Fans of NASCAR have had frustrations with the sport bubbling under the surface for years now. Discontent with the playoff format, which many fans felt crowned several "undeserving champions," was emphasized after the heartbreaking way veteran (and, admittedly, my favorite driver) Denny Hamlin lost the Championship in the final 3 laps of the season. Add in a bitter, contentious, game-changing lawsuit that brought that bubble to a boil this past offseason.
The case was settled out of court, and in the days following, key NASCAR management left the company. Without an actual direct apology, the racing league has made several overtures toward winning back the fan base that has rapidly declined over the past 15 years. Olive branches to former fans were extended, such as a major overhaul of the "playoffs" system and acknowledgements that the "die-hard" old-school fans were taken for granted at the expense of trying to expand internationally or for specific domestic demographics (dubbed "casual fans" by the league).
My love for NASCAR is well documented on this site, and with the 25th anniversary of Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s passing on February 18, I wanted to highlight his remarkable career rather than revisit prior articles, such as last year's about Tide Racing.
Ralph "Dale" Earnhardt, Sr, was born on April 29, 1951, in Kannapolis, North Carolina, and became one of the most iconic figures in motorsports. Often called "The Intimidator" for his aggressive, no-holds-barred driving style, Dale Sr. dominated NASCAR during the 1980s and 90s, tying Richard Petty's record with seven Winston Cup Championships.
With a career spanning over two decades, Earnhardt collected 76 Cup Series wins, 22 poles, and more than $40 million in race winnings. His iconic black number 3 Chevrolet Monte Carlo struck fear into his competitors and grew to symbolize his relentless pursuit of victory.
Tragically, his life came to an end on February 18, 2001, during the final laps of the Daytona 500. His death shocked the racing world and spurred monumental safety reforms. As we mark the 25th anniversary of his death in 2026, Earnhardt's legacy endures as a symbol of grit, innovation, and the human cost when things go awry.
Dale Sr.'s passion for racing was inherited from his father, Ralph Earnhardt, who was a short-track legend who competed throughout the Southeast during the 1960s. Growing up in a working-class family, Dale watched his father build dirt-track cars in the garage and race them on weekends at local tracks. Dale dropped out of high school in the 9th grade in 1967 to pursue racing full-time, against his father's wishes.
He started on dirt tracks in the Carolinas, honing his skills in low-budget races. Financial hardships marked his younger years, as he borrowed money to buy cars and raced on worn-out tires. His breakthrough came in 1975 when he made his NASCAR Winston Cup debut at the World 600 in Charlotte, finishing 22nd. Over the next few years, he ran part-time, scraping together sponsorships and learning the ropes at the elite level of stock-car racing.
By 1979, Earnhardt secured a full-time ride with Rod Osterlund's team, marking the start of his meteoric rise. That season, he won his first Cup race at Bristol Motor Speedway in just his 16th start, and notched 17 top-10 finishes, winning Rookie of the Year honors. The following year, 1980, was historic. Earnhardt captured five wins and 19 top-five finishes, clinching his first Winston Cup championship at age 29. He became the only driver to win Rookie of the Year and the Championship in consecutive seasons.
This early success set the tone for his dominance, but it wasn't without turbulence. Team changes followed when Osterlund sold the team in mid-1981. Earnhardt began driving for Richard Childress Racing (RCR) starting in 1984, and under Childress, Earnhardt found stability and synergy that propelled him to greatness.
The 1980s and 1990s were Earnhardt's golden era. He won back-to-back championships in 1986 and 1987, with the latter featuring 11 victories in 29 races. Another pair followed in 1990 and 1991, and he sealed his sixth and seventh titles in 1993 and 1994, tying Richard Petty's record. Earnhardt's consistency was unmatched, leading over 25,000 laps, securing 281 top-five finishes, and winning at nearly every major track.
At Daytona International Speedway, Earnhardt was unparalleled, claiming 34 total wins across all events, including 10 in the Cup Series. However, the Daytona 500 eluded him for 19 attempts, with several heartbreaking near-misses, such as a last-minute tire failure in 1990.
His breakthrough came in 1998. After leading 107 laps, he won the Great American Race on his 20th try. He was greeted by nearly every driver and crew member afterwards, who extended their congratulations in a show of respect.
Earnhardt's style defined him.
