Dale Jr. Raw and Uncut At Dale Jr’s Race Place Online

I’ve been studying some race websites as I redesign Terry McMillen’s site for a re-launch. While I’m not much of a “flash” fan when it comes to websites, I did like the look on Dale Earnhardt, Jr’s site.

Since I’ve been so involved in drag racing the past few years, I’ve kind of lost touch with the NASCAR boys. I guess I’m among the ‘fans’ that have lost interest in the round track racers. Perhaps it’s just a lot glossier than it used to be back in what I considered the “hay days” of the 80’s.

So, imagine my surprise when I ran across a site for Jr. that was kind of uncut and raw.

I guess I spend way too much time “Fanoogling”.

What is Fanoogling you ask? It’s some sort of hybrid word that Lynnette has come up with for my time-wasting activities on the Net. I think it’s meant to be a cross between “Freakin'” and “Googling” – but wait that would be Fragoogling… Who knows, you’ll have to ask Lynnette.

I digress…or Fanoogle… or whatever you want to call it – but, it’s what led me to Jr’s “other” site.

Somehow, I ran across Dale Jr’s Race Place. According to the opening page, it’s not meant as a fan site – and clearly it’s not. I think that’s what sucked me in.

It’s not like I hacked into some deep dark corner of the Internet that holds all of DEI’s racing secrets. At best it’s Dale’s site for SIM racing and his off-track antics.

For me, it was just a little insight to Jr. and his buddies — uncut, unrehearsed and having the fun that guys have. I especially liked the picture section that has a bunch of shots of Jr and his dad “old school”.

Then again, maybe that’s “their plan”. The cynical side of me started thinking that someone created this site so that I would think that Jr. was a guy I could sit down with, have a Bud Light and “shoot the bull”.

As I get older, I know that sometimes I get more cynical, wondering what everyone’s motives are for their actions or reactions. But, for today, for Dale Jr’s Race Place, I choose to enjoy it for what it appears to be. A little corner of the Internet superhighway, that a “rock-star” kind of guy can escape to for at least a few minutes.

Rock on Jr.