd talk forever if he thought he could help you with something.

"He had that persona of being tough all the time, but he had another side to him that not everyone saw. Plus I think he respected me, which means a lot, for standing my ground with him on the racetrack. But how could you not respect him. The guy was the ambassador for our sport, our leader, our trendsetter. It's just a huge loss to our community; he was a huge influence on so many people."

Kyle Petty, Sprint car driver:

"When he was at the top of his game, he was amazing. He could do things with a race car that you didn t think anybody could do. There was a time when you could see a 20-car pileup and, if just one car made it through, it was the one Earnhardt was driving.

"For a lot of fans, Dale Earnhardt was what they thought about when they thought about NASCAR racing. He could do so much and was so talented. He knew it, and he knew you knew it. That grin of his, a lot of times you wouldn t know what he was thinking but you thought you did. And it might not mean a thing in the world, but he knew you were trying to figure it out.

"He was the last cowboy."

John Andretti:

"The thing I remember most about Dale Earnhardt - and the thing that, to me, really epitomizes him - is something that happened at Talladega my rookie season (1994). The second race there, my team (Billy Hagan) just didn't have a lot of money. We had one good restrictor plate engine and we broke it in practice. There was no way we were even going to make the race.

"I was walking through the garage before second-round qualifying and ran into Richard Childress. He said, How are things going? and I said, Not so good. I told him what was going on but didn't say much more. Even if I had thought to ask him for some help there is no way we could have afforded anything from them.

"I found out later he told Earnhardt about it and Earnhardt had an idea. He and Richard gave one of their qualifying engines to Dave Marcis, and had Marcis move his qualifying engine to our car. The engine we got was phenomenal. We were 11th-fastest in second-round qualifying and made the race because of Dale Earnhardt and Richard Childress.

"They never asked for anything and they never even told anybody, as far as I know. Dale and Richard helped us out because we needed help. We didn t have the money to pay for it, and they knew that, but they helped us out anyway. Instead of going home, we made the race.

"There are a lot of stories like that about Earnhardt. He helped a lot of people, and no one ever knew."

Dale Jarrett:

"As millions of race fans mourn the loss of the man they knew as "The Intimidator," the sport and the race that he truly loved has taken from me one of my best friends. I know I should feel fortunate that I had the opportunity to race with, tangle with, sometimes outrun, and like most usually finish behind, the greatest driving talent NASCAR racing has ever seen.

"I am thankful for that opportunity but, more importantly, I am most grateful that I had the chance to know Dale Earnhardt in a way that so many people could only dream of. He was a true friend -- someone I could always depend on to give me an honest answer and, at the very least, his opinion. I looked up to him not only because of his driving skills, but because he was so much more to so many people, including me and my family. Kelley and I choose to remember this incredible racer for his caring and giving personality.

"Our thoughts and prayers go out to Teresa and the kids in this time of mourning. But knowing Dale, he would rather this be a celebration of his amazing accomplishments. This, we will do in his honor. Just know, Dale, that we love you and we all are truly going to miss you. Thanks for making our sport what it is today and for being my friend."

Robby Gordon:

"I said this back in 1999 when we lost Greg Moore in CART and I'll say it again, "Guys like that aren't supposed to die, they're studs in racing." It just makes you think a little deeper about what we do. You never really think about crashing when you strap in to the car, much less what happened to Dale. But you see this and really think. It is dangerous, it always has been. That's racing. It's just tough to lose someone, anyone.

"Dale was the best. I remember running with him in IROC and learning about bump-drafting. That was some of the most fun racing I've ever been a part of. He was "The Intimidator," no question about it, but he was awesome. You think of all the talent he had, plus all the experience, and he still had that fire on the track. Even at his age. Think about it, at 49, he was second in the points last year. That's big.

"He was the man. I'm going to miss him."

Larry McClure, team owner, Morgan-McClure Motorsports:

"Dale Earnhardt's death is a tremendous loss to our NASCAR family and to the entire nation. Whether you liked him or not, he stood as a hero. Many looked up to Dale as a man who stuck to his convictions. Earnhardt set the stage in Winston Cup. What he did, everyone followed. He was a fierce competitor, one that we did battle with many times.

