Earnhardt enters International Motorsports Hall of Fame
by: MIKE HARRIS- Associated Press

TALLADEGA, Ala. – Dale Earnhardt was already the most popular driver stock car racing has ever known.

Now he's a Hall of Famer, too.

The seven-time NASCAR champion, who died in a crash during the 2001 Daytona 500, was inducted Thursday night into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame.

There was never any doubt that The Intimidator would be a part of the Hall of Fame as soon as the five-year waiting period was up, and he was finally inducted Thursday night with the appropriate fanfare, in front of family, friends, competitors and fans.

Richard Childress, who fielded cars for six of Earnhardt's championships and was also one of his closest friends, made a special presentation before the induction of Earnhardt, who would have been 55 on Saturday.

"It was an honor and a privilege for me to work with the late Dale Earnhardt for 20 years and, more important, to be his friend," said Childress, who presented one of Earnhardt's famed No. 3 Chevrolets to the Hall of Fame.

The car was pushed into the auditorium by Earnhardt's original RCR crew, who won fame as the "Flying Aces" as the audience stood and cheered.

NBC's Brian Williams, in a taped video, then eulogized his friend, saying, "Dale Earnhardt was an icon. Those who didn't know it when he died, realized it when they saw him on the cover of Time Magazine."

Williams, who said he still has a No. 3 decal on the back of his own car in memory of Earnhardt, then introduced Teresa Earnhardt, who accepted the honor for her late husband.

Also on stage were Earnhardt's sons Dale Jr. and Kerry and daughters Kelli and Taylor.

The Hall of Fame class of 2006 also included longtime NASCAR team owner Jack Roush, Winston Cup and Busch Series star Harry Gant, Janet Guthrie, the first woman to drive in the Indianapolis 500 and the most successful woman in NASCAR's history, and Charlotte track president and promoter extraordinary H.A. "Humpy" Wheeler.