Thursday, April 29, would have been Dale Earnhardt's 59th birthday. And it comes in the midst of an amazing resurgence in popularity and recognition for who might have been the greatest stock car racer that ever lived.
On Thursday, several thousand fans gathered at Dale Earnhardt Incorporated for a birthday celebration. On May 21, The Intimidator will become a charter member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame. Just this past Sunday, his original fan club, Club E, was re-launched in the Talladega infield. And our ESPN The Magazine special Dale Earnhardt Hall of Fame issue is, my bosses tell me, selling briskly. (If you're an Insider you can read the digital edition here.)