"He lived a life that was full. As a father, a husband and a businessman, Dale experienced success. He showed people that they can follow their dreams and reach their goals. Dale accomplished more in his life than most of us ever could. It is unfortunate. All of us in the NASCAR community live on the edge. The drivers are on the edge all of the time, every weekend.

"This seems more of a shock to people, because the wreck did not look that bad. When someone so talented is involved in such a deal, it is unbelieveable. I know we will all go into the garage at Rockingham next weekend and expect to see that sly grin that Earnhardt patented.

"It is going to be tough on NASCAR fans and Dale Earnhardt fans. For those of us who saw him and talked to him every weekend, it will take a long time to deal with this horrible loss.

"Cherish the memories of Dale. Realize we were lucky to be able to share his life with him. Finally, believe. If you believe in Christ, the pain will be easier to handle."

John Hendrick, President of Hendrick Motorsports:

"Everyone at Hendrick Motorsports is deeply saddened by the death of Dale Earnhardt. Our prayers are with his family that they find strength during this difficult time. He was a great competitor and a true friend to everyone in the NASCAR family. Dale's contributions to the growth and popularity of our sport are immeasurable. He was also a great human being, husband and father. He will truly be missed. We ask everyone to join us in our prayers for Dale and his family."

Jimmy Spencer:

"I really don't know what to say. I can't believe Dale Earnhardt isn't with us anymore and that he's not going to be out there every week in that black number three. There isn't anyone I loved racing more than him because he was the best and you always want to challenge yourself against the best.

"The thing about Dale Earnhardt is that there were two Dale Earnhardts -- the Dale Earnhardt that raced you for every inch on the race track and the Dale Earnhardt who cared about making people happy. He loved my dad and he loved my mom. Every time he saw me he'd ask how my mom and dad were doing. Every time he saw my mom he grabbed her hand and would stop and talk for a minute. He did it just last week at Daytona.

"I've got so many Dale Earnhardt stories I could write a book. I remember he came to my mom and dad's house in Berwick (Pa.) and I'll never forget it. We crashed three or four cars one night in my dad's junkyard and just had a great time afterwards just laughing and eating dinner. Then there was the time in 1988 when we raced up Route 136 from his old shop in Kannapolis to his new facility. It was late at night. He had a pickup and I had a pickup and he beat me. He never let me forget that and rubbed it in every chance he got.

"I'll miss him. There isn't one person in NASCAR that won't say they'll miss him. I was talking to my dad today and I said to him, 'What are we gonna do as drivers?' We all congregated around him. He was always one of the first drivers to go out for pre-race introductions and I don't care if you were Rusty Wallace or Dale Jarrett or who it was, we all talked to him because he was the guy.

"That 3 car scared every driver because they knew what was coming. Dale Earnhardt never gave up. He didn't care if he was five laps down, you were going to have to work to get past him. He would race you just as hard for 20th as he would for the win and us as competitors all realized that and expected that from him.

"I said some things a few weeks ago that looking back in hindsight I wish I could take back. I'm sorry for what I said, but at the time I felt I needed to speak up because T. Wayne (Robertson) was like a father to me, and I just felt that Dale Earnhardt the race car driver should have been there. I don't mean to slight any of the other top drivers in our sport, but if there was an autograph session and it was Dale Earnhardt against anybody else in the garage area, he would outdraw them two or three to one. Why? Because they want to meet John Wayne. He could probably outdraw any professional athlete in the world and maybe even the President of the United States. He had that kind of power.

"It's really hard to express just how sad I am. All I can think about is Teresa and the whole Earnhardt family. Our thoughts and prayers go out to them."

Irwindale Speedway:

"Even though Dale Earnhardt never raced at Irwindale Speedway, he was, as he was across the country, somehow a part of our personal world.

