Fort Worth, Texas. Taylor Earnhardt, youngest daughter of Dale Earnhardt was present with Marrisa Wayne Ditteaux to present the second in a series of shameless promotions that tie the legendary Dale Earnhardt with other icons of the entertainment world. This one is called; Dale and the Duke and features the images of Earnhardt and John Wayne.
The first in this series featured a diecast of the black #3 with images of Johnny Cash and Dale Earnhardt. The tie in being both were known as the ‘Man in Black’. Grumpy is a fan of Johnny Cash. I did not buy into this deal, but remained quiet about the intent.
With this second edition that clearly means that more is yet to come, I can no longer remain silent.
I own a pretty impressive collection of diecast cars. Most are Dale Earnhardt and Dale jr. I have spent a lot of money with RCCA, Motorsports Authentics and countless dealers that carry their products. I treasure my collection. I am certain that fans all over the country feel the same about their collections.
What is happening here is a shameless attempt to fleece fans of their hard earned money to continue what is characterized as ‘continuing his legacy’. I think Dale Earnhardt’s legacy is assured without these knockoffs of his image and the image of the car he made famous.
While we are at it, we must ask the question; Is Teresa running out of money? She let the next best seller of collectibles get out of the house. Who’s idea was this? No disrespect to the families of Johnny Cash or John Wayne intended. Who next? How about Clint Eastwood, or Dale’s favorite, Brooks and Dunn?
I have no space in my collection for this series. I did not buy the dang ‘crash car’ from the ‘97 Daytona 500 either. When offered that one by RCCA, I just replied; “I already have several of his cars that did not win the 500. I will wait for the Daytona 500 winner car.”
There must be something positive that Teresa can come up with to preserve the legacy of Dale Earnhardt. Umm, didn’t she set up a foundation? How about a press release detailing how money is dispersed from the foundation and who is benefiting from it. Ya think?
[***UPDATE: Hope you don't mind me jumpin' on your wagon here, Grump, even after my rants in the comments area attached to this post, but thought our readers should see this along with your post. As for myself, I'm advising everyone to ingest some SERIOUS anti-emetics BEFORE seeing the actual die-cast and/or reading the following press release:
Texas Motor Speedway officials announced a special package that awards race fans who buy tickets to the track’s Dickies 500 Sprint Cup race a “Dale & The Duke” collectible die-cast.
The first 333 fans, starting Saturday morning, who buy four “prime frontstretch” tickets to the Nov. 2 race will receive a free die-cast featuring Dale Earnhardt and John Wayne. Full Story
SHAME on TMS, Gossage AND SMI for engaging in this debacle. - angler]
5 Comments
ONE WORD: DESPICABLE.
Ok, grin … more than one word … as if that would EVER be possible for me anyway, and especially about this sort of thing, sigh.
I found the FIRST COT-version of the #3 diecast, with Larry MacReynolds’ tv-voiceover hawkin’ it like he does GoodYear and Sunoco during every possible broadcast opportunity — ESPECIALLY during race-calling — DESPICABLE. (And posted such earlier this year, I believe.)
I AM SICK TO FREAKIN’ DEATH OF THIS CRAP — and I’m using HIM for an example right now because he’s just TOO easy.
What? Just because he was Sr.’s CC for a WHILE, he has the RIGHT to DO this to Sr. fans now, by playing upon their emotions this way? Does that comparatively SHORT association with Sr. make HIM more an “authority” on what Sr. would WANT … which I guaran-freakin’-TEE you would NOT HAVE BEEN THAT COT TO BE BROUGHT OUT AS IT WAS (FAR TOO SOON) BY NASCAR/ISC, IF AT ALL??
NOT to mention — just how much IS MacReynolds profiting from both the #3 COT-diecast tv-voiceover(s) and/OR his CONSTANT Sunoco/GoodYear plugs from the BOOTH — dollars by the WORD, by the REFERENCES, maybe?? Or simply a “requirement” of NASCAR/ISC’s broadcast contract (whichever the network at any given time) with him, alone, because they’re both “Official NASCAR Products” and must, by NASCAR/ISC’s OWN contracts, be PLUGGED that way during actual RACE-coverage?
“Looks like they’re goin’ in for more of those GOODYEAR tires & maybe for a splash of that SUNOCO racin’ fuel …” EVERY TIME, sigh … listen for yourselves when LM has been calling races, and it’ll annoy the hell outa’ YOU, too. (Believe I posted about THIS earlier this season, too, as a matter of fact, lol … UGH.)
DESPICABLE.
But, to now … NOW — have Sr.’s OWN FAMILY drummin’ up this ABSOLUTE BULLSHIT MERCHANDISE TO BE SOLD ‘IN HIS NAME’, ALONG WITH “HIS” SUPPOSED HEROES’ IMAGES/BRANDS???
