Submitted by NASCAR Ranting and Raving Blog
It is kind of interesting that the #29 car of Kevin Harvick would play a key role in the outcome of today’s race.
Stay with me on this one, OK?
You see, 29 years ago a rookie driver won his first ever race on April 1st, 1979 at Bristol. That driver was Dale Earnhardt, who later would team up with Richard Childress and win 6 Championships together while driving the famed #3 car.
So, 29 years later the 29 car makes things happen on the track that enables Richard Childress to have his 
cars finish 1,2,3 (remember, Dale’s car # was 3), which is the first time that has ever happened for car owner Childress. Also, the driver of the 29 car, Kevin Harvick, is the driver that took Dale’s spot in the #3 car after Dale died, although they changed the car number to #29.
Another interesting thing is that, as far as I can piece together, any evidence of that original #3 team is now the #31 team, which won the race today with driver Jeff Burton. RCR changed their teams around a few years after Dale died trying find better chemistry amongst personnel and drivers in order to stop the slide of bad finishes and poor performance. So what was originally the 3 team became the 29 team after Dale died, which eventually became the 31 team after the switch at RCR.
Coincidence? Yes, but it is kind of eerie though - isn’t it?
But, it doesn’t stop there, read on; When Dale won his first race he was driving car #2, and where should 
the car #2 finish today? In 12th. Big Deal right? Yes it is because; a) if you take the digits of the number 12 and add them together you get 3, which is the car number that Dale drove to fame for RCR, and b) after Dale won his first race that day 29 years ago his crew chief, Jake Elder, was quoted as saying, “If he don’t get hurt, he’s got at least 12 good years ahead.” There is that 12 again.
I’ll have my usual post-race observations tomorrow instead of tonight. I just got all wrapped up in this ‘coincidence’ stuff.
Take Care.
Photo Credit: Dale getting into car - Earl Carter Photography; Dale in Victory Lane with Jake Elder - Dozier Mobley at Rowdy; Dale with trophey (B&W) - I don’t know, help me out if you can.
Visit 1800blogger to see all of our industry leading blogs.