"Thousands of our weekly visitors where his faithful fans; his driving exploits from the preceding week's race were always a hot topic of conversation in the pits and in the stands on Saturday night; his stature as one of the greatest ever in NASCAR was never in question here.

"All of us are deeply saddened. All of us at Irwindale feel as though we have lost a friend. All of us know what a painful loss to our sport his passing will be.

"...We all send our deepest sympathy to his family, his friends, his team, and to his legions of loyal fans everywhere."

Eddie Cheever Jr:

"I have known only two individuals whose very presence transcended the fact that they were extraordinary racing drivers: Dale Earnhardt and Ayrton Senna. No one else could fill a room like they could.

I met Dale just two years ago but I feel like I have lost a member of my family. There is truly nothing you can say - it is an enormous loss. The last words that Dale said to me were: "I'll race you next time, and we'll have just as much fun." I'm incredibly sad that that won't happen. My heart goes out to all of Dale's family, friends, and fans at this very difficult time."

Indianapolis Motor Speedway President Tony George:

"The loss of Dale Earnhardt is an unbelievable and devastating tragedy to his family, his many fans and to the sport of auto racing. It is very difficult for me and for our family because of our close friendship with Dale, Teresa and their children. He personified what NASCAR is about, and the growth of motorsports during the last 20 years was attributable in many ways to him.

"He was a man who loved the life, the sport and enjoyed every week of it. He was intense, focused and competitive in everything he did. Dale had a special love for the history and tradition of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and his name will always be a part of our racing heritage at the Brickyard. Our hearts and prayers go to Dale's family and to all who admired his skill and the admirable traits he represented."

Rousch Racing:

"The Roush Racing family's thoughts and prayers go out to Teresa, Kerry, Kelley King, Dale Jr, Taylor Nicole and the rest of the Earnhardt family as they face this terrible tragedy. Dale Earnhardt will always be remembered to all of us in NASCAR as the ultimate champion and competitor. We ask that all Roush Racing and NASCAR fans remember the Earnhardt family in their prayers."

Sears Point Raceway President Steve Page:

"Dale Earnhardt may have been the most talented driver ever to climb in a stock car, but his loss will be felt well beyond the racing community. Dale was one of the most distinctive personalities in the world of sports. His image as a fierce competitor, as the relentless pursuer in the black car personified the qualities that have characterized history's greatest athletes.

"There were no fans more passionate or loyal than Dale Earnhardt fans. On behalf of all of those fans who have turned out to see Dale at Sears Point Raceway over the years, we offer our thoughts and prayers to the Earnhardt family."

August A. Busch IV Group Vice President, Anheuser-Busch, Inc:

"All of us at Anheuser-Busch are deeply saddened by the death of Dale Earnhardt. Dale was a great man, a dear friend of my family, a true champion and a great ambassador for NASCAR and the sport of auto racing. Our prayers go out to his wife, Teresa, Dale Jr., and the entire Earnhardt family, as well as everyone at Dale Earnhardt Inc."

Bobby Labonte:

"I, like everyone else, am in shock with the passing of Dale Earnhardt. Besides being an incredible driver and spokesman for the sport he so loved, he was a true friend and has been a major influence on my life and career.

Understandably, my family's thoughts are with Teresa, Kerry, Kelly, Dale Jr and Taylor Nicole as well as all of the employees and their families at Richard Childress Racing and Dale Earnhardt Incorporated. May God bless all of them and watch over them in this time of need."

Tony Stewart:

"Dale Earnhardt made a difference in the world. On the track, he made us all better drivers because he set a standard of excellence we all aspired to achieve. He had a passion and a desire that took the sport of NASCAR to a new level every time he climbed in the car. Off the track he was a kind, giving, loving man who gave his all to his family and friends. He worked tirelessly to make the world a better place for as many people as possible who were less fortunate than he.

I did not know him as long as most of the other drivers but he made a huge impact on my life in the years I have been in NASCAR. I am grateful and blessed to have had the benefit of his wisdom and guidance. My heart and prayers go out to his wife Teresa; his children Dale Jr., Kerry, Kelley and Taylor; and all his family and friends."

