Poor Ken Schrader. He knew right away Dale was dead. No question about it. Even though he's never actually said it you can see it in his face whenever he speaks about it. But I always like to believe there's no other way Dale Earnhardt would have wanted to leave this earth. The man ate, slept, and breathed racing. There was no more fitting and deserving way for him to go than behind the wheel of a race car doing what God put him on this earth to do. Rest easy Dale. The world still misses you.
When Kenny walked up over to the car he knew Dale was no longer alive. He did an interview on the 10 year anniversary that he did not want to be the one to say Dale is dead. Kenny holds onto a lot of guilt with what happened even though it wasn’t his fault. And then to be the first person to see he was no longer here. It’s super sad.
You had to mess it up with your "god" nonsense. Do you really believe that if an all-powerful, all-knowing, ancient, Jewish, rabbi-zombie really existed that he actually gave a shit about Nascar racing? If I was all-powerful I'd feed starving children and prevent kids from dying of cancer. I wouldn't be using my super powers to do mundane shit like worry about racing.
You may be right about what you said Matty, but dying doing what he loved at only age 49? With a daughter who was just 13 when he passed? I appreciate what youre saying, but he wouldnt have wanted to go that soon. Nobody would.
Dale died of a basilar skull fracture. For anyone who is familiar with this injury, it's *immediately* obvious on seeing a victim that they are gone. Heartbreaking.
@@denisejudd5832 Drivers know when it's bad. The angle was bad, the way he came off the wall was bad, him being taken to the Halifax hospital at a slow pace, everything was bad about it.
He knew. When the car remains intact after a hard hit it means the driver took the brunt of the impact. When the car disintegrates, as they are designed to do, it usually means the driver will be okay.
Ken Schrader is an awesome person. He doesn't get enough praise for the driver he was and the man he is. It's terrible that he carries the memory and burden the darkest moment in the history of the sport and the death of one of his best friends.
I just feel awful for Kenny Schrader. Such a good guy, and he's the first person to find Dale slumped over and dead. I just can't even imagine the pain that he obviously still feels today. I was a firefighter/EMT-I for 21 years, and have seen some bad stuff. In the video you can see that a medic is doing chest compressions on Dale when they take him out of the ambulance. He was dead as soon as he hit that wall. The life left him right away, I am just about positive. But I do believe that he knew before he died that Mikey and Jr. were going to finish 1-2.
A friend of my dad’s knew some of the medical staff who did Dale’s autopsy and he claimed that he was told that Dale had been laughing just before he hit the wall. So he knew what the outcome was gonna be.
His death was like katsumotos in the last samurai in more than one way. One of the last in a dying breed, going out for one last hoorah, only to die watching, to him, what would have been the most beautiful sight.
If it weren't for the sacrifice Dale Earnhardt made, NASCAR wouldn't have the safety improvements that it has today. Your legacy will never be forgotten Dale. You're racing up in heaven with Jesus and the angels.
Jack TASM2 the thing that gets me. Is 3 other drivers died that same year. And Nascar didn't do anything. They gambled, and lost one of the best Drivers in Nascar history. Why NASCAR WHY!
My heart goes out to Kenny Schrader. To have to be in that moment knowing that your friend not just a driver is laying there dying and there's nothing he could do
My heart goes out to him, but more importantly to Michael Waltrip. Can you imagine starting 460 some odd races, NEVER winning, you FINALLY do, its THE Superbowl of your sport, and the Babe Ruth of your sport dies on the last lap of your long awaited victory? Brutal. I dont even know HOW you feel that day. Yes, its still amazing to win, but how can you really enjoy it? Im just happy for Michael Waltrip that he was able to win that second 500, and be allowed to enjoy it completely.
One thing that still breaks my heart is seeing interviews with people who knew him and they can't talk much without breaking down in tears. Dale Earnhardt, your fans still miss you very much. NASCAR was never the same when you left us. Watching it today, it's obvious something always feels missing...
You ever hit a object at say 50 mph.... I did.... the seatbelt cracked all my ribs .. the bruising, I was in pain for mos.... now... try it at 200... rip dale
What was really eerie for me was what Dale said to Richard while they were stopped on the backstretch after Tony's wreck. If they don't do something to these cars someone is going to get killed. 15 laps later he was gone.
@@robmaynard5524 Maybe he should have cared when they had him in Indianapolis showing him the HANS device and trying to get him on board. Maybe NASCAR shouldn't have given his opinion on it as much weight as they did. Multiple experts have weighed in and stated the failed seatbelt did not cause life threatening injuries. Even in failing, they did their job and restrained his torso. Dale Earnhardt died from a basilar skull fracture. The same injuries that killed Adam Petty, Tony Roper, and Kenny Irwin Jr less than a year before. The racing at Daytona and Talledega have been much the same for years, off and on depending on the cars. But safety is important and respected now. So instead of another Dale Earnhardt, we have seeming miracles like the crash Ryan Newman survived last year.
