Dale Earnhardt, arguably NASCAR’s greatest racer and inarguably the sport’s biggest icon, died 22 years ago today.
Yep. Hard to believe, but it’s been over two decades since “The Intimidator” wrecked coming off Turn 4 on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. Earnhardt was just 49.
Dale Earnhardt celebrates his 4th NASCAR Winston Cup Championship after the Atlanta Journal 500, NASCAR Winston Cup race, Atlanta Motor Speedway on November 18, 1990 in Hampton, Georgia.. (Brian Cleary/Getty Images)
He finished his Hall of Fame career with 76 wins, seven NASCAR championships, and, of course, the one Daytona 500 in 1998. Earnhardt’s death was the news for weeks, transcended the sport, and marked a turning point for NASCAR safety protocols.
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Don’t know if you’ve heard, but Dale wasn’t exactly the biggest fan of the HANS (Head and Neck Support) device back then. It was optional when Earnhardt died at Daytona. By the end of the year, it was mandatory.
It’s been 22 years, so we’ve all seen the replay by now.
It was FOX’s first season broadcasting NASCAR, and Darrell Waltrip’s first real stint in the booth. DW and Earnhardt were rivals on the track, but close friends off of it.
In fact, when I spoke to Waltrip a few years ago, he said he spoke to Dale just hours before the race.
Dale Earnhardt Sr. & Dale Earnhard, Jr. pose together at the raceway in Daytona Beach, Florinda on February 4, 2001. The Earhnardts and Andy Pilgram earned second in the GTS category during the 2001 Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona. ( ISC Archives/CQ-Roll Call Group via Getty Images)
“He said, ‘I’ve got it all DW — my family, my company, DEI (Dale Earnhardt Inc.) is doing great — I’ve got it all,” Waltrip said. “He told me he’d never been so happy.”
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I was just 7 when Earnhardt died, so I obviously don’t remember much. In fact, I grew up a Jeff Gordon fan, so I spent my early days rooting against him! Shameful, I know.
But I’ve also covered the last seven Daytona 500s, and I can tell you, everyone is an Earnhardt fan today. Wanna know the most popular shirt/flag/hat/body paint you see in the infield at Daytona International Speedway every single year?
Yeah, it’s the black No. 3. And it ain’t close.
Dale Earnhardt checks out the view from the newly completed Earnhardt Grandstand during winter testing, two weeks before the Daytona 500, at Daytona International Speedway, Daytona Beach, FL, in this file photo from February 2001. (Brian Cleary/Getty Images)
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Although the “Lets Go Brandon” flags have certainly given Dale a run for his money in recent years, but that’s for another time!
Anyway, all that to say Dale Earnhardt was and is a legend, and we shouldn’t let one year go by without remembering him. So, let’s get our Daytona 500 weekend started with some iconic Dale videos and pictures.
Feel free to crack a beer while browsing. I know Earnhardt would!
