A star was born. April 29, 1951. A Nascar superstar to some. But yet to his family. He was a son, father, brother and also a husband. With a twinkle in his eye. And a devilish grin on his face. Earnhardt pushed and shoved his way into Nascar superstardom. His highly agrressive driving style made him a fan favorite. Which is how he earned his nicknames, old ironhead, the man in black, and of course the most famous of all, “The Intimidator”. The words to the song Freebird, ‘If I leave her tommorrow, will you still remember me” Somes up his racing accomplishments.
The only driver to win Rookie of the year and the Winston Cup championship in successive years. ( ‘79, ‘80)
Ranks 2nd on Nascar’s 50 greatest drivers list.
2002 Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductee
2006 International Motorsports Hall of fame Inductee
6 Time Bud Shootout Winner
Earnhardt was one of the sports most controversial drivers as well as one of the most skilled. He made many friends on the track as well as many enemies. His rough style of driving, was always the center on controversy whenever he took to the track. Most drivers even said that he had no respect for his fellow driver. But yet his driving skills were never doubted. Earnhardt was the bully on the track. As well as the most fierce. His determination and desire to be the best was like that of a roaring lion.
Daytona as we all know. Was Earnhardts biggest challenge that he ever faced during his 22 year Winston Cup span. In 1987, The Intimidator visited victory lane an astounding 11 times. On his way to his 2nd Winston Cup championship. This would be the first of 3 times that he would win back to back Cup titles. He also set a modern day of 4 consecutive wins, while starting off the season winning 5 of the first 7 races. But that magical win at Daytona still eluded him. Even with his aggressive style of driving. Controversy continued to follow him him wherever he raced. Some drivers even saying that he would wreck you if he couldn’t get around you.
Daytona 1990. Earnhardt leading on the last lap. He could taste and feel his first Daytona victory. The checkered flag was within site. Fans were standing on there feet. Thinking that they were finally gonna see him do it. Waiting for there hero to cross the finish line. Coming out of 3 into 4. But just as he was about to finally make history. he cut a tire giving the win to Derrick Cope. The man in black. Definetly had a black cloud over him, whenever the month of February came around. He had already proven that he could race the short tracks, as well as the superspeedways. Dale had the skills as well as the desire. At the track where Jr Johnson had discovered the draft. Earnhardt took it a step further and not only mastered it. But in his own way, he also perfected it. Earning him the title of, “King of restrictor plate racing”. But still his dream of winning slipped away from him like a nightmare. The beast was untamable.
1993 once again seen Earnhardt dominate speedweeks. Only to see him finish 2nd behind Dale Jarrett on a last lap pass.Earnhardt would go on to win his 6th championship that same year. Life was good to Earnhardt. But Daytona was still only a dream. 1994 would see Earnhardt accomplish what many felt couldn’t be done. And that is not only win his 7th championship. But also his 3rd set of back to back championships. But still. The black asphalt beast would continue to deny him.
1998. A beautiful Sunday morning. The fans were all getting ready for the 40th running of the Great American race. Also on this day was Nascar’s 50th annivesary. Earnhardt’s dream would finally come true. He would finally get the win that was so close, but yet so far. Earnhardt would finally be a Daytona champion. As he came down pit road on his way to victory lane. All of the teams lined pit road to high five the man who was most deserving of the win. The man who at times maybe even frustrated there driver. But they were there to show there respect to the most hated as well as the most loved.
Earnhardt had many last lap heroics, as well as many last lap dissapointments. But who can forget his last lap heroics of the year 2000. This would be the last win of his illustrious career. The track was Talladega. With 4 laps to go. What was the king of restrictor plate racing doing sitting in 17th place? Earnhardt darted and dashed. He sliced and diced his way all the way to the front. In an awesome display of driving. He schooled the other 42 drivers to take the win. Never knowing that this would be the last win of his career. This was a win that most drivers can only dream of. But we all knew that Earnhardt, was a driver who was destined to make his dreams come true.
February 18 2001. Earnhardt would buckle himself into his race car. Something that he did over 700 times in his career. Looking so happy knowing that his son was also in the field. Dale’s life had really taken a turn for the better. The Intimadator was ready to make history. But not the kind that Im sure he wanted. With Theresa also not realizing, that this would be the last of there customary kisses before each race. Her life to would be changed forever, before the end of the day. The green flag waved. The 43rd running of the Great American race. A race that would change history forever. The biggest audience to ever see a Nascar race. Would also witness the biggest blow to modern day sports heroes.