Dr. Branch did my neck repair in 2008. Best of the best. He's the Earnhardt of Neurosurgery. Wonder man. Busy man. Has 10 students following him everywhere (Baptist is a teaching hospital). His time is incredibly precious. What does he do the day after my surgery? Comes in personally to check on me. I was blown away. I had to tell him I'd been reading up on him and the work he did on 3 to get him back on track. The good Dr. sat on the corner of my bed for 15 minutes telling us Earnhardt stories. It was surreal. The funniest stories and heartwarming. He trusted Dr. Branch 110%. All in. Dr said he was smart as a whip, asking questions and looking at all the various x-rays in Branch's office, wanting to know what was wrong with this guy and how are ya gonna fix him doc? 10 years ago and I'll remember it as long as I life. The best. A true healer from the old school.
I'll never forget that day. I was an over the road truck driver who just finished watching the race in an Atlanta truck stop. The crash happened, the race ended, the coverage ended. I got in my truck to head to my stop. Within 10 minutes over the radio station came the words, "Dale Earnhardt is dead". I cried so hard I could hardly drive my truck. I lost my hero that day. Man I miss him.
He has great company to race with - Davey Allison, Tim Richmond and of course his best friend Neil Bonnett. The racing in Heaven is better than on earth
Gold Fusion this was the saddest day of Nascar but Ayrton Senna's death in 1994 was even worse 😥 He was a 4 times world champion at that time and was absolutely dominating formula 1 the greatest driver of all time died because his steering wheel locked at 200 mph and he had no chance for surviving that impact Anyway R.I.P to Dale Senna and all the other racers who passed away doing what they loved They will never be forgotten
I was a one year old in 2001 just two months away from my second birthday after 9/11... and the world changed and I felt nothing... or probably felt a change but never felt anything that hits my mind. As I am getting older nowadays I’m starting to realize that 2001 changed all of our lives including mine I never became selfish or immature now like everyone else in my generation because its important in my lifetime and it still impacts me forever...
Justin Duncan i remember watching this race live frm my living room thoses final ten laps was weird to me like i knew how everything was setting up to b a forever memory and losing i have hoped and dreamed tha someday i could race agaisnt him just once and if dale jr ever reads this comment on utube dale im srry u lost ur father i kno the feeling far to well
Justin Duncan awesome statement.. It's not a nascar.. At the time it was a Winston Cup race car NASCAR is not a car its National Association (for) Stock Car Auto Racing
NASCAR died that day that Dale died I just have no desire to watch NASCAR any more he made NASCAR what it was !!! Long live the memory of the Intimidator and #3 !!!
I was a Dale Earnhardt fan ever since I got an autograph hat from him back in the 80's. And being a ten year old standing next to him I knew why they called him The Intimidator. But now the heart and soul of NASCAR is gone.
Kenny Schrader's facial expressions and mannerisms in this..... He says so much without words. He clearly is still traumatized by it. I wish him healing.
I was ten when this happened. I cried so hard. I had a dead feeling inside when watching the next few races but when harvick won.....that was one of the happiest moments of my life
Mine too! And that's when I became a Kevin Harvick fan and still am! I had been watching Kevin and was a fan because he reminded me of my previous favorite driver, Rusty Wallace. He had a similar driving style and when they tapped him to drive the 3 car, I was really happy, even after they changed the number to 29. RIP Dale. Your memory will never be forgotten.
So chilling watching Schrader and those first responders frantically moving around the wreck, shaking their heads, putting their arms up and shuffling around in general disbelief and shock at what they were seeing. That scene in the car had to be ugly... Had they shown this footage during the actual race, the whole world would have known then without NASCAR even having to make the announcement a few hours later. What a sad day, it's like 9/11, one thing that will stick with me forever when this happened.
He reminded me of Ned a few years prior rooting for his son Dale, but DW was quick to see over at Turn 4 to see if Dale Sr. was OK and you knew he was worried just like everyone else that day
Rest In Peace Dale (1951-2001). You were the man who shaped NASCAR as we know it today. You were a legend, a role model to me and all of your fans. Your legacy will live on forever.
But I do have to say he'd roll over in his grave if he knew how much they've ruined what he spent 3 decades of his life building and promoting and making exciting !!! R.I.P. Dale "The Intimidator" Earnhardt 🙏 🍻
I feel sorry for the Earnhardt family. What an awful event. My heart goes to Kenny Schrader and his family too. I can't imagine how this impacted his life
@@dane21dc Ppl are not rational about death lol. Ppl also sent death threats to the seatbelt manufacturers to the point that the official autopsy is what it took for ppl to back off.
Got choked up when it showed the last lap where it happened. Imagine that this was supposed to be Michael Waltrips big day, he finally won, only to find out that one of his closest friends died on that last lap. I can’t imagine the soul crushing weight that he felt that day. Or since. Hands down one of the most tragic moments in sports history period. Not just in nascar, but in all of sports. Rip dale sr.
Michael really got screwed out of what should have been a special day. 462 races without a win? How many YEARS of Nascar does that equal? I kind of doubt if his last name wasnt Waltrip, if he would even have a ride in 2001. Im really happy he got that second one, and a win he could completely enjoy. Michael always seemed like as down to earth and as funny of a guy that was in Nascar in those days.
@@chocolatetownforever7537 He also won the Pepsi 400 in 2002 after finishing 2nd to his teammate Dale Jr. the year before in that 4th of July race. Then, on February 18th, 2011, exactly 10 years after that tragic day in 2001, Michael Waltrip won the Truck Series race at Daytona in the no. 15 truck in honor of his fallen friend and car owner.
