LVMS to honor Earnhardt with massive floral display

Thursday, Feb. 22, 2001 | 11:11 a.m.

Las Vegas Motor Speedway will honor the late Dale Earnhardt with a dramatic floral display during the March 2-4 NASCAR Winston Cup race weekend.

LVMS will configure 33,333 flowers in the shape of the number "3" -- Earnhardt's car number -- on the berm that overlooks Turn 4 of the superspeedway. The 28,000 pure white pansies planted in the shape of a giant "3" will be trimmed by 5,333 red petunias to replicate the way the number appeared on Earnhardt's car.

LVMS also will hang a banner above the flowers in memory of the seven-time champion, who was killed in an accident on the final lap of last Sunday's Daytona 500.

An estimated 3,000 fans attended a candlelight vigil in Earnhardt's memory Tuesday night in the LVMS infield.

archive