Yes, this is an oldie from Blogjob, saved for a rerun on a day like this. This weekend I had a virtual stack of beautiful Christian e-books, some from Plough, some from Harlequin, I think there was supposed to be one from Spiegel & Grau--books whose publishers' names promise at least skillful writing, books to look forward to. And my eyes were bleary, and my brain was fogged, and I didn't read a single book. I don't know what new poison spray, or combination, we can thank for this. Anyway, I still have vintage Christian books to sell, and reviews of them. In the case of this particular book, I'm not sure whether they've all sold, but at one time we had a half-dozen copies; John Earnhardt belonged to the same church Grandma Bonnie Peters did, and she bought copies of this book in bulk.
Title: Race to Victory Lane
Author: Crystal Earnhardt
Date: 2003
Publisher: Review & Herald
Length: 75 pages
Quote: “John, I want you to meet Dale Earnhardt...your ancestors had a lot more in common than just a family tree!”
Race to Victory Lane is not a biography of the NASCAR superstar. It’s a biography of his relative, John Earnhardt, who became an evangelical Christian preacher, written by John’s wife and dedicated to their children. Nevertheless, the blurb promises race fans that “Some say they feel close to Dale through” John Earnhardt.
Though never each other’s very closest friends, Dale and John Earnhardt were close to the same age; they went to school, worked, and raced together as teenagers and saw each other regularly as each climbed his career ladder. Dale Earnhardt’s fans find enough about the racer in this book that they’ll probably be willing to overlook its Sunday-School-story narrative tone.
Although a Christian, Dale Earnhardt was not known as one of NASCAR’s more overtly religious drivers, nor did he join the church where John preached. Looks, temperament, and publicity built up his image as anything but a possible hero for Sunday School books. He was easily typecast as the rough, burly, blue-collar challenger to nice-guy Richard Petty. Like any man who weighs over 200 pounds and isn’t fat, he looked dangerous—and his “Intimidator” racing style was a very dangerous game.
However, what impressed fans were the showmanship, the precision, and the control of “The Intimidator.” There was no room for recklessness or bad temper in an act like that one. Even for Earnhardt and his series of incredible cars, everything had to be exactly right for Earnhardt’s “rough” racing style to work. In some intuitive way Dale Earnhardt was a physicist.
He was in control off the track, too. If he’d been challenging a driver whose lock on the nice-guy role was less solid than Petty’s, Earnhardt could probably have cast himself as a nice guy; his son has done. A little yelling and swearing at autograph hounds fitted The Intimidator's image, but Earnhardt fans remembered how, when a normal-sized driver actually swung at him, Earnhardt placidly held the smaller man at his own arm’s length until the other man calmed down.
And although he didn’t publicize it, he had a real gift for turning the trivia of a race into human-interest stories. His cars were built to send other cars into aerobatics that made even spectators dizzy. After a particularly dramatic wreck Earnhardt jumped out of his own intact car and ran back along the track, calling the victim’s first name...and the calculation he applied to these matters could be heart-warming, or chilling, even to sponsors and promoters. When young, handsome, overtly Christian Davey Allison died in a helicopter crash, Earnhardt shed a few manly tears, but he was also reported to have said wistfully that it was too bad the accident hadn’t happened during a race. While some Earnhardt fans disliked "challenger" Jeff Gordon intensely (and a few still do), Earnhardt had quietly recognized Gordon's potential fan appeal and taken him on as a business partner; it was no accident that a majority of licensed NASCAR souvenirs displayed their colors.
As Earnhardt’s challenge to Petty’s record built NASCAR into a million-dollar sport, publicity—and the IRS!—pushed Earnhardt into displays of generosity that would have threatened his redneck-chic image if they’d been publicized. America’s richest redneck began quietly making donations to schools, churches, and charities that were downright (shh!) gentlemanly. There were reports of mild self-indulgence, the big house and the vacations, but no orgies. NASCAR racers don’t have to fit any particular body type, as some athletes do, but they do have to have stamina; the ones who don’t take care of their health wash out quickly.
And in 2003, after his accidental death, John Earnhardt outed Dale Earnhardt as having waited to receive a printed Bible verse from a prayer partner before he’d attempt his act. There are probably some race fans who may think less of Dale Earnhardt after reading this detail...but his most dedicated fans will remember that he always did support churches, in a quiet way.
Not that John Earnhardt’s purpose is here, or ever was, to detract from what Earnhardt’s act was always all about. It was what Dave Barry
would have gleefully called a Guy Thing. It was about driving extremely fast, and banging extremely large arnd expensive pieces of metal together, and bouncing out of a smoldering heap to wave to thousands of screaming fans, and the possibility that one day you or one of your friends might not be able to bounce out of the wreck. Although a minister, John is still a guy, and he does appreciate these things.But the stories Crystal and John Earnhardt have a right to tell middle school readers in this book are, mostly, stories about John’s middle school years. He had to drive his parents home when they’d been drinking. He shot a squirrel—good ol’ boys will recognize this as a feat of marksmanship, but he’s not bragging—and felt sorry for the poor little animal. He went along with schoolmates when they robbed a store, but apologized humbly enough that the storekeeper let the kids go. He aimed his gun at a man, once, but decided at the last minute not to shoot, and has always been glad.
Looking back, John compares where he was with where Dale was and feels that, though not a millionnaire, he’s had the better life, or the better “victory.” Well, he’s certainly had the longer one. He once challenged Dale to a foot race, which he thought he could win, and he lost. He seems to be trying to compete with his rich, famous, deceased relative again, in this book, but exactly where the track or the finish line is remains unclear.
There are a few stories about Ralph Earnhardt, Dale’s father, also a NASCAR champion, but there are more stories about John Earnhardt’s parents (real rednecks, nothing chic about it) and how Christianity helped John steer clear of some of the mistakes they made, such as alcoholism.
Race to Victory Lane is recommended to all race fans, especially to those who remember Dale or Ralph Earnhardt and those who now root for Dale Junior.
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