I know I’m late... but Dale was the most inspirational racer you could ever witness. He did indeed go to victory lane, we just didn’t see him go there. R.I.P Dale Earnhardt Sr.
A lot of people say NASCAR is just making left turns, I wish I could knock them out. You don’t know NASCAR if you don’t know Dale Earnhardt. At least he died doing what he loved
Gosh, being a NC girl NASCAR runs through our blood! We've been blessed to say, "Some of the best and greatest of NASCAR have been a part of NC history!" The "Day Dale Died" is a huge part of every NC NASCAR fan! 2001 was a year of memories. "Bring what you've got, bump, and grind, THAT'S RACING!" Thanks too all for the memories! Each of you have left a place in our hearts! The piece where Waltrip says, "It feels great, I hope Dale's okay!" Shows the kind of man Waltrip is and the kind of friend he is! We look foward to seeing what's in store for the generations ahead!
SJ-M m I'm not a NASCAR fan but I am from NC I remember being I 7th grade when this happened exactly one month before my 13th birthday. A friend at school told me and shocked wasn't even the word! As I said before I'm not a racing fan but Dale was my favorite driver.
I met Ken Schrader at my local dirt track back in 2006 as he was giving me his autograph it ran through my head like OMG this man was the first one who saw Dale but I didn't dare bring that up I just shook his hand and said thanks Kenny glad your out here tonight
I will never forget this as long as i live. Im 27 and my oldest brother is just over 40 and had everything dale. I mean all his diecasts the whole thing. Dale was his reason for watching NASCAR. He was his hero. The night they made the announcement i was only 10 yrs old and i remember being on the living room floor with my parents just watching tv and all of a sudden my brother runs up from downstairs pail as a ghost and my mom asked him whats wrong and he said they lost dale. And when he told us what channel to turn it on and we saw the announcement by mike Helton. I will forever remember his words from that day. People always remember where they were when a historic or tragic event happened and im no different. And in closing when kevin won at atlanta a few races later, it was just me and my mom home at that time and there was alot of tears to say the least
This was the first NASCAR race that I ever watched from start to finish, I was instantly hooked after this. Not because of Dale's death, but because of all the comradare involved. Such a family oriented and team sport. I picked Dale Earnhardt Jr as my favorite driver to root for before this race. Now after 17 years, I am still a Dale Jr and NASCAR fan. R.I.P. Dale Earnhardt Sr.
Never saw him race live, I'm too young. But I admire this man, he drove his heart out every single race, he looked for his people and he was a monster out on the racetrack, he's definitely a role model that I look up to. RIP _3_ I wish I could have seen you race!
Was fortunate enough to meet Richard Petty DW Dale Jr but never fortunate enough to meet Sr. Only time I’d ever seen my dad cry was the day he died. Will never forget it. Was laying on our ugly blue couch woke up to my dad yelling no can’t be it wasn’t even a roll over. We all watched the race and did not think it was bad at all. My family went to every race huge NASCAR fans after that day we stopped watching tbh. Went to Martinsville once and watched junior but went from family gathering watching when I was a kid to nobody watching anymore. The intimidator was IT. Him and Richard Petty IMO. Almost passed out as a kid meeting Richard at a race.
I’ve been in NC since 2017 and knew nothing about the Earnhardt legacy but today I watched this and sobbed so hard. Truly tragic and can be felt to this day. Rest in the MOST peace.
My grandfather always spoke about Dale with a smile on his face. He was a huge nascar fan and he always said that Dale would forever be his favorite…I like to think that when my grandfather passed away he finally got to go up and speak to Dale in heaven. Rest in peace 🤍
I think Austin Dillon is a bigger "gravy trainer" than Dale Jr. and Kyle Petty. He's had everything handed to him since day 1. His grandpa being Richard Childress is the only reason why he drives the 3 car.
What continues to make this more and more sad and that will forever be heartbreaking is thinking about how MW waited and couldn't wait to see Dale and get that arm around the neck and spend the greatest day of his life with his most favorite person in this world
I never was a Dale fan I always pulled for Bill Elliott then later Kenseth, but I was floored when he died and nascar has felt different ever since. He was in my mind the greatest ever & always will be. RIP Intimidator
When Ken said, "I lost my hunting buddy", it hit me. I was 16 years old watching with my parents when it happened and we all thought the same thing..."It wasn't that bad. He'll be alright". And then we heard the news. I haven't watched a NASCAR race since then
I will always remember Dale. And I will always remember this day as we had this playing during my birthday. Every year now on my birthday whether Daytona was racing that day or not I always have a moment of silence for Dale
My birthday also. February 18th. Dale Earnhardt Sr. was my favorite driver. I was not able to watch NASCAR racing, after Dale Sr. lost his life, nor enjoy my birthday for a couple of years. When I decided to watch it later, it just wasn't the same, and I no longer listen to it. I just can't. R.I.P. Dale Sr. You are gone, but will always be remembered with love and respect. ❤
Jeff was the reason I was into NASCAR and even after this race had torn a piece of me out I kept on watchin because of Jeff, and also knowing that Jeff was undeniably influenced greatly by what Sr. had taught him in his younger years when he was the Rainbow Warrior. I've only really now walked away from NASCAR after Jeff left to follow ALMS/WEC and F1.