Dubbed "The Intimidator," he thrived on physical racing, using bumps and spins to gain position. His black No. 3 car looming in the mirror intimidated rivals, earning both admiration and criticism.
Off the track, he was a savvy businessman, founding Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI) in 1996, which fielded cars for his son Dale Jr. and Michael Waltrip. DEI won races and championships in lower series, expanding Earnhardt's influence as an owner. He also ventured into endorsements, real estate, and even wildlife conservation, reflecting his roots as a hunter and outdoorsman.
The 2000 season showed Earnhardt was still competitive at 49 years old, with two wins, including a dramatic come-from-behind at Talladega, where he charged from 18th to first in just five laps to earn his 76th and final Cup victory.
Entering 2001, optimism was high.
The league was in the throes of a major popularity boom. The Daytona 500 on February 18 was the first race under a new TV deal with FOX, which hyped the 500 as NASCAR's Super Bowl, and many new fans tuned in to watch.
Earnhardt, driving for RCR, started seventh and led 17 laps. His DEI cars, driven by Waltrip and Earnhardt Jr., were frontrunners for most of the race. The new season's race "packages" featured aerodynamic changes to the cars, leading to 49 lead changes between drivers.
A massive 18-car wreck on lap 173, dubbed "The Big One," red-flagged the event, but Earnhardt managed to avoid it. After the restart, he blocked several challengers to protect his team's lead.
On the final lap in turn 4, Earnhardt's car made light contact with Sterling Marlin's car and veered to the right. Earnhardt then hit Ken Schrader's car and slammed head-on into the outer wall at 160mph.
According to ESPN, the impact registered 60 Gs, or the equivalent of dropping the car nose-first from 60 feet onto a slab of concrete. The wreck sheared the hood pins and broke the right rear wheel to pieces, and both cars slid into the infield grass. Schrader emerged from his car unharmed, but after peering into Earnhardt's car, he began frantically signalling for help.
Paramedics extracted Earnhardt, who was unresponsive, and rushed him to Halifax Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.
An autopsy revealed the cause of death was a basilar skull fracture (a serious break in one or more of the bones at the base of the skull). Dale's other injuries included a broken ankle, ribs, and sternum, along with numerous cuts and wounds. Controversy arose over seat belt failure (his lap belt separated), but experts determined it didn't cause the fatal injury. Instead, they said an unrestrained head snap (whiplash) did.
Earnhardt himself had famously resisted safety devices like the HANS device (Head and Neck Support), often calling them uncomfortable.
The aftermath of his death on NASCAR was profound. Michael Waltrip had won the race, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. had come in second, but celebrations quickly turned somber. Sterling Marlin faced death threats from some of Dale's fans, although NASCAR and the Earnhardt family, including Dale Jr., absolved him of any wrongdoing.
Earnhardt's funeral on February 22 in Charlotte drew thousands, and the tragic event in Daytona has since been dubbed "Black Sunday" by fans.
NASCAR immediately mandated HANS devices by the end of the season, new "SAFER" barriers (that cushion the force of impact on wall strikes), stricter car inspections, and the announcement of the Car of Tomorrow chassis. (Which has since been replaced by the NextGen chassis.)
Thankfully (and knock on wood), no major-series driver has died while racing since. Some of these rule changes saved multiple drivers' lives during absolutely horrific accidents, like Ryan Newman in 2020 and Ryan Preece in 2023 and 2024.
Twenty-five years later, tributes for Dale continue to pour in, including this one. A new docu-series on Amazon Prime and book on Earnhardts life coincide with his would-be 75th birthday. His son, Dale Jr., and daughter, Kelley, continue his legacy through JR Motorsports, the premier team in the second-tier series. Dale Jr. remains one of the most respected voices in NASCAR today and has several successful podcasts.
Earnhardt's death transformed NASCAR, making it safer while immortalizing his spirit as the sport's ultimate road warrior.
To celebrate the life and career of Dale Earnhardt Sr., here are his Top Ten Career Highlights (in no particular order).
1. Winning the 1998 Daytona 500
After 19 previous attempts and years of heartbreak, Earnhardt finally took the checkered flag in NASCAR's biggest race of the year. The call by legendary NASCAR broadcaster, Mike Joy, is etched in history: "Dale Earnhardt will come to the caution flag to win the Daytona 500! Finally!" The spontaneous celebration, with crew members and drivers from nearly every team lining the road to shake his hand as he drove slowly down the lane, remains one of the sport's most emotional and replayed scenes.
