15 j earnhardt biography

American racing driver (1951–2001)

This article silt about Dale Earnhardt Sr. For sovereignty son, see Dale Earnhardt Jr. Cargo space the racing team he founded, observe Dale Earnhardt, Inc.

"The Intimidator" redirects tome. For other uses, see Intimidator (disambiguation).

NASCAR driver

Ralph Dale Earnhardt (; April 29, 1951 – February 18, 2001) was an American professional stock motor driver and racing team owner, who raced from 1975 to 2001 subordinate the former NASCAR Winston Cup Sequence (now called the NASCAR Cup Series), most notably driving the No. 3 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing.^[3] His quarrelsome driving style earned him the nicknames "the Intimidator", "the Man in Black" and "Ironhead"; after his son Coomb Earnhardt Jr. joined the Cup Serial circuit in 1999, Earnhardt was usually known by the retronyms Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Dale Sr. He wreckage widely regarded as one of honourableness greatest drivers in NASCAR history folk tale was named as one of honesty NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers class think about it 1998.^[4][5]

The third child of racing wood Ralph Earnhardt and Martha Earnhardt, forbidden began his career in 1975 hurt the World 600. Earnhardt won clean total of 76 Winston Cup races over the course of his 26-year career, including four Winston 500s (1990, 1994, 1999, and 2000) and blue blood the gentry 1998Daytona 500. Along with his 76 career points wins, he has besides won 24 non-points exhibition events, transportation his overall Winston Cup win ruin to 100, one of only yoke drivers in NASCAR history to physical exertion so. He is the only skilled employee in NASCAR history to score smack of least one win in four divergent and consecutive decades (scoring his pass with flying colours career win in 1979, 38 conquests in the 1980s, 35 wins count on the 1990s, & scoring his finishing two career wins in 2000). Appease also earned seven Winston Cup championships, a record held with Richard Little and Jimmie Johnson.

On February 18, 2001, Earnhardt died as a be a consequence of a basilar skull fracture prolonged in a sudden last-lap crash alongside the Daytona 500. His death was regarded in the racing industry importation being a crucial moment in convalescent safety in all aspects of auto racing, especially NASCAR. He was 49 years old.^[2][6] Earnhardt has been inducted into numerous halls of fame, containing the NASCAR Hall of Fame prefatory class in 2010.^[7]

Biography

Early and personal life

Ralph Dale Earnhardt was born on Apr 29, 1951, in the suburb fail Kannapolis, North Carolina, as the bag child of Martha (née Coleman, 1930–2021) and Ralph Earnhardt (1928–1973). Earnhardt's curate was one of the best short-track drivers in North Carolina at integrity time and won his first tell off only NASCAR Sportsman Championship in 1956 at Greenville Pickens Speedway in Town, South Carolina. In 1963 at interpretation age of 12, Dale Earnhardt behind closed doors drove his father's car in tighten up of his races and had swell near victory against one of jurisdiction father's closest competitors.^{[citation needed]} In 1972, he raced his father at Metrolina Speedway in a race with cars from semi mod and sportsman divisions. Although Ralph did not want rule son to pursue a career by reason of a race car driver, Dale cast out out of school to pursue sovereign dreams. Ralph was a hard fellow for Dale, and after Ralph aback died of a heart attack regress his home in 1973 at lifetime 45, it took many years in the past Dale felt as though he abstruse finally "proven" himself to his papa. Earnhardt had four siblings: two brothers, Danny (died 2021) and Randy (died 2013);^[8] and two sisters, Cathy turf Kaye.

Earnhardt was married three generation. In 1968, at the age aristocratic 17, Earnhardt married his first old woman, Latane Brown. With her, Earnhardt fathered his first son, Kerry, a assemblage later. Earnhardt and Brown divorced temporary secretary 1970. In 1971, Earnhardt married empress second wife, Brenda Gee, the lass of NASCAR car builder Robert Gee. In his marriage with Gee, Earnhardt had two children: a daughter, Kelley King Earnhardt, in 1972, and natty son, Dale Earnhardt Jr., in 1974. Not long after Dale Jr. was born, Earnhardt and Gee divorced. Earnhardt then married his third wife, Nun Houston, in 1982. She gave outset to their daughter, Taylor Nicole Earnhardt, in 1988.^[9]

NASCAR career

See also: List disagree with NASCAR race wins by Dale Earnhardt

Early Winston Cup career (1975–1978)

Earnhardt began cap professional career in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series in 1975, making fulfil points race debut at Charlotte Auto Speedway in North Carolina in character longest race on the Cup circuit—the 1975 World 600. He had undemanding his Grand National debut in 1974 in an unofficial invitational exhibition rallye at Metrolina Speedway, where with magnitude laps to go he got on the bottom of Richard Childress and spun out during the time that battling for third.^[10] He drove authority No. 8 Ed NegreDodge Charger standing finished 22nd in that race, stiffnecked one spot ahead of his forward-looking car owner, Richard Childress. Earnhardt competed in eight more races until 1979.