I can still remember this day. I was like 7. My family was on a trip and had gone out to dinner. My mom had pulled me away from the TV before the ending of the race, but at the dinner, I saw the crash and I cried for a good 15 minutes under the table and was inconsolable. He was a great man and a great driver. RIP.
great driver, I agree. He was entertaining to watch at the very least. But outside his inner circle he was pretty well known to be a prick, especially to the fans. What happened, happened. I know people that worked for him and around him, he wasn't exactly a nice guy.
I never got into NASCAR, but my dad loves it. Always had it on TV when it was on. I was only 2 when this all happened, and I can only imagine the tears in my dads eyes when he saw all this go down.
No disrespect to Dale whatsoever but he refused to follow several safety protocols out of stubborness and overestimating. It doesn't matter how good and experienced you are...not following safety protocols will shorten your time, especially let alone when your livelihood is more dangerous than others...it really doesn't matter if you are a pro. And he was an amazing racer who changed the face of NASCAR. I'm not disrespecting him once again, but it's frustrating to know he would have likely survived that had he just listened. Had he not died though others would have after...so you're right in that, but he didn't do it on purpose to save others...he was stubborn. May he still rest in peace
@@Deakybean181Agreed. We tend to martyr people when they die. Dales death DID lead to safer cars, but saying he died for others to be safe, is absurd. He didnt sacrifice himself for others, and I honestly wonder if he wasnt so openly opposed to HANS and full faced helmets, that NASCAR might have mandated those things earlier. Dale's voice and opinion had that much power, and we all know how close he was to the France's.
To have your best day and your worst day on the same day affects you in a way that is so profound that no one could ever say anything to help you. But knowing that is how life is makes it a bitter pill to swallow.
The saddest irony of all is that although it was obviously a hard impact, it still seems like far from the worst you've ever seen, in fact Dale had survived much more violent and spectacular wrecks than that. A reminder that the pursuit of safety in motor racing can never become complacent.
Tuckyvoonoost are you really that big of a moron everyone even the greatest can have a wreck and anyone could have been killed it's a dangerous sport but make no mistake Dale Earnhardt was the greatest ever
I dont believe I was able to watch another Nascar race after this. As a young kid I idolized this man's tenacity on and off the track. Miss ya Intimidator, long live the legend of the best stache you could see in a rearview.
This was so beautifully done in remembering "The Intimidator", Dale Earnhardt, Sr. This day will forever be etched in my brain because Dale's passing was also the same weekend that my husband and I were married. Coming home and listening to MRN radio during the Daytona 500 and then learning just before we reached home, that reports of Dale Sr, passing away. All I could do was pull over and cry. Dale Sr, you will always be in the heart's of all NASCAR fan's and you will NEVER, EVER be forgotten. Rest In Peace Dale Earnhardt Sr and race for that checkered flag in heaven. The #3 Legend Lives On.
I saw the crash and the finish. My son was a year old and napping. I figured everything would be ok. I decided to join him for a brief nap. I woke up to the announcement that we lost Dale. I was shocked. The racing world changed that day. Poor Kenny has to carry what he saw. Damn,its still tough today. I fly the 3 on my back porch to this day. Dale was every working man.
Only time I ever saw my dad cry. Remember watching the race being a kid and thinking it wasn’t that bad. We’d seen roll overs and far worse wrecks. When the announcement was officially made my dad broke down crying. We all did. Was surreal. I’ll never forget that day. Long live the intimidator
I wasn't much of a NASCAR fan back then but I knew of Dale Earnhardt and his legacy and I remember watching Sportscenter the day this happened and saw on thier little ticker that he died and was in disbelief and then when they made the announcement my heart just dropped. Just sad that it took the loss of such a legend to make everything in NASCAR alot safer
I started watching NASCAR in 1996, at 13 years old. I immediately latched on to Dale Sr. From '96-'03 the only race I missed was Dale's 98 Daytona win. That will forever bother me on some level.
I knew this guy in High School who was obsessed with Dale Earnhardt. He grew the mustache, had the sunglasses, had #3 Flags on his buick, He was a dork, but Im sure this shattered him to the core
I can't imagine the hell NASAR's president was feeling when he said, "We've lost Dale!" Dale, was the angel that has carried many over that finish line, even Waltrip, on the day Dale became an angel!
Man seeing how happy and giddy he was, especially the night before the 500, makes it all that heartbreaking. It really sucks that he was taken from us in an untimely fashion. What a huge loss not only for NASCAR, but just for sports in general.
I was a little to young to remember this day I was only 7 but unfortunately I had to go through this same type of thing with my favorite Indycar driver Dan Wheldon with his fatal crash at Las Vegas in 2011
I couldn’t even talk about this for years.😢💔 I was Dale’s #1 fan & felt so lost when he was gone. I actually stopped watching for a very long time. My heart still breaks thinking about losing the greatest driver in NASCAR, Miss U So Much Dale!! 🏁
Not only he's the greatest Nascar driver of all time. He had a smile on his face every time he was on the track and his legacy will always be remembered in Nascar!
This incident and Ayrton Senna’s fatal crash at Imola in 1994 are two of the most tragic, sad ways to lose two of the most important people in Motorsport at that time. It pissed me off that Dale’s wreck didn’t seem that bad until you saw the onboard.