DESPICABLE.
PERHAPS JR. DIDN’T LEAVE DEI BECAUSE OF “TERESA” OR OVER STOCK SHARES IN DEI AFTER ALL … PERHAPS HE LEFT BECAUSE HE SAW ALL OF THIS ON THE DRAWING BOARDS AND WOULD NOT — NOT — BE A PART OF ALLOWING HIS FATHER’S MEMORY/LEGACY TO BE SQUANDERED THIS WAY … FOR MONEY, and ONLY MONEY. (I’d certainly like to think so, anyway.)
Then again … that was always Teresa’s game. MONEY. She’s the “brilliant marketing mind” that started with the trademarking of Sr.’s signature, thus creating the ENTIRE “merchandising, trademarking of AND profiting by literally everything NASCAR” movement, wasn’t she? This “marketing genius” with merely an “interior design” degree, last I checked?
DESPICABLE.
And, to think … Sr. LOVED her … or at least it surely seemed that way. She loved HIM … or at least it surely seemed that way.
If I were Jr., I wouldn’t have just “left DEI” in the rather dignified way he chose, in the end (even if I wish he would’ve gone to RCR instead of HMS, of course) … I would be actively working to destroy DEI now, take it BACK, and then RECREATE IT IN MY FATHER’S TRUE NAME AGAIN.
But, that’s probably just me, because I’d NEVER allow my late father’s memory (AND legacy to ME, if not nearly as ‘famous’ in scope, of course) to be abused in this way — and not by my/his OWN family, especially. Not without repercussions even THEY would feel like the earth trembling under their very feet as my FATHER’S collective “empire” crumbled around every single one involved, no matter how much I might “love” ANY one of them as my own blood.
No matter how long it took.
There’s “family” and there’s FAMILY. The TRUE stick together. The rest … be damned, if they must be.
What DEI & Co.’s are doing with this crap — true blood of Sr. as active players in it OR not??
DESPICABLE.
(I even found that “crash car” despicable, by the way — glad you didn’t go there, Grump … but then again, you have a code about such things yourself — obviously.)
[These opinions are merely that -- MY opinions, not backed up by any "facts" or "empirical evidence" of ANY kind, grin ... there's my disclaimer, Marc!]
WOW, I thought I got fired up over this. Gee angler, umm maybe I should have just emailed the topic and let you go!
Not to worry darlin’. I am glad to have punched the button on this scam.
One thing I didn’t include in my original post. At the beginning of the season, I lined right up and preordered my copies of the #88 in both AMP and NATIONAL GUARD versions. I think I paid about $70. a piece for them. Now, you can order the same cars from the HMS gift shop for $40. ea.
The lesson here is; 1) they made too many 2)people ain’t buyin’ like they used to 3) diecast collectables are a sickness, an addiction that is as bad as cocaine. Once you start, it is hard to kick the habit.
Is there a 12 step program for guys like me? I am powerless it seems.
lol … indeed, though I think you handled it in “post-form” FAR more effectively, as you always do. My “rants” are never as pleasant when I’m THAT po’d, as we’ve all learned … the hard way, lol …
You, my friend, are NOT powerless! Your die-casts might become more valuable, as times goes on, because they were the first of the “first” … tho obviously you would know more about that part of it than I, as I’m a vast collector of “memories” instead. So, CRS (can’t remember shit) syndrome notwithstanding, I find that I only pay for the really crappy ones I’ve had a tendency to create for myself, grin …
Besides — on that “powerless” score — you were powerFUL in the sense that you didn’t fall for 1) the crash version(s) OR 2) these other pieces of, uh … I think I already wrote “shit” here, so I’ll just let that one ride, k? lol …
The image is not of a COT. Hmm, I could swear that the ‘Man In Black’ car was a COT version. COT or not, I ain’t buyin’!
Did anyone but me notice that the image of Earnhardt is from his video with Brooks and Dunn?
Same style hat worn by Kix Brooks…
Hmmmmm … no doubt, as you suggested, ANOTHER part of the ongoing “SERIES” —
– YET SOOOOOO UNLIKE the “Series3“. Yeah, the CUSTOM, Limited-Run CHEVY Camaro, commissioned by Richard Childress and built by Total Performance, Inc. (TPI)/Brook Phillips, (also of “Pit Viper” fame) — IN HONOR OF DALE EARNHARDT, SR. … ALL THE WAY.
GO TO TPI FOR MORE ON THAT … whether you have the cash to put down or not, TPI’s the REAL DEAL, and so is the Series3 … HONORING THE MAN VS. CAPITALIZING UPON HIS “NAME”.
MORE on the SERIES3 …
MAKE THESE THE “WHITE HATS”, then, grin …
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