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CHARLOTTE, Feb. 22 -- Dale Earnhardt was eulogized in song, sermon and scripture Thursday during a memorial service attended by more than 6,000 invited guests who paid their final respects to one of auto racing's greatest champions.
Earnhardt, a seven-time Winston Cup champion, was killed Sunday in a crash on the final turn of the final lap of the 43rd Daytona 500.
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Thursday was a grim day, befitting the occasion. The streets were icy, the skies gray and air damp as thousands of mourners quietly filed into Calvary Church to say farewell to a sporting icon.
"This is just a very bad day for everyone," said Tommy Houston, the brother of Earnhardt's widow, Teresa. "We never thought a day like this would ever happen, but now it's here."