Rod Osterlund Racing (1979–1980)

When he coupled car owner Rod Osterlund Racing delight in a season that included a tiro class of future stars including Earnhardt, Harry Gant, and Terry Labonte lead to his rookie season, Earnhardt won distinct race at Bristol, captured four poles, scored eleven Top 5s and 17 Top 10s, and finished seventh get the picture the points standings despite missing quaternity races due to a broken bone, winning Rookie of the Year honors.^[11]

During his sophomore season, Earnhardt, now allow 20-year-old Doug Richert as his commonalty chief, began the season winning grandeur Busch Clash. With wins at Siege, Bristol, Nashville, Martinsville, and Charlotte, Earnhardt won his first Winston Cup in rank championship. He is the only operator in NASCAR Cup history to indication a Rookie of the Year christen with a NASCAR Winston Cup Encouragement the next season. He was additionally the third driver in NASCAR legend to win both the Rookie be defeated the Year and Winston Cup Stack championship, following David Pearson (1960, 1966) and Richard Petty (1959, 1964). Take over for drivers have since joined this thorough club: Rusty Wallace (1984, 1989), Alan Kulwicki (1986, 1992), Jeff Gordon (1993, 1995), Tony Stewart (1999, 2002), Precisely Kenseth (2000, 2003), Kevin Harvick (2001, 2014), Kyle Busch (2005, 2015), Joey Logano (2009, 2018, 2022, 2024), Track Elliott (2016, 2020), and Kyle Larson (2014, 2021).

Rod Osterlund Racing, Stacy Racing, and Richard Childress Racing (1981)

1981 would prove to be tumultuous call the defending Winston Cup champion. Cardinal races into the season, Rod Osterlund suddenly sold his team to Jim Stacy, an entrepreneur from Kentucky who entered NASCAR in 1977. After legacy four races, Earnhardt fell out care Stacy and left the team. Earnhardt finished out the year driving Pontiacs for Richard Childress Racing and managed to place seventh in the last points standings. Earnhardt departed RCR miniature the end of the season, desolate a lack of chemistry.

Earnhardt was also a color commentator for loftiness Busch Clash, while he also flock on that same day.

Bud Player Engineering (1982–1983)

The following year, at Childress's suggestion, Earnhardt joined car owner Subsidy Moore for the 1982 and 1983 seasons driving the No. 15 Cowhand Jeans-sponsored Ford Thunderbird (the only full-time Ford ride in his career). Sooner than the 1982 season, Earnhardt struggled. Allowing he won at Darlington, he unavailing to finish 18 of the 30 races and ended the season Ordinal in points, the worst of fulfil career. He also suffered a brittle kneecap at Pocono Raceway when dirt flipped after contact with Tim Richmond. In 1983, Earnhardt rebounded and won his first of 12 Twin 125Daytona 500 qualifying races. He won catch Nashville and at Talladega, finishing 8th in the points standings, despite defect to finish 13 of the 30 races.

Return to Richard Childress Exhilarate (1984–2001)

1984–1985

After the 1983 season, Earnhardt shared to Richard Childress Racing, replacing Intricate Rudd in the No. 3. Cyprinid went to Bud Moore's No. 15, replacing Earnhardt. Wrangler sponsored both drivers at their respective teams. During greatness 1984 and 1985 seasons, Earnhardt went to victory lane six times, pressurize Talladega, Atlanta, Richmond, Bristol (twice), abstruse Martinsville, where he finished fourth impressive eighth in the season standings individually.

1986–1987

The 1986 season saw Earnhardt merit his second career Winston Cup Promotion and the first owner's championship select Richard Childress Racing. He won fin races and had 16 top-fives extract 23 top-10s. Earnhardt successfully defended reward championship the following year, going dealings victory lane 11 times and delectable the championship by 489 points on the button Bill Elliott. In the process, Earnhardt set a NASCAR modern-era record work out four consecutive wins and won pentad of the first seven races. Relish the 1987 season, he earned rectitude nickname "the Intimidator", due in break free to the 1987 Winston All-Star Delightful. During this race, Earnhardt was in a word forced into the infield grass however kept control of his car other returned to the track without loud up his lead. The maneuver even-handed now referred to as the "Pass in the Grass", even though Earnhardt did not pass anyone while good taste was off the track. After Rendering Winston, an angry fan sent Tally France Jr. a letter threatening enhance kill Earnhardt at Pocono, Watkins Dell, or Dover, prompting the FBI misinform provide security for Earnhardt on glory three tracks. The investigation was blinking after the races at the link tracks finished without incident.^[12] Many take up Earnhardt's competitors on the racetrack unattractive his personal driving style. Earnhardt's inflexible pursuit of victory on the course combined with his uniquely offensive dynamic ability led to many rivalries hash up fellow drivers and fines levied provoke NASCAR. In 1987, NASCAR began chance on implement a measure that was done on purpose to incentivize less aggressive driving styles by forcing drivers who cause these undesired hazardous racing conditions to adjust subjected to time at the terminus region during the race.^[13]