Who could ever forget the words of Mike Helton. “This has to be one of the toughest announcements that I have personally had to make. After the accident in turn 4 of the Daytona 500. We have lost Dale Earnhardt”. He was gone in the twinkling of an eye doing what he loved best. Driving a race car. Daytona had taken the sports biggest hero. On the first race of what was to be the beginning of Nascar finally making it to the National spotlight. We all waited for him to walk away. To wave to the crowd that he was alright. But to the shock of all who witnessed it, this was one, that not even The Intimadator, The Man in Black would survive. I guess God had better plans for him, or maybe he just wanted Dale all to Himself. Dale would go down as one of Daytona’s biggest heroes.
His infamous black and red paint sceme with the white number 3. Is still to this day. One of the most famous cars in all of Nascar history. We all have our special moments, that in our own way we have cherished in our hearts. Dale Earnhardt Sr. left behind a long legacy of racing memories. Some were good. As well as some were bad. But whatever they were. They were what champions are made of. Thanks for the many memories. But most of all. We remember the words to Freebird. “If I leave here tommorrow. Will you still remember me”. How can we not remember our hero. The legacy continues. The legacy that is. Dale Earnhardt Sr. Im Out
3fan...excellent tribute, bro. I was there for his last race. The wreck didn't look bad at all. When Ken Schrader looked in the window, then jumped back and started waving for help I had a bad feeling. We heard the horrible news, hours later on I-95 in Georgia.
I also saw many of Dale's victories live. I don't know how he's ranked 2nd instead of 1st on NASCAR's top 50. He's by far the best I ever saw, and I'm not a big fan, just an impartial observer.
Great tribute. I, as with all true race fans, still miss seeing him drive his guts out at every track. I share the same birthdate as Earnhardt Sr. although I am 3 years younger than he would have been, So I feel a special bond with him.
3fan - wonderful tribute to one of the sports best drivers. I still remember the silent lap 3, which was run for a majority of the 2001 season...and everyone attending the race held up 3 fingers in rememberance.
Hey 3
Guess who? I loved the post it was wonderful,but I wouldn't expect anything less from you.I really missed your writtings,and when you write about the man in black it is truly wonderful,you really capture the spirit of Dale Sr the spirit that will live on forever in our hearts.
I have seen footage of the crash, but not what led up to it. Does anyone recall what happened? Did he just go straight up into the wall, or did someone get into him?
It was a racing incident. Middle of turn four coming out of 4 cars trying to get through in a 2 wide space. Earnhardt was blocking for Waltrip and Dale Jr. Sterling Marlin and Ken Schraeder trying to finish 3rd. Incidental contact on the bottom, Dale shot to the top and hit the wall pretty much straight on.
I just finished watching the video, it actually looks like dale came down and got into another car with his left quarter panel which sent him toward the infield, then he over counterd steered and went back up toward the cars and took schrader into the wall with him. Does anyone know who was in that car with the red numbers? The footage was kind of grainy, too hard to make out who that driver was.
3fan...
Great Post!!Its weird , I still seem to look for the 3 car some weeks. I know he won't be there, physically but he's there watching over every driver in every turn in every mile. Great blog for a great man!!
Dale Sr was and always be my hero. My favorite race car driver. Beautiful article. Thank you! I got goose bumps reading the tributes. He was something special on and off the track. A better driver there never was, probably never will be. I know he rides with Jr. each and every race, proud as all get out!
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It is still very emotional to read things like this even though he has been gone for seven years. There are some events that happen during a lifetime that you will always remember where you were and what you were doing when you heard the news.
Fans were so eager to blame someone for his crash that Sterling Marlin was receiving death threats even though it was not his fault.
I will never forget the day we lost him. I was at work saw him crash and turned off the tv. A bunch of us went to the local bar sat down and saw that he died. It wasn't the best place to be when finding out your fav driver the whole bar went silent and the bartender ordered shots for us all on the house and we did it to his memory. It took me about a year to even watch a race again. the way I explain it to people that don't watch NASCAR is imagine your fav team and players just one day weren't there anymore and they were never going to come back. I still miss rooting for #3, there was only one. I just want to see JR make his dad proud, that would make me very happy. Thank you Dale!