Senna didn't look too bad either, just very unlucky. But, the piss take is that it took both legends dying for the sports to clear their act up and focus on safety. Before that, drivers were dying left, right and center. No one cared much about their deaths as a few of them were not so big/well known. Both drivers would still be here to this day, if it didn't take their death being the one to make safety a priority. Haven't had a death in Nascar since. Only death in F1 since 1994 was Jules which was tragic, we truly lost an upcoming great but, that was freak accident which very frustratingly, we almost had a repeat last year, at the same god damn track!!! Unbelievable.
Still hurts today as it did then. Watching this brought all the emotions to the surface again. My dog sitting here wondering what's wrong, but not leaving my side. Not sure why but their are only a few who have passed that get me in the same way .
"Those words were impossible!" That's exactly how I felt. I just remember watching Mike Helton and I just kept thinking No No No, don't you say it, and then he did. Even though I knew it was coming, His words were truly Impossible to hear. Marty Smith said it perfectly.
I’ve never seen those videos of him the days before the Daytona 500… how chilling and so sad to see a man on top of the world loving life and not knowing it’s over in 24 hours
This is the saddest video I've ever seen. when i was young, i really cried when his death happen that day. Every time i play my NASCAR games, i always played as Dale Sr because i love him so much. I wish i could meet him in real life. But, i never got the chance. Dale Sr is in a better place right now in heaven. I'm glad Dale Jr wanted to continue his legacy in racing. Dale Sr is gone but not forgotten. Thank you Dale Earnhardt Sr. The Intimidatior will always be remembered to it's fans.
I can't believe it's been 20 years since we lost not only one of the greatest icons in auto racing, but also one of the greatest icons in the history of sports. He would have been 70 years old this year. :'(
I remember where I was when this happened. I was 3 years old and my family and I were in Gatlinburg, TN for a vacation. It was a very cold day and we were in the hotel room and my dad decided to watch the Daytona 500. He was a fan of Dale Sr. After he had that crash on the final lap, he was upset about it and decided to turn off the TV right after he wrecked. Then a little later, he went downstairs to take a dip in the swimming pool and hot tub. Then, less than two hours after the wreck, my dad was in the hot tub and someone got in the tub and asked him if he saw the race and what happened to Dale. He said, "yeah". And he said that it's hard to believe he's dead. And my dad was in disbelief. He was devastated for a while.
Let me tell you this moved me, and it moved me a lot. I’m not even a die hard fan of the sport, but it’s hard not to cry when you see the lead up to the crash, the expressions of everyone being interviewed, and know just how much Earnhardt was loved. Thank you for uploading this in its entirety to RUclips.
My dad took me to Daytona for the race and Dale was my hero. We came from south Carolina and I remember being mad when he wrecked but later that night my dad told me what actually happened. It was a crushing end to an amazing week. I never felt the same about Nascar after that.
very bad day.. This is just Bad😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔. When I got the news, my reaction was "Damn Papa, it's really a wrap" RIP Dale. 35 years old I am and this program brings back all the pain.
I remember watching that race when i was 5 years old. Even then i knew that crash wasnt good. His sacrifice made the sport safer, he shouldnt have had to sacrifice his life to make it safer but that is just the reality of it. Hindsight is always 20/20. Number 3 forever.
Can't imagine a better way to go out. Sad he's gone, but I think that's the ending he wanted anyway...he went into that crash smiling and with a tear in his eye
17 years ago today Dale Earnhardt Sr. gave his life protecting the positions of his son and his friend. Everybody should take a moment and think what a great racer Dale was before his death. We flashback 2018 Daytona 500 : Austin Dillon #3 won the Daytona 500. This symbolizes Dale pushing his #3 car to win the Daytona 500 like he did 20 years before that.
Poor Ken Schrader. He knew right away Dale was dead. No question about it. Even though he's never actually said it you can see it in his face whenever he speaks about it. But I always like to believe there's no other way Dale Earnhardt would have wanted to leave this earth. The man ate, slept, and breathed racing. There was no more fitting and deserving way for him to go than behind the wheel of a race car doing what God put him on this earth to do. Rest easy Dale. The world still misses you.
When Kenny walked up over to the car he knew Dale was no longer alive. He did an interview on the 10 year anniversary that he did not want to be the one to say Dale is dead. Kenny holds onto a lot of guilt with what happened even though it wasn’t his fault. And then to be the first person to see he was no longer here. It’s super sad.
You had to mess it up with your "god" nonsense. Do you really believe that if an all-powerful, all-knowing, ancient, Jewish, rabbi-zombie really existed that he actually gave a shit about Nascar racing? If I was all-powerful I'd feed starving children and prevent kids from dying of cancer. I wouldn't be using my super powers to do mundane shit like worry about racing.
You may be right about what you said Matty, but dying doing what he loved at only age 49? With a daughter who was just 13 when he passed? I appreciate what youre saying, but he wouldnt have wanted to go that soon. Nobody would.
@@chocolatetownforever7537 Agreed. But he was willing to pay that price.
Dale died of a basilar skull fracture. For anyone who is familiar with this injury, it's *immediately* obvious on seeing a victim that they are gone. Heartbreaking.
When DW said “I hope Dale’s okay, he’s alright ain’t he?” That hurt
It did, I think DW knew it was not good. And Schrader having to tell Mikey.💔
@@denisejudd5832 Drivers know when it's bad. The angle was bad, the way he came off the wall was bad, him being taken to the Halifax hospital at a slow pace, everything was bad about it.