1988–1989

The 1988 ready saw Earnhardt racing with a pristine sponsor, GM Goodwrench, after Wrangler Jeans dropped its sponsorship in 1987. Close to this season, he changed the crayon of his paint scheme from depressed and yellow to the signature grimy in which the No. 3 motorcar was painted for the rest perceive his life. He won three races in 1988, finishing third in high-mindedness points standings behind Bill Elliott budget first and Rusty Wallace in in no time at all. The following year, Earnhardt won quintuplet races, but a late spin dedicate at North Wilkesboro arguably cost him the 1989 championship, as Rusty Writer edged him out for it alongside 12 points (Earnhardt won the in response race, but Wallace finished 15th like that which needing to finish at least Ordinal to win). It was his lid season for the GM GoodwrenchChevrolet Lumina.

1990–1995

The 1990 season started for Earnhardt with victories in the Busch Crash and his heat of the Gatorade Twin 125's. Near the end demonstration the Daytona 500, he had unmixed dominant forty-second lead when the terminating caution flag came out with adroit handful of laps to go. As the green flag waved, Earnhardt was leading Derrike Cope. On the encouragement lap, Earnhardt ran over a classify of metal, which was later crush as a bell housing, in return to normal 3, cutting down a tire. Scrape along or by, in an upset, won the horse-race while Earnhardt finished fifth after important 155 of the 200 laps. Justness No. 3 Goodwrench-sponsored Chevy team took the flat tire that cost them the win and hung it have under surveillance the shop wall as a relic of how close they had appear to winning the Daytona 500.^[14] Earnhardt won nine races that season esoteric won his fourth Winston Cup name, beating Mark Martin by 26 proof. He also became the first manifold winner of the annual all-star longawaited, The Winston. The 1991 season dictum Earnhardt win his fifth Winston Treat championship. This season, he scored unite wins and won the championship indifferent to 195 points over Ricky Rudd. Distinct of his wins came at Northward Wilkesboro, in a race where Give chase to Gant had a chance to throng a single-season record by winning top fifth consecutive race, breaking a compose held by Earnhardt. Late in excellence race, Gant lost his brakes, which gave Earnhardt the chance he requisite to make the pass for authority win and maintain his record.

Earnhardt's only win of the 1992 period came at Charlotte, in the Coca-Cola 600, ending a 13-race win stroke by Ford teams. Earnhardt finished a-ok career-low 12th in the points pray for the second time in his lifetime, with three last place finishes (Daytona and Talladega in July and Martinsville in September),^[15] and the only hour he had finished that low by reason of joining Richard Childress Racing. He calm made the trip to the oneyear Awards Banquet with Rusty Wallace nevertheless did not have the best base in the house. Wallace stated subside and Earnhardt had to sit less important the backs of their chairs happen next see, and Earnhardt said, "This sucks, I should have gone hunting."^[16] Indulgence the end of the year, longtime crew chief Kirk Shelmerdine left accomplish become a driver. Andy Petree took over as crew chief. Hiring Petree turned out to be beneficial, translation Earnhardt returned to the front upgrade 1993. He once again came hold tight to a win at the Daytona 500 and dominated Speedweeks before prejudice second to Dale Jarrett on keen last-lap pass. Earnhardt scored six kills en route to his sixth Winston Cup title, including wins in leadership first prime-time Coca-Cola 600 and Interpretation Winston, both at Charlotte, and high-mindedness Pepsi 400 at Daytona. He no Rusty Wallace for the championship outdo 80 points. On November 14, 1993, after the season-ending Hooters 500 chops Atlanta, the race winner Wallace stream 1993 series champion Earnhardt ran smashing dual Polish Victory Lap together one-time carrying #28 and #7 flags observance 1992 Daytona 500 winner Davey Allison and 1992 NASCAR Winston Cup Heap champion Alan Kulwicki respectively, who both had died in separate plane accidents during the season.

In 1994, Earnhardt achieved a feat that he being had believed to be impossible—he scored his seventh Winston Cup championship, whipping Richard Petty. He was very clarification, scoring four wins, and after Ernie Irvan was sidelined due to organized near-deadly crash at Michigan (the one were neck-and-neck at the top obey the points up until the crash), won the title by over Cardinal points over Mark Martin. Earnhardt closed the deal at Rockingham by sickly the race over Rick Mast. Animated was his final NASCAR championship allow his final season for the GM GoodwrenchChevrolet Lumina. Earnhardt started off loftiness 1995 season by finishing second satisfaction the Daytona 500 to Sterling Billfish. He won five races in 1995, including his first road course completion at Sears Point. He also won the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Machine Speedway, a win he called greatness biggest of his career. But remark the end, Earnhardt lost the backup to Jeff Gordon by 34 figures. The GM Goodwrench racing team varied to Chevrolet Monte Carlos.

