One of NASCAR’S Most Revered Stock Cars Will Roll out of Retirement and Into a Rare Appearance at Fantasy of Flight’s Roar n’ Soar Weekend, Nov. 13 and 14
Dale Earnhardt’s Legendary No. 3 Wrangler “Pass in the Grass” Will Be Displayed at the Two Day Land, Sea and Air Extravaganza
For more information, contact:
Mary Deatrick, DPR
(407) 332-5212, mary@deatrickpr.com
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Since its inception, NASCAR racing has long been considered one of the world’s most popular sporting events. Dale Earnhardt was arguably one of the greatest drivers that ever raced these stock cars. Fantasy of Flight is proud to welcome one of Dale Earnhardt’s original and most famous championship cars – the “pass in the grass” to Fantasy of Flight’s 4th Annual Roar n’ Soar, Saturday Nov. 13 and Sunday, Nov. 14, 2010. Earnhardt’s world famous “pass in the grass” Monte Carlo will be on hand for NASCAR and Earnhardt fans alike to touch, feel and see first-hand for themselves.
The “pass in the grass” story is legendary among NASCAR fans. Dale Earnhardt and Bill Elliott were long considered two of the biggest rivals in NASCAR history. And chasing each other around an oval track was like catching lighting in a bottle. In 1987, on a hot summer day in Charlotte, N. C., Dale Earnhardt was the lightning, and Bill Elliot was the bottle. It was a white knuckle race that would later be dubbed as one on the best fights for the lead in NASCAR history. Just minutes before the race finished, “The Intimidator,” Earnhardt tried to squeeze Elliott into the grass, but failed and, instead, sent his own racecar careening into the grass. Earnhardt, however, known for his “do or die” racing, plowed into the grass, only to pop back onto the track and never lost first place. The move was immediately dubbed "the pass in the grass," even though Elliott never passed Earnhardt. Racing enthusiasts consider it one of the most famous moments in NASCAR history.
The five-time championship stock car is now proudly owned by Bill Tower of Plant City, Fla. Tower is a former General Motors engineer and racing guru. Tower feels Fantasy of Flight’s 4th Annual Roar n’ Soar weekend is the perfect venue to showcase this ultra-exclusive stock car.
"A lot of people actually start crying when they see it. They won't speak when they get around it, it's like a shrine to them," said Tower. "The car is really an eye-opener because it brings out the true fans and shows what Dale was really all about."
Twenty years ago, Tower bought the stock car in the hopes of racing it in a vintage car series. "I bought it in June of 1990 and was going to go vintage racing in it. But in vintage motorsports, you have to document the car's history," Tower said, who quickly learned of the car's impressive championship pedigree. “You can’t just drive that and crash all of that history.” It would be several more years before he learned about its most famous dog fight on the track.
Tower is excited to interact with the fans at Fantasy of Flight. “This was a significant thing in Earnhardt’s life…he won two championships in it,” he said. “For me, it’s something that started out as not a big deal, that ended up being a big deal.”
Fans will get a first-hand look at the sophisticated, high-tech engineering that goes behind these rugged-looking stock cars. Roll bars, fiberglass chassis and lightweight seats all make up these multi-million dollar machines. Race fans can experience Earnhardt’s No. 3 car with their admission to the 4th Annual Roar n’ Soar.
The fast paced, turbo-charged weekend will feature high-energy excitement at the 4th annual gathering of classic racing machines at Fantasy of Flight. Unique thrills from land, sea and air combine with mouthwatering food, top entertainment and the World’s Greatest Aviation Attraction. Every member of the family will enjoy all that Roar n’ Soar has to offer. The adrenaline filled weekend runs Saturday, Nov. 13 and Sunday, Nov. 14, 2010. For more information about Roar n’ Soar, visit www.roar-n-soar.com.