The No. 3 Returns to Victory Lane to Revitalize NASCAR Nation

Austin Dillon Burns it Down After Winning the Daytona 500

(Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

 The No. 3 Won the Daytona 500!  

 Did you notice something about that statement? It's missing a driver's name.  And yet it isn't. While Austin Dillon was the driver behind the wheel when the checkered flag flew on Sunday, it is actually a legend that is still driving the sport 17 years after he died. That is why we now know that NASCAR made the right decision in refusing to retire that mythical No. 3.

When Dale Earnhardt Sr. lost his life in the 2001 Daytona 500, he enjoyed the support of a legion of wildly loyal and vocal fans. In fact, NASCAR Nation was pretty well split down the middle as Jeff Gordon and Earnhardt went toe to toe week after week in an effort to prove just who had the bigger--um-- following.  

After the tragic accident, the sport swayed in shock, but we carried on. We mourned. NASCAR dusted off their focus on safety.  New tracks joined the circuit. New faces were welcomed into the garage.  But the roar of the Goodwrench No. 3 remained a palpable presence in the lingo of our sport.

After a year there was discussion over whether the car number should ever run again--after all, there would surely never be another Dale Sr.  But NASCAR stuck by their stance that they don't retire numbers, and both the Childress and Earnhardt families agreed that retiring the number wouldn't actually do any good.  

 Still, the No. 3 remained under wraps for a while longer.  Those loyal Senior fans remained true, but as time passed the loss of the Intimidator lost its brutal sting. We as fans moved on.

The Return of the No. 3 in 2009 Credit: Mark Odor/SpeedwayMedia.com

Finally, in 2009 Austin Dillon, the grandson of Richard Childress, brought the Black No. 3 back to life when he made his debut in the Camping World Truck Series.  Do you remember how those loyal to the memory of Dale Sr. made some noise? Nobody could drive the No. 3. Never. Why?

Once again, the tales of the Intimidator were brought back to life. NASCAR enjoyed a sense of nostalgia amidst the protests as that No. 3 truck rolled into the track in Iowa.  And so the conversation moved forward, teaching the next generation of racing fans about a driver who pushed the boundaries of right, wrong, champion, and villain all at once.

The No. 3 had become more than a number painted on a wall, or hung on a banner in the Hall of Fame. It now represented the blue collar roots of auto racing. The No. 3 continued to take laps on tracks across America, and in doing so kept Dale Sr.'s entire story fresh in our minds.

So, when Austin Dillon took his No. 3 Chevrolet and executed a bump and run on the No. 10 of Aric Almirola on Sunday afternoon only one thing came to my mind.

That is the NASCAR that racing fans came to celebrate all through the 80's and 90's when Senior and the California Kid created a phenomenon worthy of prime time television. Now, with the No. 3 sitting in Daytona USA for another year, not only will new NASCAR fans get to make some noise about how wrecking ain't racing, but their aging parents and grandparents have a chance to relive all the moments that created Sunday afternoon magic for them over the years.

The story isn't about the drivers this year.  It's about how after all the tweaks and changes to our sport, the Daytona 500 still comes down to who has the biggest bumper and the guts to use it on the last corner of the last lap.  Just as Dale Earnhardt Sr. taught us all those years ago.

The No. 3 could never be retired.  It's not done telling the story of NASCAR in America, yet.  

The Daytona 500: A Timeless Celebration of Racing

The sun is shining bright. Hordes crowd the massive arena, cheering for their chosen hero. Colors sparkle. The thrum excitement beats in the hearts of all present. Bets have been placed on the outcome of the impending competition.  The guest of honor holds the flag as the entire field parades by.  The rumble of the wheels and cheering of the crowd drown out any mundane noises.

And then the flag flies. All eyes are glued to the drivers as they vie for the lead, crowding the next man into the outer wall or sending them bouncing to the infield.  There, a few select fans are going hoarse as the thrill of nearly touching the race as it flies by sends their hearts soaring. The thunder encompasses body and mind.

On the track, longtime rivals size up the other's horses. Will this be the year? Is it possible to overcome, beat the odds and stun the world's largest coliseum into silence? For only then will they truly be righteous in the knowledge that they are the chosen one, faster than no other. Better than expected.

The evil one comes too close, rubbing wheels. Others jump and wobble in front of them. The Big One is on. Machines shred and flip. That longed for silence does arrive, but not for the reasons desired. First responders hurry to the injured and pinned. Debris is cleared from the field. The stands take a sigh of relief. The betting continues.

And the race goes on.

The laps wind down. There are fewer left. It is now between just two or three. Somehow the noise has not lessened, but only increased. The fervor of the fans, the teams and those who sit in judgment rises. The end draws near.

Who will take home the greatest prize of all time?

That is the question, is it not? Who will win The Great American Race this upcoming Sunday?  And why do we call it that?

Somehow, even though many a NASCAR fan has become jaded and worn, even though we are easily angered by the pointless loss of machinery during the massive plate wrecks, and although the tangle of rules applies no place else but for this particular race, the pageantry of Daytona will suck us in.

The Daytona 500 is the defining moment of stock car racing for the entire year. Like moths to flames, racing fans will be unable to look away. Ultimately, it will matter to us who will wreck, who will fall and who will win.

I can already hear the trumpets sounding the opening of Race Day.  And it will be a wonderful season.

Author's Note: It's funny where inspiration finds us. I caught the chariot race in Ben Hur late at night and decided it wasn't all that different from Daytona.  What do you think?

You can find more NASCAR musings by S.D. Grady every Tuesday in the Frontstretch Newsletter. Sign up to receive daily news and commentary from the best independent NASCAR site.