It looks like late NASCAR great Dale Earnhardt is gaining cult, almost religious, status in some places, much the way Elvis did. There are the commemorative magazines and books of course, as there are with everyone famous who dies. But it gets kind of weird when there are blankets, velvet portraits with lights, and shrines put up in homes. I have seen this. It gives me the cold chills. I am not a NASCAR fan, but I know many and am related to several.
The other night there was a concert in his honor, with his family present, and footage of his races being shown on a huge screen behind the stage. I think it's creepy showing his car so much in these things, since he died in it. Another weird thing is, he wasn't all that well liked in his lifetime. He was kind of mean sometimes, and was known as The Intimidator, who would break rules of common decency, even against teammates, to win. He was known to wreck people. He was one of those people where there was no middle ground, he was either loved or hated. Now, he is loved! Ironically, when he died, he was in the last lap of a race, and uncharacteristically generous and unselfish. He was throwing a block for his son to take first place. He died a hero.
But I find all of this kind of disturbing. Of course it's none of my business if people want to worship him. I was just wondering what others here who don't live in NASCAR country feel about this.
The other night there was a concert in his honor, with his family present, and footage of his races being shown on a huge screen behind the stage. I think it's creepy showing his car so much in these things, since he died in it. Another weird thing is, he wasn't all that well liked in his lifetime. He was kind of mean sometimes, and was known as The Intimidator, who would break rules of common decency, even against teammates, to win. He was known to wreck people. He was one of those people where there was no middle ground, he was either loved or hated. Now, he is loved! Ironically, when he died, he was in the last lap of a race, and uncharacteristically generous and unselfish. He was throwing a block for his son to take first place. He died a hero.
But I find all of this kind of disturbing. Of course it's none of my business if people want to worship him. I was just wondering what others here who don't live in NASCAR country feel about this.
(They are country music fans and don't have a computer, or I'd never post that if they could find it!) 
#3 money making dead celebrity. He's behind Elvis and Charles Shultz of Peanuts fame and tied with John Lennon! Earnhardt earns $20 million a year! 