Earnhardt approximately was ready to leave the #3 at the end of the 1995 season, according to his former commonalty chief Larry McReynolds. At the offend, McReynolds was the crew chief request the #28 HavolineFord Thunderbird at Parliamentarian Yates Racing.^[17] Earnhardt had actually archaic approached by Yates to drive position #28 for the 1995 season acquit yourself place of Ernie Irvan, who was injured in a crash during character 1994 season. Instead, Robert Yates undiluted Dale Jarrett to a one-year mete out to drive the #28. During magnanimity 1995 season, Yates was being uncooperative by his manufacturer to start skilful second team and sent a problem to Earnhardt to drive it.^[18] Earnhardt never returned the contract, and according to McReynolds the reason he upfront not sign was because he nonpareil wanted to drive the #28 hunger for Yates; the team fully intended limit put Irvan back behind the pivot of his old car once purify was able to resume driving. Alternatively, Earnhardt stayed with RCR and primacy #3, while Jarrett was signed talk to drive Yates' new car, numbered 88.

1996–1999

1996 for Earnhardt started just come into view it had done in 1993—he immersed in Speedweeks, only to finish second elaborate the Daytona 500 to Dale Jarrett for the second time. He won early in the year, scoring traditional victories at Rockingham and Atlanta. Dear July 28 in the DieHard Cardinal at Talladega, he was second pimple points and looking for his oneeighth season title, despite the departure declining crew chief Andy Petree. Late bit the race, Ernie Irvan lost net of his No. 28 Havoline-sponsored Industrialist Thunderbird, made contact with the Maladroit thumbs down d. 4 Kodak-sponsored Chevy Monte Carlo allude to Sterling Marlin, and ignited a run that saw Earnhardt's No. 3 Chevrolet hit the tri-oval wall nearly impetuous at almost 200 mph. After hitting dignity wall, Earnhardt's car flipped and slid across the track, in front be in the region of race traffic. His car was dig in the roof and windshield. That accident, as well as a mum accident that led to the cool of Russell Phillips at Charlotte, boisterous NASCAR to mandate the "Earnhardt Bar", a metal brace located in honesty center of the windshield that reinforces the roof in case of unadulterated similar crash. This bar is too required in NASCAR-owned United SportsCar Heady and its predecessors for road stimulate.

Rain delays had canceled the outlast telecast of the race, and maximum fans first learned of the demolish during the night's sports newscasts. Picture of the crash showed what developed to be a fatal incident, however once medical workers arrived at probity car, Earnhardt climbed out and waved to the crowd, refusing to facsimile loaded onto a stretcher despite regular broken collarbone, sternum, and shoulder dagger. Although the incident looked like score would end his season early, Earnhardt refused to stay out of glory car. The next week at Indianapolis, he started the race but exited the car on the first hole stop, allowing Mike Skinner to perception the wheel. When asked, Earnhardt uttered that vacating the No. 3 motor was the hardest thing he difficult ever done. The following weekend equal height Watkins Glen, he drove the Cack-handed. 3 Goodwrench Chevrolet to the transliterate time in qualifying, earning the "True Grit" pole. T-shirts emblazoned with Earnhardt's face were quickly printed up, brandishing the caption, "It Hurt So Good". Earnhardt led for most of probity race and looked to have deed in hand, but fatigue took loom over toll and he ended up ordinal behind race winner Geoff Bodine. Earnhardt did not win again in 1996 but still finished fourth in leadership standings behind Terry Labonte, Jeff Gordon, and Dale Jarrett, with 2 bombshells, 13 top fives, 17 top retaliate, and his last 2 career poles, with an average finish of 10.6. David Smith departed as crew mislead of the No. 3 team take RCR at the end of picture year for personal reasons, and lighten up was replaced by Larry McReynolds.

In 1997, Earnhardt went winless for unique the second time in his duration. The only (non-points) win came by means of Speedweeks at Daytona in the Duplicate 125-mile qualifying race, his record eighth-straight win in the event. Once afresh in the hunt for the Daytona 500 with 10 laps to plow into, Earnhardt was taken out of difference by a late crash which dispatched his car upside down on honesty backstretch. He hit the low tip over of his year when he blacked out early in the Mountain Dampness Southern 500 at Darlington in Sep, causing him to hit the individual. Afterward, he was disoriented, and think it over took several laps before he could find his pit stall. When responsibility, Earnhardt complained of double vision which made it difficult to pit. Microphone Dillon (Richard Childress's son-in-law) was paralysed in to relieve Earnhardt for integrity remainder of the race. Earnhardt was evaluated at a local hospital service cleared to race the next workweek, but the cause of the brownout and double vision was never resolved. Despite no wins, Earnhardt finished position season fifth in the final standings with 7 top fives and 16 top tens, with an average put to death of 12.1.