It’s hilarious 😂😂 Dale was not ok
He knew. When the car remains intact after a hard hit it means the driver took the brunt of the impact. When the car disintegrates, as they are designed to do, it usually means the driver will be okay.
@@pattikapp6506 Not only did he go head on into the wall, but he collected Schrader's car, which changed the angle of his car.
Ken Schrader is an awesome person. He doesn't get enough praise for the driver he was and the man he is. It's terrible that he carries the memory and burden the darkest moment in the history of the sport and the death of one of his best friends.
Dale Jr has thanked him many times for that
I just feel awful for Kenny Schrader. Such a good guy, and he's the first person to find Dale slumped over and dead. I just can't even imagine the pain that he obviously still feels today. I was a firefighter/EMT-I for 21 years, and have seen some bad stuff. In the video you can see that a medic is doing chest compressions on Dale when they take him out of the ambulance. He was dead as soon as he hit that wall. The life left him right away, I am just about positive. But I do believe that he knew before he died that Mikey and Jr. were going to finish 1-2.
For Schrader to tell Richard Childress and Michael Waltrip, especially Michael, he saw how bad this was and that stays with him forever.
Did you know rusty Wallace retired because dale sr ghost came to him said your going to died in the car
A friend of my dad’s knew some of the medical staff who did Dale’s autopsy and he claimed that he was told that Dale had been laughing just before he hit the wall. So he knew what the outcome was gonna be.
@Art Vandelay Oml i love every single one of these comments
His death was like katsumotos in the last samurai in more than one way. One of the last in a dying breed, going out for one last hoorah, only to die watching, to him, what would have been the most beautiful sight.
This man gave his life to NASCAR. Thank you Dale Earnhardt Sr.
He WAS the definition of the sport in general, Rest In Peace dale
It ended with Him!
Jacob Monday ii
Jacob Monday he was also a prick.... kinda had it coming honestly
Nascar is in a horrible state now.
Dale is not dead… he’s one lap ahead of us, always no. 1
Imagine if the HANS device or the HUTCHINS device became mandatory a few weeks after Dale's accident, Blaise Alexander would probably still be here.
I couldn't have said it better 💯❤️💯
Agreed
Driving in heaven
If it weren't for the sacrifice Dale Earnhardt made, NASCAR wouldn't have the safety improvements that it has today. Your legacy will never be forgotten Dale. You're racing up in heaven with Jesus and the angels.
Jack TASM2 if it wasn't even for his dad Ralph Earnhardt, Richard Petty There wouldn't even be A NASCAR today
Jack TASM2 aeyyy mehnnn
Jack TASM2 I agree
Jack TASM2 the thing that gets me. Is 3 other drivers died that same year. And Nascar didn't do anything. They gambled, and lost one of the best Drivers in Nascar history. Why NASCAR WHY!
Jack TASM2 agreed
My heart goes out to Kenny Schrader. To have to be in that moment knowing that your friend not just a driver is laying there dying and there's nothing he could do
He died on impact. It was quick thankfully. Maybe he rest in peace
My heart goes out to him, but more importantly to Michael Waltrip.
Can you imagine starting 460 some odd races, NEVER winning, you FINALLY do, its THE Superbowl of your sport, and the Babe Ruth of your sport dies on the last lap of your long awaited victory? Brutal.
I dont even know HOW you feel that day. Yes, its still amazing to win, but how can you really enjoy it?
Im just happy for Michael Waltrip that he was able to win that second 500, and be allowed to enjoy it completely.
Dale Earnhardt died on impact
@@Wanted.ForArson basular skull fracture. Brain basically exploded within the skull and blood pouring from eyes, ears, mouth, nose. Crazy
even harder when there was some fans that blamed him for Earnhardt's death...
One thing that still breaks my heart is seeing interviews with people who knew him and they can't talk much without breaking down in tears. Dale Earnhardt, your fans still miss you very much. NASCAR was never the same when you left us. Watching it today, it's obvious something always feels missing...
I love them all. I had a card if of Richard Childless in my wallet for a long time. Now it is just tucked away
He’s not going to be reading that 😂😂
Man, the look in Waltrip's eyes within about 10 seconds. He was transfixed on that infield. As a racer, he just knew the score.
You ever hit a object at say 50 mph.... I did.... the seatbelt cracked all my ribs .. the bruising, I was in pain for mos.... now... try it at 200... rip dale
What was really eerie for me was what Dale said to Richard while they were stopped on the backstretch after Tony's wreck. If they don't do something to these cars someone is going to get killed. 15 laps later he was gone.
@@robmaynard5524 Maybe he should have cared when they had him in Indianapolis showing him the HANS device and trying to get him on board. Maybe NASCAR shouldn't have given his opinion on it as much weight as they did.
Multiple experts have weighed in and stated the failed seatbelt did not cause life threatening injuries. Even in failing, they did their job and restrained his torso.
Dale Earnhardt died from a basilar skull fracture. The same injuries that killed Adam Petty, Tony Roper, and Kenny Irwin Jr less than a year before.
The racing at Daytona and Talledega have been much the same for years, off and on depending on the cars.
But safety is important and respected now. So instead of another Dale Earnhardt, we have seeming miracles like the crash Ryan Newman survived last year.