Joe Gibbs:

"On behalf of everyone at Joe Gibbs Racing, we would like to extend our heartfelt sympathies to Teresa and the entire Earnhardt family as well as everyone at Dale Earnhardt Incorporated and Richard Childress Racing. While Dale was a fierce competitor on and off the track and leader in the community, he was a member of our family and as you can imagine, we are grieving that loss."

IROC President Jay Signore:

"There are no words to express the extreme sense of loss we are all feeling now. Dale's greatness as a champion speaks for itself. The significant loss is of the man himself; we've lost a dear friend."

"On behalf of the series' founders Roger Penske, Les Richter, and the entire team, our condolences to Theresa, Kelly King, Dale Jr., Kerry and Taylor Nicole, as well as to all those at Dale Earnhardt Incorporated and the Richard Childress organization."

Jeff Gordon:

"Brooke and I are deeply saddened by this devastating loss. Not only is it a huge loss for this sport, but a huge loss for me personally. Dale taught me so much and became a great friend.

"Our thoughts and prayers are with Teresa and the entire Earnhardt family."

Doug Bawel, president of Jasper Engines and Transmissions:

"Each of us is saddened by the loss of Dale. He was much more than a competitor in this very close family of racing, he was a friend. Our prayers go out to Teresa and his entire family. Bill France said it best - 'NASCAR has lost its greatest driver, and I personally have lost a great friend.'"

"He died doing what he loved, being a competitor, seeing his son compete and watching Michael Waltrip running so well in a race he would ultimately win," added Bawel.

Gwynn/Steinbrenner Racing President Darrell Gwynn:

"On behalf of the entire Gwynn/Steinbrenner Racing family, words cannot describe the sense of loss and sadness we feel after hearing the tragic news of Dale's fatality. Dale was a dear friend who was larger than life. His loss is both personally and professionally irreplaceable. He set the standard that all of us racers tried to live by and emulate. To his wife Teresa and the entire Earnhardt family, we extend our deepest sympathy and heart-felt prayers during this most difficult time."
Eddie Gossage, General Manager of Texas Motor Speedway:

"The death of Dale Earnhardt is heartbreaking for millions of racing fans around the world. I, too, am heartbroken. Athletes in other sports would be wise to follow Dale's model of what a champion is supposed to be. He had great dignity - both on the track and off.

"I know people would question why people risk such great odds to race automobiles. But I'm certain Dale would tell you that he lived his life to the fullest and his life was better for being a participant in the arena. While many people may not understand this, Dale understood better than anyone.

"We want to express our sympathies to Dale's wife Teresa, his children, his mother and the rest of his family as well as Richard Childress Racing and the people of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. We will remember them in our prayers."

Johnny Benson:

"There is really nothing I can say right now. I found out about Dale after I got home (Cornelius, N.C) tonight. I'm very sad. NASCAR lost its greatest driver and probably the greatest driver it will ever have. My heart goes out to his family, his crew, his friends and his fans. There is no better group of fans in our sport and I feel for them tonight also. Our sport will go on, but I don't think it will ever be the same. NASCAR is about family, and I can't think of a time in its history when it needs to pull together like a family. I know everyone on our team and our entire sport sends its condolences to everyone hurting."

Martinsville Speedway president Clay Campbell:

"It's hard to put into words what the loss of Dale Earnhardt means. I feel without question he was the greatest driver we have ever had. At a time when the popularity of NASCAR has been rapidly growing across this country, we can thank Dale Earnhardt for a lot of that attention. The fan base he enjoyed is unparalleled in this sport. Our hearts and prayers are with his family."

Joseph Heitzler, President/CEO of Championship Auto Racing Teams:

"We are deeply saddened by the passing of Dale Earnhardt. He was a true champion as well as a wonderful ambassador for our sport. The thoughts and prayers of the entire CART community are with the Earnhardt family and everyone involved in NASCAR racing during this difficult time."