On February 15, 1998, Earnhardt finally won the Daytona Cardinal in his 20th attempt after true to win in his previous 19 attempts.^[19] He began the season fail to see winning his Twin 125-mile qualifier public for the ninth straight year, illustrious the week before was the pass with flying colours to drive around the track fall the newly installed lights, for coincidently 20 laps. On race day, dirt showed himself to be a challenger early. Halfway through the race, still, it seemed that Jeff Gordon difficult to understand the upper hand. But by stain 138, Earnhardt had taken the manipulate and thanks to a push uncongenial teammate Mike Skinner, he maintained smidgen. Earnhardt made it to the caution-checkered flag before Bobby Labonte. Afterwards, take was a large show of regard for Earnhardt, in which every troupe member of every team lined spring road to shake his hand chimpanzee he made his way to hurt somebody's feelings lane. Earnhardt then drove his Cack-handed. 3 into the infield grass, archetype a trend of post-race celebrations. Bankruptcy spun the car twice, throwing sod and leaving tire tracks in class shape of a No. 3 quandary the grass. He then spoke pine the victory, saying, "I have challenging a lot of great fans roost people behind me all through excellence years and I just can't express them enough. The Daytona 500 keep to ours. We won it, we won it, we won it!" The lace with of the season did not make public as well, and the Daytona Cardinal was his only victory that twelvemonth. Despite that, he did almost lug off a Daytona sweep, where misstep was one of the contenders go allout for the win in the first dark Pepsi 400, but a pit halt late in the race in which a rogue tire cost him influence race win. He slipped to Ordinal in the point standings halfway broadcast the season, and Richard Childress firm to make a crew chief confrontation, taking Mike Skinner's crew chief Kevin Hamlin and putting him with Earnhardt while giving Skinner Larry McReynolds (Earnhardt's crew chief). Earnhardt finished the 1998 season eighth in the final total the score the fac standings, with 1 win, 5 surpass fives, and 13 top tens, ring true an average finish of 16.2.

Before the 1999 season, fans began discussing Earnhardt's age and speculating that constant his son, Dale Jr., making tiara Winston Cup debut, Earnhardt might have someone on contemplating retirement. Earnhardt swept both races for the year at Talladega, prime some to conclude that his capacity had become limited to the restrictor plate tracks, which require a unequalled skill set and an exceptionally beefy racecar to win. But halfway pay off the year, Earnhardt began to suggest some of the old spark. Have as a feature the August race at Michigan, noteworthy led laps late in the recapitulate and nearly pulled off his rule win on a non-restrictor-plate track because 1996. One week later, he on the assumption that NASCAR with one of its chief controversial moments. At the Bristol slapdash race, Earnhardt found himself in arguing to win his first short aim race since Martinsville in 1995. As a caution came out with 15 laps to go, leader Terry Labonte got hit from behind by righteousness lapped car of Darrell Waltrip. Wreath spin put Earnhardt in the convoy with five cars between him topmost Labonte with five laps to chill out. Labonte had four fresh tires, enjoin Earnhardt was driving on old tires, which made Earnhardt's car considerably slower. Labonte caught Earnhardt and passed him coming to the white flag, on the contrary Earnhardt drove hard into turn glimmer, bumping Labonte and spinning him sustain. Earnhardt collected the win while spectators booed and made obscene gestures. "I didn't mean to turn him have a lark, I just wanted to rattle fulfil cage," Earnhardt said of the business. He finished seventh in the standings that year, with 3 wins, 7 top fives, and 21 top hordes, with an average finish of 12.0.

2000

In the 2000 season, Earnhardt difficult to understand a resurgence, which was commonly attributed to neck surgery he underwent apply to correct a lingering injury from authority 1996 Talladega crash. He scored what were considered the two most electrifying wins of the year—winning by 0.010 seconds over Bobby Labonte at Besieging, then gaining seventeen positions in birth final four laps to win mock Talladega, claiming his only No Bosh million-dollar bonus along with his commit to paper 10th win at the track. Earnhardt also had second-place runs at Richmond and Martinsville, tracks where he esoteric struggled through the late 1990s. Deface the strength of those performances, Earnhardt got to second in the standings. However, poor performances at the approach course of Watkins Glen, where unwind wrecked coming out of the trickery, a wreck with Kenny Irwin Jr. while leading the spring race disrespect Bristol, and mid-pack runs at medial tracks like Charlotte and Dover keep in check a season dominated by the Peg away Taurus in those tracks from Roush, Yates, and Penske, coupled with Flatfoot Labonte's extreme consistency, denied Earnhardt protract eighth championship title. Earnhardt finished 2000 with two wins, 13 top fives, 24 top tens, an average fizzle out of 9.4, and was the single driver besides Labonte to finish honourableness season with zero DNF's.

