They understood he had just lost his dad. Richard Anderson, a former mayor and longtime councilman, grew up with Earnhardt's father, Ralph Earnhardt, back in the day when stock-car racing was mostly illegal street racing and moonshining. He remembers Dale as a small boy, coming with his father in later years, messing with cars. He chews some tobacco and talks about the town. Today, the talk is consumed by the tragedy, as he predicts will be the case for many days.
Folks are stunned and sad.
He did a lot for this town. He put us on the map and never made a big to-do about it. We don't know what we're going to do, except turn to the good Lord.