The #3

[uticamike]

There were a lot of the same questions surrounding Dale Sr. when Childress got him...Dale's been gone for almost 12 years,  Build a bridge...and GET OVER IT!!!

Beg to differ Mr Paz.  DE sr got the ride based on his talent that those around him could see. Not because daddy Ralph opened any

doors for him or that Dale looked good in a beach photo shoot. Your right though, today's NASCAR is much different (as we all know has

been beaten to death) but it still bothers the loyal sr fans that the 3 would be back with other than Earnhardt blood behind the wheel.

A true testament of his legacy.  Personally , like the 61, I think the #3 should be retired (and I was never DE fan)

[Paul]

Before the 3 was a property of Childress, it was a Jr. Johnson property.  So, it already had legend power behind it before Dale Sr. took it to new heights. 

It is difficult to build a case for retiring a number in NASCAR.  I think its great that 61 is retired, considering it is the only one NASCAR ever has retired.  But if the 3 was to be retired, then certainly the 43 should be retired as well.  Petty and Earnhart each had seven championships, but remember, Earnhardt's first came in the number 2 car.  So, Petty's number is a no brainer.  And it won't be long before the 48 has six championships which could easily be followed by the seventh (I think 10 is not out of reach for that team).  So then, of necessity, 48 would have to be retired as well.  So, based on stats, there are four numbers to retire right away.  If we decide to retire numbers based on popular drivers who died, then the number of retired numbers would be even higher.  And since NASCAR only allows numbers between 0 and 99, given time there could be too many numbers retired to assign to a full field. 

I think I have have to agree with our Moderator on this issue; we do need to "get over it".

If we want to consider that the Dillon kids aren't worthy of wearing the number 3, well, that's a different discussion.  Is Almirola worthy of the 43?  Is Hornish (current driver) or Lagano (next year) worthy of the 22?  Is anybody worthy of the 21 (my personal all time favorite was Pearson)?

Difficult discussion...

[Ratzso]

I might be wrong but I believe that the France family owns all of the numbers for NA$CAR and they alone have final say on who is assigned each number.

[raceannouncer]

I might be wrong but I believe that the France family owns all of the numbers for NA$CAR and they alone have final say on who is assigned each number.

It's the fact, Jack!!!

[raceannouncer]

Retiring a number won't work--there were several racing drivers whose car was #3 WAY before Dale Sr.--and the Dillon boys have been racing the#3 pretty much all their careers...and,yes, because of Grandpa's what?



Young Austin Dillon's IMCA @ Volusia 2007

Retire the design of the number, yes...but not the number itself; There's no thought being given here to those up-and-coming drivers who may have been inspired to get into racing by Dale Sr. and after running it their whole career, now they can't use it? It's absurd.  Dale Jarrett ran the #88 before Jr. His Dad ran #11 way before Denny Hamlin; James Hylton ran #48 for years--before 5-time! Cotton Owens ran #6 before Martin did, Childress ran #2 WAYYY before Brad Keselowski.  The "retiring" of numbers is more common in the "stick-and-ball" sports because the team owns the number, NOT the league(NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA etc.). NASCAR teams don't work the same way but they could "retire" the number as Jack Roush has done temporarily with the 6 at times! NASCAR's history is full of drivers who ran numbers on race cars far before the teams and drivers of today! Besides, Childress has effectively "retired" the number for all intents and purposes by continuing its lease of the number from NASCAR so as to honor the legacy of his best friend.  Yessir, NASCAR "owns the numbers and they decide who gets them BUT they do give first "right of refusal" to the current lessee; in this day and age of NASCAR and the money it generates, Childress and the other owners have invested significant chunks of money to establish the teams "brand identity".  Ironically, Childress (along with Teresa's help) created the design of the number 3 that so many idolize. so Sr. was one of the first to reap the benefits of ALL THAT MONEY many on here complain about! So Dale was able to profit" (pun intended) from NASCAR's love of money but at least he realized it was NASCAR's "game" and knew he should abide by its rules in order to participate in racing--and make money by doing so.