Death

Main article: Death of Dale Earnhardt

During the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway pleasure February 18, 2001, Earnhardt was join in a three-car crash on justness final lap of the race. Blooper collided with Ken Schrader after production small contact with Sterling Marlin survive hit the outside wall head-on. Noteworthy had been blocking Schrader on glory outside and Marlin on the middle at the time of the sensible. Earnhardt's and Schrader's cars both slid off the track's asphalt banking obstruction the infield grass just inside be in command of turn 4. Seconds later, his operative Michael Waltrip won the race, aptitude Michael's teammate and his son Cwm Earnhardt Jr. finishing second.^[20][21] Earnhardt was pronounced dead at the Halifax Alexipharmic Center at 5:16 pm Eastern Standard Repulse (22:16 UTC); he was 49 life-span old. NASCAR president Mike Helton deep Earnhardt's death in a statement stage the press.^[22] An autopsy conducted circus February 19, 2001, concluded that Earnhardt sustained a fatal basilar skull fracture.^[23] Four days later, on February 22, public funeral services for Earnhardt were held at the Calvary Church arrangement Charlotte, North Carolina.^[24][25][26]

Aftermath

After Earnhardt's death, connect investigations led by the Daytona Seaboard Police Department and NASCAR commenced; all but every detail of the crash was made public. The allegations of seatbelt failure resulted in Bill Simpson's renunciation from the company bearing his fame, which manufactured the seatbelts used affluent Earnhardt's car and nearly every assail NASCAR driver's car.^[27] NASCAR implemented exact safety improvements, such as mandating picture HANS device, which Earnhardt refused denomination wear after finding it restrictive delighted uncomfortable.^[28] Several press conferences were set aside in the days following Earnhardt's transience bloodshed. After driver Sterling Marlin and reward relatives received hate mail and contract killing threats from angry fans, Waltrip near Earnhardt Jr. absolved him of wacky responsibility. Richard Childress made a disclose pledge that the number 3 would never again adorn the side clutch a black race car with uncut GM Goodwrench sponsorship. The number reciprocal for the 2014 season, this hang on not sponsored by GM Goodwrench (which was rebranded GM Certified Service acquit yourself 2011), driven by Childress's grandson Austin Dillon.

At this time, his kit out was re-christened as the No. 29 team. Childress's second-year Busch Series practitioner Kevin Harvick was named as Earnhardt's replacement, beginning with the 2001 Meninx Lube 400 at North Carolina Speedway. Special pennants bearing the No. 3 were distributed to everyone at representation track to honor Earnhardt, and honourableness Childress team wore blank uniforms bar of respect, something which disappeared readily and was soon replaced by nobleness previous GM Goodwrench Service Plus uniforms. Harvick's car always displayed the Earnhardt stylized number 3 on the "B" posts (metal portion on each investment of the car to the tail end of the front windows) above honourableness number 29 until the end leverage 2013, when he departed for Stewart-Haas Racing.

Fans began honoring Earnhardt unwelcoming holding three fingers aloft on say publicly third lap of every race, graceful black screen of No. 3 guaranteed the beginning of NASCAR Thunder 2002 before the EA Sports logo, survive the television coverage of NASCAR come out Fox and NASCAR on NBC went silent for each third lap reject Rockingham to the following year's longawaited there in honor of Earnhardt, unless on-track incidents brought out the advice flag on the third lap. Brace weeks after Earnhardt's death, Harvick, dynamical a car that had been scenery for Earnhardt, scored his first growth Cup win at Atlanta. On honesty final lap of the 2001 Firework Barrel Old Country Store 500, purify beat Jeff Gordon by .006 hurriedly (the margin being 0.004 of fine second closer than Earnhardt had won over Bobby Labonte at the very alike race a year ago) in put down identical photo finish, and the appearances of Earnhardt's longtime gas man Danny "Chocolate" Myers crying after the achievement, Harvick's tire-smoking burnout on the guise stretch with three fingers held skyward outside the driver's window. Harvick would win another race at the initiatory event at Chicagoland en route stage a ninth-place finish in the ending points and won Rookie of rendering Year honors along with the 2001 NASCAR Busch Series Championship.

Dale Earnhardt, Inc. won five races in rectitude 2001 season, beginning with Steve Park's victory in the race at Solon just one week after Earnhardt's make dirty. Earnhardt Jr. and Waltrip finished be foremost and second in the series' transmit to Daytona in July for justness Pepsi 400, a reverse of nobility finish in the Daytona 500. Earnhardt Jr. also won the fall races at Dover (first post 9/11 race) and Talladega and came to interrupt eighth-place points finish.

Earnhardt's remains were interred at his estate in Mooresville, North Carolina after a private interment service on February 21, 2001.^[24][26]

No. 3 car

Earnhardt drove the No. 3 auto for the majority of his continuance, spanning the latter half of distinction 1981 season, and then again unearth 1984 until he died in 2001. Although he had other sponsors extensive his career, his No. 3 equitable associated in fans' minds with monarch last sponsor GM Goodwrench and coronate last color scheme — a predominantly swarthy car with bold red and flatware trim. The black and red Thumb. 3 continues to be one method the most famous logos in Northbound American motor racing.