Thought this. Many Many times. The racer knew. Almost instantly.
@@joeyjohnson4826 not to mention The force of Ken Schrader's car combined with his when they made contact and rode up the track to the wall
You can see how badly Ken was affected by this just by the look in his face.
He'll probably never get over it:(
Dr. Branch did my neck repair in 2008. Best of the best. He's the Earnhardt of Neurosurgery. Wonder man. Busy man. Has 10 students following him everywhere (Baptist is a teaching hospital). His time is incredibly precious. What does he do the day after my surgery? Comes in personally to check on me. I was blown away. I had to tell him I'd been reading up on him and the work he did on 3 to get him back on track. The good Dr. sat on the corner of my bed for 15 minutes telling us Earnhardt stories. It was surreal. The funniest stories and heartwarming. He trusted Dr. Branch 110%. All in. Dr said he was smart as a whip, asking questions and looking at all the various x-rays in Branch's office, wanting to know what was wrong with this guy and how are ya gonna fix him doc? 10 years ago and I'll remember it as long as I life. The best. A true healer from the old school.
What a cool story, man. Thank you, thank you for sharing this.
Y6_y 6 yuyong y66
😅i
Sad, sad but not in vane as drivers today (2022) are safer as a result , am sure he knows that!!!
❤❤Dr knew he needed to tend to other fractions of care❤❤❤he helped see other sides of Dale❤❤❤
This crash proves to you how some crashes that look harmless can be life-threatening. RIP the legend
WHAT 'S LEFT TO DAY !!!¡!!!!!??????🌹😭😇👍
he didn't wear a lot of safety equipment that was already available at the time, no full helmet and didn't have the neck device thing
The belts were sabotage and cut there pics on Google
Look at wrecks rudd rusty dale dega wreck and others prior ur telling me he died in this crash plz! ......
I'll never forget that day. I was an over the road truck driver who just finished watching the race in an Atlanta truck stop. The crash happened, the race ended, the coverage ended. I got in my truck to head to my stop. Within 10 minutes over the radio station came the words, "Dale Earnhardt is dead". I cried so hard I could hardly drive my truck. I lost my hero that day. Man I miss him.
Dale Sr. Is winning lots of races in heaven.
In whatever afterlife you have there are no losers in racing.
He has great company to race with - Davey Allison, Tim Richmond and of course his best friend Neil Bonnett. The racing in Heaven is better than on earth
heared he has great races with Ayrton Senna up there. :)
@@chrisbee9643 finally got to drive a f1 car 😁
@@graysonbyass-rascoe4326 i bet they switch, for sure. .D
The Saddest day of Motorsport history 😭 1951-2001. 2001. The year that changed the world forever!
Gold Fusion this was the saddest day of Nascar but Ayrton Senna's death in 1994 was even worse 😥
He was a 4 times world champion at that time and was absolutely dominating formula 1
the greatest driver of all time died because his steering wheel locked at 200 mph and he had no chance for surviving that impact
Anyway R.I.P to Dale Senna and all the other racers who passed away doing what they loved
They will never be forgotten
Especially 9/11 and the crazy 8's inacednt
Then September 11 happened to sad days
I was a one year old in 2001 just two months away from my second birthday after 9/11... and the world changed and I felt nothing... or probably felt a change but never felt anything that hits my mind. As I am getting older nowadays I’m starting to realize that 2001 changed all of our lives including mine I never became selfish or immature now like everyone else in my generation because its important in my lifetime and it still impacts me forever...
@@shanejones2568 IK about 2 of those!
At Least Dale Earnhardt Died Driving a Nascar, What He Loved Doing in His Life.
Justin Duncan i remember watching this race live frm my living room thoses final ten laps was weird to me like i knew how everything was setting up to b a forever memory and losing i have hoped and dreamed tha someday i could race agaisnt him just once and if dale jr ever reads this comment on utube dale im srry u lost ur father i kno the feeling far to well
Justin Duncan awesome statement.. It's not a nascar.. At the time it was a Winston Cup race car NASCAR is not a car its National Association (for) Stock Car Auto Racing
At least he died doing the thing he loved
NASCAR died that day that Dale died I just have no desire to watch NASCAR any more he made NASCAR what it was !!!
Long live the memory of the Intimidator and #3 !!!
I was a Dale Earnhardt fan ever since I got an autograph hat from him back in the 80's. And being a ten year old standing next to him I knew why they called him The Intimidator. But now the heart and soul of NASCAR is gone.
I don't even watch Nascar... But damn this was sad ! Poor Dale
Ikr Poor Dale
I thought you said p0rn dale
Kenny Schrader's facial expressions and mannerisms in this..... He says so much without words. He clearly is still traumatized by it. I wish him healing.
Nascar has never been the same and never will be. We miss you Dale!
I was ten when this happened. I cried so hard. I had a dead feeling inside when watching the next few races but when harvick won.....that was one of the happiest moments of my life
I'm a.Gordon fan , but Harvick had to win that race !!!!
We’re u at the race
I live in Germany and I saw my dad cry for the first and only time, when he got to know, that his idol and hero has passed away...
Mine too! And that's when I became a Kevin Harvick fan and still am! I had been watching Kevin and was a fan because he reminded me of my previous favorite driver, Rusty Wallace. He had a similar driving style and when they tapped him to drive the 3 car, I was really happy, even after they changed the number to 29. RIP Dale. Your memory will never be forgotten.
