NASCAR: IT'S GOOD TO SEE THE "3" BACK

It was all but official that Austin Dillon, grandson of the eponymous owner of Richard Childress Racing, would race with a “3” on the doors of his Chevrolet when he finally moved up to NASCAR’s Sprint Cup Series.

On Wednesday, the “all-but” was dropped when RCR unveiled two new paint schemes, each of which carrying the car number made famous by the legendary Dale Earnhardt adorning the sides of each vehicle.

Once February rolls around and the engines are fired to start the 2014 Daytona 500 and kickoff a new year, it will be the first time since Earnhardt’s tragic accident on the final lap of the same race in 2001 that a No. 3 Chevy has competed in NASCAR’s top division.

It’s about time.

It’s been nearly 13 full years since the death of “The Intimidator” rocked the racing world. However, not even a decade and some change has been enough time to heal the wounds of those in the NASCAR world.

Because of that, many of Earnhardt’s fans are wary, even angry that Dillon will race with the car number that the legend from Kannapolis drove to six of his seven championships in what is now known as the Sprint Cup Series.

Some believe the number should be retired in honor of Earnhardt, to be a sort of memorial to the man and competitor that he was, never to ride again. Others believe that Dillon is unworthy of the number, being nothing more than simply a beneficiary of nepotism.

Both schools of thought believe that Childress and Dillon are tarnishing the legacy of one of the greatest drivers to ever live.

The former idea is somewhat understandable, though the latter is total hogwash.

The thing is, NASCAR doesn’t make a habit of retiring numbers. As in, it’s never happened before. The No. 43 of Richard Petty, “The King,” is still carried by the race team he owns today with AricAlmirola behind the wheel. Five of the six car numbers David Pearson won races with have been featured recently, the sixth being the first car number he ever won with: the No. 3.

Both of those men are alive today, so comparisons to Earnhardt aren’t exactly equal. But drivers like Neil Bonnett, Tim Richmond, Alan Kulwicki, Kenny Irwin Jr., Adam Petty, or the Allison brothers – all of whom died tragically – will never have their numbers forever shelved in their honor, either.

That’s not to say that retiring the No.3 isn’t sensible in some way. It’s just not something that should happen.

Those in NASCAR need to let the number go. Dale Earnhardt was bigger than that. The sport is bigger than that. NASCAR was built by moonshiners and no-nonsense tough guys – at least in tales of the past and in our imaginations, anyway. It wasn’t built by men and women who wasted time dwelling on the past.

That doesn’t mean history shouldn’t be honored, but to shelve something like a number which was used by so many – Pearson, Childress, Earnhardt, Junior Johnson, Buck Baker, Fireball Roberts, and the list goes on –shouldn’t be metaphorically sat in corner as a memorial to be enjoyed from afar as it collects dust.

It should be allowed a future as well. The immediate future is Austin Dillon. And don’t say he isn’t qualified.

Yes, he is the grandson of Richard Childress, who has been involved with the No. 3 since 1976. Dillon’s bloodline is certainly a huge reason that he, as well as younger brother Ty, has a quality ride in NASCAR’s top three divisions.

But since when has a two-time NASCAR champion – he did win the 2011 Camping World Truck Series and 2013 Nationwide Series titles, after all – not been worthy of a ride in NASCAR?

No matter what your thinking is, I believe one thing: the best way to honor Dale Earnhardt and his number is to let the No.3 ride again. Letting it race to be enjoyed and cheered for on the track is the best way to pay homage to a man who competed as hard as anyone and had all sorts of noise – cheers, boos, and everything in between – thrown his way.

The legacy of the No. 3 should be allowed to continue and grow.

The legacy of Dale Earnhardt – the man, the racer – is untouchable.