Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s name is synonymous with NASCAR racing, even for those who know nothing about the sport. The number 3, owned by Richard Childress, has not been used out of respect for the legend following his death in 2001. Unlike the NBA, Nascar doesn't officially retire numbers. Reports suggest that after 13 years, Childress may give the number to his grandson Austin Dillon who has used the number for years before before the big stage.
This would be the second time that Childress has passed the number down to a new generation, first to Earnhardt after his own retirement in 1981, but that probably isn't enough to assuage the boos from the fans if Childress takes his mark with the number at the NASCAR Sprint Cup series. Some numbers should just be left alone, officially or unofficially.
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[via Boldride]
