It's not EASY being Jr...........
en there was the unofficial Dale Earnhardt Jr fan club who hit a frenzy level when they spied their favorite driver. At the back side of the California Speedway's garage area is gate 31. It allows the drivers access from the private compound, where their motor homes are parked, to the garage. Gate 31 has become well known to racing fans as a great source to get driver autographs.
The area around Gate 31 was loaded with fans on race morning and when Dale Jr came through all hell literally broke loose. They quickly formed a large, but very tight, circle around him and were literally bouncing him back and forth while trying to hand him things to sign. One woman actually reached for the top of his head while trying to get a hair souvenir. Thankfully, three County Sheriff's Deputies were at the scene. Two of them ran into the crowd and ordered to them to back up and give Dale Jr room. The third Deputy grabbed him by the back of his arms and actually ran him through a doorway leading into one of the garage buildings. You could actually see the look of panic in Earnhardt's eyes when the crowd engulfed him. Not since old video of the Beatles arriving in America have I seen a crowd move in on a celebrity that fast and I truly felt sorry for him.
http://www.whowon.com/Results.asp?TrackID=238&StoryID=176983
You didn't say you were there! ;)