BRISTOL, Tenn.
- Bristol Motor Speedway will officially dedicate the new Dale Earnhardt Terrace Grandstand during Sharpie 500 pre-race ceremonies
on August 23.
Dale Earnhardt joins Richard Petty, Darrell Waltrip, Alan Kulwicki, Junior Johnson, David Pearson, Cale Yarborough and
the Allisons in having a grandstand named in his honor. A variety of weekend features and pre-race activities highlight the
Earnhardt Terrace dedication.
Upon their arrival to Bristol for the race weekend, fans will notice the new Earnhardt Terrace signage at Elevator Tower
7. The backlit verbiage reads "Earnhardt Terrace" in red letters. Located above the terrace designation is a 20' x 20' panel
reflecting the Dale Earnhardt Legacy logo.
The official Sharpie 500 Souvenir Program cover features artwork from renown racing artist Sam Bass. To commemorate the
Earnhardt Terrace dedication, Bass combined more than a dozen scenes from the driver's memorable Bristol history into one
montage. The artwork spans the years from Earnhardt's first career Winston Cup win through the hugely successful '80s (when
he won five of the eight Cup races from 1985-'88) to his last performance at the track.
Bass will make a special presentation of the artwork during the dedication ceremony. The pre-race dedication will originate
from the middle of the backstretch facing the Earnhardt Terrace and will include the unveiling of the Earnhardt Plaque. The
plaque will become part of the "Heroes of Bristol" garden to be located at Bristol's new office building complex on which
construction begins following the Sharpie 500 race weekend. The plaque will be displayed along with the plaques of others
who have grandstands named in their honor.
The ceremony also will include radio highlights of Earnhardt's great Bristol moments as well as a Winston Vision montage
of Earnhardt's Bristol career. A U.S. Navy fly-over consisting of three jets and three fireworks blasts, signifying Earnhardt's
familiar Car No. 3 will accent the terrace dedication ceremonies.