[Rodney]

That being said, I wish it was coming back with a driver who could do justice to the legacy of the number. 

Word on the street is that Jr and Kyle Bush were switched at birth. Put Kyle in the #3, he'd make Sr. proud

[Sunny]

Everybody wants to complain about Grampa's money.... Y'all seem to forget, they didn't get the last name "Dillon" because the bought it. Their dad (Mike Dillon) was a competitor and crew chief, as well.

Richard does right by his family, what's not to respect there? The boys - both Austin and Ty - RACED to get where they are. Yes, they can afford good equipment, but how do you know they didn't get told the same thing Kasey Kahne did? "Wreck it three times, and you're coming home and done racing."

We can all presume to know what Sr. would think of the state of racing in this day and age, but unless they develop visiting hours in Heaven, none of us ever will. And Junior decided to break from his father's company to be his own man, and get away from his step-mother.

Richard is very hands-on with his grandsons. He monitors their races, dirt and asphalt, and how well they are doing, or not. And I am sure he has THOSE talks with them when their performance is not to his level.

And on the retiring of numbers thing, retire the #43. Retire the #42. Because the last time those cars did well, there was a Petty behind the wheel.

[DKaz]

Holy crud. Let it go already. It's just a number. We let go of the silence on lap 3, holding 3 fingers up on the 3rd lap, etc.  Sr. Was a tough SOB and would likely think this was just stupid. Honor his memory by remembering him on the day he passed and reminiscing about is wins and antics.  It's just a number.

[raceannouncer]

Everybody wants to complain about Grampa's money.... Y'all seem to forget, they didn't get the last name "Dillon" because the bought it. Their dad (Mike Dillon) was a competitor and crew chief, as well.

Richard does right by his family, what's not to respect there? The boys - both Austin and Ty - RACED to get where they are. Yes, they can afford good equipment, but how do you know they didn't get told the same thing Kasey Kahne did? "Wreck it three times, and you're coming home and done racing."

We can all presume to know what Sr. would think of the state of racing in this day and age, but unless they develop visiting hours in Heaven, none of us ever will. And Junior decided to break from his father's company to be his own man, and get away from his step-mother.

Richard is very hands-on with his grandsons. He monitors their races, dirt and asphalt, and how well they are doing, or not. And I am sure he has THOSE talks with them when their performance is not to his level.

And on the retiring of numbers thing, retire the #43. Retire the #42. Because the last time those cars did well, there was a Petty behind the wheel.

Good point on the Petty references....which brings me to a whole another level.  Won't this insane "retiring numbers" notion force NASCAR to get involved with the whole issue?  As has been stated previously, the sanctioning body "owns" the numbers--at some point, they have the final say in the whole thing...I don't care if it's the #3, #43 or whatever one you wish to choose, racing numbers should NEVER get retired, I don't care who made it famous. IMHO, of course!

[Openwheeler]

How about the number 61 on the mod tour? Was that wrong for that to be retired?

[Sunny]

Absolutely not. There will never be another like him.

[Openwheeler]

Completely agree! There will never be another dale sr either, whether you liked him or not you can't deny that he was a huge part of making NASCAR as popular as it is. And the cicumstances of the ends if his and the Perry's careers are completely different. The 3 might be Childress's and he may have run it first but Earnhardt made the number and nobody in a car that number can hold a candle to what he did. The number deserves to be retired in cup just like richies was in the mods.

[uticamike]

The argument that there were other 3's before him is weak. The simple test is this. Walk up to any even half knowledgeable race fan and ask him who made the

#3 famous in NASCAR.  That's your answer. I don't see anything wrong with retired numbers myself but I'm not hung up about it either.

[therealdeal]

Hey if the rich lil grandpas boys wanna run the three in cup let them they will have to realize that they will never amount to dale and will never come close to fill the toes let alone his shoes.  it sucks they wouldn't just let the number be but there is nothing anybody but Childress can do about it.

[raceannouncer]

How about the number 61 on the mod tour? Was that wrong for that to be retired?

Apples & oranges (no pun intended!)