Great tribute 3fan to the man in black. I have been an Earnhardt fan since the early 80's he was my driver and DW was my dads. So we watched alot of races together rooting for our drivers. I am still a Nascar fan but, I miss seeing the 3 car on the track. Thank you for your blog.. BIGEFAN
WOW!!!-Thanks to ALL of you who commented. I was gonna answer each one individually. But it seems that all of you have basically filled in the blanks. Whether you liked him or not. The person that he was away from the car was alot different then the person in the car.
He was a kind and giving person away from the track. But behind the wheel, he had a job to do. And he did it well. He was aggresive. Sometimes a little to much. But that was him. And he wasnt gonna change for anybody. Thats what made him so genuine and also well respected. What you seen was what you got. Thanks again. :)
I rememeber in 1993 I drove to Pocono,BY MYSELF,to see the race, I got my ticket, it was at the start finish line,I got to see my hero all day, and when he won it was so worth, the long ride back to Philadelphia. YES I do miss watching him, and things will never be the same,because he was the best! GOD SPEED AND WE MISS YOU DALE
I'm going to get gloriously flamed for this, but here goes. I remember watching his last race. There was something about what was going on that intrigued me. Throughout my 45 year work career (engineering) there was a rule that we all knew. You do not compete against your employer. I knew of some people who were fired and even sued for doing that. It appeared to me that Dale Earnhart was doing exactly that in trying to slow the rest of the field so that the two DEI cars could finish first and second. It was my thought that he should have been trying to catch them. I can't speak for Richard Childress, or the people at Craftsman Tools, but if I had been in either of their positions I believe that I would have been looking for a post race meeting with Earnhart. Just my personal opinion. Maybe ethics is different in racing.
Dale was the greatest driver ever. I remember the day of the race he was doing a commercial and he said "You are going to see something on Fox TV you have never seen before". I think it was the first time Fox had a NASCAR race on TV.
I will never forget him saying that.
We miss you Dale and no one will ever replace you!!!
To this day I still raise three fingers on both hands on lap 3 at every race I go to and I will do that until the day I die.
i was so down after he died i didn't want to watch nascar anymore.he lives on through dale jr.thats what you jr haters and bashers don't understand and you never will, you fools.go jr win a championship for yourself and for your dad and for us real nascar fans-not idiotic morons like ladydi.anyone agree?
lazerbot, I think that you are missing a point. Dale Earnhart, Sr. was not universally admired. A lot of people hated him. With him gone, these people have transferred their hatred to his son. Sort of a "sins of the fathers visited on their children" thing. I'm not trying to criticize here, by the way. I'm one of those rare birds who's ambivalent about the Earnharts.
ignore 2.0 I feel sorry for you having this much hatred after all these years. You must not be a true Nascar fan. Goodluck to you in the future and I would not tell anyone your fox blog name they may kick your BUTT!!!!! I know many that would, you don't talk about any drivers in that tone no matter how much you hate them... Nascar fans are a family and you R NOT!!!!!!
Having watched him for the 20+ years of driving from when I was a lad to a man today, I try to live like Dale did. Live with a purpose and move to the future and guide myself to become a successful and better man. I do that everyday while I am deployed here in Afghanistan. I try to mentor my soldiers that there is a purpose that you need to find and go for it and achieve it. That is what Dale had done. He led Jr. to be who he is and to become his own person.
Good luck to all and remember, when you die, you die for what you are known for, not what you have never done.
Nascar is not the same without him. It never will be. The sport lost more than just one of it's best drivers that day. It lost a lot of it's appeal to a lot of people. It stinks that (even though he'd probably retired by now) you don't get to see him at the races anymore. He missed out on getting to watch his son race and you can bet Jr would probably still be driving the #8. It really made Sundays exciting for me getting to watch him race. I really miss that.
Last edited by pens87crosby on April 30th at 10:01 PM.
I am a Nascar fan from Cali hoping to bring a diffrerent perspective to Nascar. And if not. At least I tried. I also love football, baseball, golf and basketball. I try to attend as many races a year as I can. Ive been to Kansas,Infine on,Phoenix,Ve gas,Californi a just to name a few. Ive been a fan going on about 20+ years. There is nothing like short track racing at Irwindale on saturday nights. Also love to watch and attend drag races. Of course John Force is my favorite driver. Im also a fan of Tony Schumacher. Maybe someday to be able to write about Nascar.
