Dale Earnhardt

Ralph Dale Earnhardt (; April 29, 1951 – February 18, 2001) was an American professional stock car driver and racing team owner, who raced from 1975 to 2001 in the former NASCAR Winston Cup Series (now called the NASCAR Cup Series), most notably driving the No. 3 Chevrolet for Richard Childress Racing. His aggressive driving style earned him the nicknames "the Intimidator", "the Man in Black" and "Ironhead"; after his son Dale Earnhardt Jr. joined the Cup Series circuit in 1999, Earnhardt was generally known by the retronyms Dale Earnhardt Sr. and Dale Sr. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest drivers in NASCAR history and was named as one of the NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers class in 1998. The third child of racing driver Ralph Earnhardt and Martha Earnhardt, he began his career in 1975 in the World 600. Earnhardt won a total of 76 Winston Cup races over the course of his 26-year career, including crown jewel victories in four Winston 500s (1990, 1994, 1999, and 2000), three Cola-Cola 600s (1986, 1992, and 1993), three Southern 500s (1987, 1989, and 1990), the Brickyard 400 in 1995, and the 1998 Daytona 500. Along with his 76 career points wins, he has also won 24 non-points exhibition events, bringing his overall Winston Cup win total to one-hundred, one of only four drivers in NASCAR history to do so. He is the only driver in NASCAR history to score at least one win in four different and consecutive decades (scoring his first career win in 1979, 38 wins in the 1980s, 35 wins in the 1990s, & scoring his final two career wins in 2000). He also earned seven Winston Cup championships, a record held with Richard Petty and Jimmie Johnson. On February 18, 2001, Earnhardt died as a result of a basilar skull fracture sustained in a sudden last-lap crash during the Daytona 500. His death was regarded in the racing industry as being a crucial moment in improving safety in all aspects of car racing, especially NASCAR. He was 49 years old. Earnhardt has been inducted into numerous halls of fame, including the NASCAR Hall of Fame inaugural class in 2010.

Infobox

Born

(1951-04-29)April 29, 1951Kannapolis, North Carolina, U.S.

Died

February 18, 2001(2001-02-18) (aged 49)Daytona Beach, Florida, U.S.

Cause of death

Basilar skull fracture sustained from 2001 Daytona 500 crash

Height

6 ft 1 in (185 cm)

Weight

195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)

Achievements

mw- 1980, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994 Winston Cup Series ChampionTied with Richard Petty and Jimmie Johnson for most NASCAR Cup Series Championships (7)1990, 1995, 1999, 2000 IROC Champion1998 Daytona 500 winner as driver2001 Daytona 500 winner as owner[a]1995 Brickyard 400 winner1987, 1989, 1990 Southern 500 winner1986, 1992, 1993 Coca-Cola 600 winner1990, 1994, 1999, 2000 Winston 500 winnerThe Winston winner (1987, 1990, 1993)Led Winston Cup Series in wins in 1987 and 1990Led Winston Cup Series in poles in 1990Winner of the first ever Budweiser Late Model Sportsman Series race in 1982

Awards

1979 Winston Cup Series Rookie of the YearNamed one of NASCAR's 50 Greatest Drivers (1998)2001 Winston Cup Series Most Popular Driver (posthumously)Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductee (2002)International Motorsports Hall of Fame Inductee (2006)NASCAR Hall of Fame (2010 - Inaugural Class)Named one of NASCAR's 75 Greatest Drivers (2023)

2001 position

57th

Best finish

21st (1982)

First race

1982 Goody's 300 (Daytona)

Last race

1994 All Pro 300 (Charlotte)

First win

1982 Goody's 300 (Daytona)

Last win

1994 Goody's 300 (Daytona)

Wins

Wins Top tens Poles 21 75 7