2. The "Pass in the Grass" at the 1987 All-Star Race
Chased by Bill Elliott, Earnhardt was bumped off track and onto the infield grass with laps remaining. He miraculously stayed on the lead lap, held the position, and won. This aggressive recovery became an instantly iconic clip, which symbolized his refusal to back down and boosted his "Intimidator" legend on national TV.
3. Spinning Terry Labonte to Win the 1999 Bristol Night Race
Following an incident between Earnhardt and Labonte in 1995, where Earnhardt failed to spin Labonte about 100 feet before the start/finish line, the two found themselves in a similar situation. After taking four fresh tires with only a handful of laps left, Labonte climbed his way through the field and found himself behind Dale. With one lap left, Labonte bumped Earnhardt out of the way to take the lead, but on the back straightaway, Dale spun Terry and rounded the final two turns to take the checkered flag. The crowd turned angry, and the approximately 140,000 fans in attendance rained down boos on Earnhardt as he stood in victory lane. His unapologetic Victory Lane interview, "I didn't really mean to turn him around, I just meant to rattle his cage a little bit," made for great TV drama and one of his most controversial moments.
4. The Final-Lap Charge to Win the 2000 Talladega Winston 500 (His Final Victory)
After a late restart, Dale Earnhardt started deep in the field but managed to storm into the lead during the final laps of the race. After passing multiple cars in a stunning display of his drafting skill, announcers called it a "miracle" as he took the million-dollar No Bull 5 bonus. The "Talladega No Bull 5 bonus" was a $1 million prize drivers could win at Talladega Superspeedway during the boom period of the late '90s/early 2000s. Drivers who finished in the top five of a prior "No Bull 5" race could win the bonus by winning the next designated race, making Talladega a key venue for big payouts. This high drama finish is frequently highlighted in documentaries and a good showcase of his on-track prowess.
5. Dominating Darlington's Southern 500 in 1989
Leading 153 of 367 laps in one of NASCAR's "major" races, Earnhardt's performance at the "Lady in Black" was a masterclass in racing broadcast for the world. It reinforced his dominance on challenging tracks and became a staple in highlight reels.
6. Winning the 1995 Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis
NASCAR's first race at Indy in 1994 was a massive event in and of itself, but when Dale Earnhardt claimed victory at the second in 1995, he added his trademark "spice" to the post-race interview. Poking fun at Jeff Gordon's victory from the year prior, Earnhardt said, "I'm one of two men to win it, if not the first." The rivalry between Earnhardt and Gordon's fanbases was at its peak at the time, and his tongue-in-cheek comments only fueled the flames. The crossover appeal of racing at the Brickyard made this a significant media moment.
7. Winning The 1995 Sonoma Road Course
Dale's only road-course victory came when he passed Mark Martin late in a race Martin had completely dominated. This underdog triumph on a track type where he wasn't expected to excel became a celebrated clip showing his adaptability and mastery of his craft.
8. The 1980 Championship Clinch (From Rookie to Champion)
Earnhardt became the first driver to win Rookie of the Year andChampionshipampionship in back-to-back seasons. The celebration and media coverage marked his rise as a new star in racing, with many of his early TV interviews capturing his blue-collar appeal to NASCAR's audience.
9. His Driving Style, Post-Race Antics, and Interviews
His "old school" driving style was entirely different from modern racing, and his "take no prisoners" attitude drove him to great success. Compared to today's polished and sanitized interviews, Dale's famous dry wit shone through in countless media highlights, from tossing a stuffed monkey off his back after a victory to his blunt, no-nonsense responses that made him a media magnet. These soundbites humanized the legend and are still replayed endlessly.
10. His Final Moment: The 2001 Daytona 500 Crash
While absolutely one of the worst moments in NASCAR history, the last-lap accident (and immediate aftermath) became one of the most covered media events ever in racing. It led to massive safety reforms and was widely reported in the news, documentaries (such as the recent Prime Video series on Earnhardt), and retrospectives that poignantly cemented his legacy. Earnhardt transcended racing and was larger-than-life. His life blended skill, controversy, triumph, and ultimately, tragedy.
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