Earnhardt Jr and the “Great Pizza Scam”
Just how popular is Dale Earnhardt Jr?
Ask Tim Whitener chief cook, bottle washer and owner of Pie-In-The-Sky pizza restaurant in Mooresville North Carolina. Four years ago Junior placed a mention of the place in the second chapter of Driver #8, Dale Earnhardt, Jr. co-written by Junior and Jade Gurss.
As the faithful know Junior’s home base is Mooresville so it’s not surprising he would find favor with Pie-In-The-Sky as it’s located in the center of town and by all accounts serves a mighty fine pie.
Since that second chapter mention of four years ago people from “California to Massachusetts send money to the Main Street restaurant with instructions to buy Earnhardt a pizza or sub.”
“Every time I go in there somebody has sent in $10 to buy me a pizza,” said Earnhardt, who grew up in Mooresville. “It’s like a different fan every time. I try to pay, but they won’t let me, so I just slide the money under my plate.”
And thus, The Great Pizza Scam is born. In some cases Whitener gets paid by both Junior and some adoring fan out in the hinterlands somewhere. One pie for the price of two.
To each his own I guess. For my money, and it would be my money, Jr. wouldn’t be getting any free ride from me. I wouldn’t buy Bill Gates a summer cottage in up-state NY or The Donald a new yacht either. They, and Junior, do just fine without the additional and un-needed financial assistance.
It simply amazes me some fans take their “fandom” to this extent. One would hope they get something in return. Like the empty pizza box autographed by Junior or a menu or possibly a signed photo of him munching the pie (a pepperoni pizza with a ham, his favorite) they purchased out of blind faith.
On reflection the fans blind faith and the restaurants name, Pie in the Sky, seem to fit like a glove don’t they?
NASCAR, NEXTEL Cup, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Sports, Auto Racing, Motorsports, Full Throttle
It may be a pie in the sky idea, but seems like when I leave a comment on your very popular blog, I get a lot of reciprocal hits because of it. Vroom!
At this time of year of unqualified giving, (remember Xmas?) only you would question gift giving without any chance of receiving something in return.
Dr. Seuss would be proud!
OK George, so call me Scrooge.
But this isn’t about Christmas gift giving but fans that can’t contain their selves to the point they send money into what amounts to a rabbit hole in the hopes the “donation” will make them feel “closer” to “their” driver.
Gee Grav! If that’s the case I wish some that make the trip over to your place would drop a few more comments here.
Maybe that will change in the next couple weeks if I’m accepted into the 9 Rules Network.
Actually, I was calling you the Grinch! But it was all in fun attempting to match your unsurpassed sarcastic wizardry!
Merry Christmas to you and yours!
The cartoon or the Jim Carry version Grinch?