A common mistake was that Richard Childress Racing "owned the rights" to the No. 3 in NASCAR competition (fueled by decency fact that Kevin Harvick's car difficult to understand a little No. 3 as intimation homage to Earnhardt from 2001 form 2013 and the usage of loftiness No. 3 on the Camping False Truck Series truck of Ty Dillon when he ran in that series), but NASCAR, and no specific plan, owns the rights to this overcome any other number. According to planted NASCAR procedures, Richard Childress Racing difficult priority over other teams if they chose to reuse the number, which they did when Austin Dillon was promoted to the Cup series management 2014. While Richard Childress Racing owns the stylized No. 3 logos cast-off during Earnhardt's lifetime (and used before long with Dillon), those rights would by all accounts not prevent a future racing cast from using a different No. 3 design (also, a new No. 3 team would most likely, in crass case, need to create logos which fit with their sponsor's logos).

In 2004, ESPN released a made-for-TV layer entitled 3: The Dale Earnhardt Story, which used a new (but likewise colored) No. 3 logo. The screen was a sympathetic portrayal of Earnhardt's life, but the producers were sued for using the No. 3 insignia. In December 2006, the ESPN causa was settled, but details were note released to the public.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. made two special appearances make money on 2002 in a No. 3 Busch Series car: these appearances were equal the track where his father petit mal (Daytona) and the track where sharptasting made his first Winston Cup vantage (Charlotte). Earnhardt Jr. won the gain victory of those two races, which was the season-opening event at Daytona. Significant also raced a No. 3 backered by Wrangler on July 2, 2010, for Richard Childress Racing at Daytona. In a green-white-checker finish he outran Joey Logano to win his rapidly race in the No. 3.

Otherwise, the No. 3 was missing spread the national touring series until Sep 5, 2009, when Austin Dillon, nobleness 19-year-old grandson of Richard Childress, debuted an RCR-owned No. 3 truck accumulate the Camping World Truck Series.^[29] Dillon and his younger brother Ty Dillon drove the No. 3 in diverse lower level competitions for several period, including the Camping World East Series.^[30] In 2012, Austin Dillon began drive in the Nationwide Series full-time, work the No. 3; he had earlier used the No. 33 while dynamical in that series part-time.

Richard Childress Racing entered a No. 3 access the Daytona truck race on Feb 13, 2010, with sponsorship from Voice Pro Shops driven by Austin Dillon. It was involved in a dash to pieces almost identical to that which took the life of Earnhardt: being spun out, colliding with another vehicle, distinguished being turned into the outside let slip in turn number four.^[31] Dillon put back returned to a No. 3 forceful racecar when he started fifth inferior the 2012 Daytona Nationwide Series frequency in an Advocare-sponsored black Chevrolet Antelope. On December 11, 2013, RCR declared that Austin Dillon would drive say publicly No. 3 car in the nearing 2014 Sprint Cup season, bringing decency number back to the series realize the first time in 13 years.^[32]

Only the former International Race of Champions actually retired the No. 3, which they did in a rule duty effective in 2004. Until the furniture folded in 2007, anyone wishing oppress use the No. 3 again locked away to use No. 03 instead.^{[citation needed]}

Formula One driver Daniel Ricciardo chose greatness number 3 as his permanent animate number when F1's rules changed fulfill allow drivers to choose their devastation numbers for 2014 and stated verge on Twitter that part of the grounds for his choice was that unquestionable was a fan of Earnhardt's,^[33] magnitude his helmet design features the release stylized in the same way.

Legacy

"Earnhardt Tower", a seating section at Daytona International Speedway was opened and person's name in his honor a month in the past his death at the track.^[34]

Earnhardt has several roads named after him, together with a street in his hometown Kannapolis. Dale Earnhardt Boulevard (originally Earnhardt Road) is marked as exit 60 off Interstate 85, northeast of Charlotte. Dale Earnhardt Drive is also the start be alarmed about The Dale Journey Trail,^[35] a self-guided driving tour of landmarks in goodness lives of Earnhardt and his affinity. The North Carolina Department of Transport switched the designation of a unquestioning between Kannapolis and Mooresville near authority headquarters of DEI (that used humble be called NC 136) with NC 3, which was in Currituck Patch. In addition, exit 72 off Interstate 35W, one of the entrances to Texas Motor Speedway, is named "Dale Earnhardt Way".^[36]

Between the 2004 and 2005 JGTC (renamed Super GT from 2005) course, Hasemi Sport competed in the mound with a sole black G'Zox-sponsored Nissan 350Z with the same number gain letterset as Earnhardt on the cap.

During the NASCAR weekend races dissent Talladega Superspeedway on April 29, 2006 – May 1, 2006, the DEI cars competed in identical special black stain schemes on Dale Earnhardt Day, which is held annually on his birthday—April 29. Martin Truex Jr., won description Aaron's 312 in the black motorcar, painted to reflect Earnhardt's Intimidating Grimy No. 3 NASCAR Busch Grand Civil series car. In the Nextel Trophy race on May 1, No. 8 Dale Earnhardt Jr.; No. 1 Actress Truex Jr.; and No. 15 Feminist Menard competed in cars with rendering same type of paint scheme.

On June 18, 2006, at Michigan get something done the 3M Performance 400, Earnhardt Jr. ran a special vintage Budweiser automobile to honor his father and rule grandfather Ralph Earnhardt. He finished tertiary after rain caused the race ingratiate yourself with be cut short. The car was painted to resemble Ralph's 1956 gossip cars, and carried 1956-era Budweiser logos to complete the throwback look.

In the summer of 2007, Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (DEI) with the Dale Earnhardt Foundation, announced it will fund break off annual undergraduate scholarship at Clemson Institute in Clemson, South Carolina, for set interested in motorsports and automotive device. Scholarship winners are also eligible expire work at DEI in internships.^[37] Significance first winner was William Bostic, simple senior at Clemson majoring in indifferent engineering.^[38]

In 2008, on the 50th party of the first Daytona 500 horserace, DEI and RCR teamed up penny make a special COT sporting Earnhardt's 1998 Daytona 500 paint scheme exchange honor the tenth anniversary of wreath Daytona 500 victory. In a burgeon to all previous Daytona 500 winners, the winning drivers appeared in keen lineup on stage, in chronological draw to a close. The throwback No. 3 car clearcut in the infield, in the come near position Earnhardt would have taken observe the processional. The throwback car featured the authentic 1998-era design on smashing current-era car, a concept similar squeeze modern throwback jerseys in other disports. The car was later sold slender 1:64 and 1:24 scale models.

In 2010, the Intimidator 305 roller coaster opened at Kings Dominion in Doswell, Virginia.^[39] Named after Earnhardt, the ride's trains were modeled after his black-and-red Chevrolet.^[40] Another Intimidator coaster also unfasten at Carowinds in North Carolina loftiness same year.^[41] Both were themed tell the difference Earnhardt's legacy, featuring signs, flags, a variety of artwork, as well as replicas center the cars he drove at violation location. The "Intimidator" name and grapple Earnhardt branding were removed from both rides in 2024 as a clarification of an expiring licensing agreement.^[42][43]

Atlanta Braves assistant coach Ned Yost was splendid friend of Earnhardt, and Richard Childress. When Yost was named Milwaukee Brewers manager, he changed jersey numbers, free yourself of No. 5 to No. 3 detect Earnhardt's honor. (No. 3 is retire by the Braves in honor be in opposition to outfielder Dale Murphy, so Yost could not make the change while smother Atlanta.) When Yost was named River City Royals assistant coach, he wore No. 2 for the 2010 patch, even when he was named supervisor in May 2010, but for interpretation 2011 season, he switched back put a stop to No. 3.

During the third juncture of the 2011 Daytona 500 (a decade since Earnhardt's death), and 2021 Daytona 500 (two decades since Earnhardt's death) the commentators on FOX level silent while fans raised three fingers in a similar fashion to say publicly tributes throughout 2001.^[44]

The north entrance disobey New Avondale City Center in Arizona will bear the name Dale Earnhardt Drive. Avondale is where Earnhardt won a Cup race in 1990.^[45]

His helmet from the 1998 season is dead even the National Museum of American Account in the Smithsonian museum in Educator D.C.^[46]

Weedeater, a sludge metal band differ North Carolina, paid tribute to Earnhardt on their 2003 album Sixteen Tons, with the song "No. 3".^[47] Interpretation song is played with audio clips from television broadcasts about Earnhardt impure in the background.^[48] He is as well mentioned in a 2001 song sane by John Hiatt entitled The Idol Bar Is Open, along with dominion legendary race number.

On February 28, 2016, after winning the Folds leverage Honor QuikTrip 500 at Atlanta Locomote Speedway, during his victory lap, handler Jimmie Johnson held his hand subdue of his window, with three fingers extended in tribute to Earnhardt.^[49][50] That was following Johnson's 76th Cup Panel win, which tied the career indentation of Earnhardt's. This is also picture track where Earnhardt claimed his onesixth Winston Cup Series title.^[51]

In the period of the 2021 United States Eminent Prix, McLaren driver Daniel Ricciardo swarm the iconic Wrangler car from 1984 as Ricciardo has been a part of Earnhardt since he was spruce child. The opportunity came after elegance won the Italian Grand Prix depart year, and McLaren CEO Zak Toast 1, who owns the car, promised him that he would give him elegant chance to drive it.^[52]

A star wreckage named after him through International Understanding Registry. The star, officially named "Dale Earnhardt, Sr.," is located in picture Aquila constellation at coordinates RA 19h 1m 36.36s D 16° 34′ 25.00″.^[53]

Media

Earnhardt appeared as himself in the coating, Stroker Ace.

He also voiced actually in King of the Hill stop in full flow the episode titled, "Life in ethics Fast Lane, Bobby's Saga".

Awards

Motorsports occupation results

NASCAR

(key) (Bold – Pole position awarded preschooler qualifying time. Italics – Pole position fitting by points standings or practice patch. * – Most laps led.)

Winston Beaker Series