Same. 10 years old, I’m almost 32 now and I remember it like it was yesterday…
So chilling watching Schrader and those first responders frantically moving around the wreck, shaking their heads, putting their arms up and shuffling around in general disbelief and shock at what they were seeing. That scene in the car had to be ugly... Had they shown this footage during the actual race, the whole world would have known then without NASCAR even having to make the announcement a few hours later. What a sad day, it's like 9/11, one thing that will stick with me forever when this happened.
Two tragedies happened in one year Dale’s tragic death and 9/11 the darkest day that ever unfolded in our nation
Still get goosebumps watching harvicks Atlanta win, it was something that Dale would be proud of Kevin. Keep racing that's what he wants
Honestly what gets me the most is watching Darrell’s reaction to watching his brother win the race. True love
He reminded me of Ned a few years prior rooting for his son Dale, but DW was quick to see over at Turn 4 to see if Dale Sr. was OK and you knew he was worried just like everyone else that day
Def replayed that a few times. A small light in the dark. I could be wrong, but I think maybe he wished he HAD joined Michael in the winner's circle.
Should’ve been a day of rejoicing for the family but man….😢
Rest In Peace Dale (1951-2001). You were the man who shaped NASCAR as we know it today. You were a legend, a role model to me and all of your fans. Your legacy will live on forever.
Well Said, The Day A Hero Died
But I do have to say he'd roll over in his grave if he knew how much they've ruined what he spent 3 decades of his life building and promoting and making exciting !!! R.I.P. Dale "The Intimidator" Earnhardt 🙏 🍻
Dale Jr will be as old in 2023 as his daddy was when he died in 2001
@@VenerableBede2510 yeah the 2001 was horrible year Dale Sr died then Scared Event was 9/11
I'll never forget that day, living in Daytona at the time it was unbelievable. I hope Kenny gets the peace he deserves, he's a good man
I feel sorry for the Earnhardt family. What an awful event. My heart goes to Kenny Schrader and his family too. I can't imagine how this impacted his life
Kenny saw what actually happened to Dale cuz his neck was broke!
Kenny received death threats after that people were blaming him for his death
For all except Teresa
Teresa Earnhardt sucked
@@amandagossman5899Lol for what? He literally did nothing. Earnhardt’s car took a right turn straight into his path
@@dane21dc Ppl are not rational about death lol. Ppl also sent death threats to the seatbelt manufacturers to the point that the official autopsy is what it took for ppl to back off.
Got choked up when it showed the last lap where it happened. Imagine that this was supposed to be Michael Waltrips big day, he finally won, only to find out that one of his closest friends died on that last lap. I can’t imagine the soul crushing weight that he felt that day. Or since. Hands down one of the most tragic moments in sports history period. Not just in nascar, but in all of sports. Rip dale sr.
Michael really got screwed out of what should have been a special day. 462 races without a win? How many YEARS of Nascar does that equal? I kind of doubt if his last name wasnt Waltrip, if he would even have a ride in 2001.
Im really happy he got that second one, and a win he could completely enjoy. Michael always seemed like as down to earth and as funny of a guy that was in Nascar in those days.
@@chocolatetownforever7537 He also won the Pepsi 400 in 2002 after finishing 2nd to his teammate Dale Jr. the year before in that 4th of July race. Then, on February 18th, 2011, exactly 10 years after that tragic day in 2001, Michael Waltrip won the Truck Series race at Daytona in the no. 15 truck in honor of his fallen friend and car owner.
Coming from someone who loves NASCAR, every time I think of this I always tear up
The music at 21:59 made me tear up again and start crying. I was fine threw out the doc until then.
I know I’m late... but Dale was the most inspirational racer you could ever witness. He did indeed go to victory lane, we just didn’t see him go there. R.I.P Dale Earnhardt Sr.
Never too late to say anything on this video buddy
A lot of people say NASCAR is just making left turns, I wish I could knock them out. You don’t know NASCAR if you don’t know Dale Earnhardt. At least he died doing what he loved
ProWolf Wolf88 you said it hell yeah
ProWolf Wolf88 amen
ᎢΗΣΝᏆᏀΗᎢΜΑᎡΣ ᎡΣβᎤᎡΝ lol
ProWolf Wolf88 I respect your interest but shit the fuck up. You know you wouldn't do shit
Linkophere what's your proplem
20 years later. And it still hurts. We miss you Dale. And your leagend lives on. Rest in peace Intimidator.
3🖤🏁
I know earnhardt is dead and all but he was one of the biggest inspiration in my life he lead me into starting motorcoss
"20 years under an unjust sun" that literally have me chills
RIP to the intimidator!! Dale is what got me into nascar. He wa the absolute best.
That comment "you'll probably see something that you'd never see on Fox" still gives me chills till this day I remember that interview before the race
Gosh, being a NC girl NASCAR runs through our blood! We've been blessed to say, "Some of the best and greatest of NASCAR have been a part of NC history!" The "Day Dale Died" is a huge part of every NC NASCAR fan! 2001 was a year of memories. "Bring what you've got, bump, and grind, THAT'S RACING!" Thanks too all for the memories! Each of you have left a place in our hearts! The piece where Waltrip says, "It feels great, I hope Dale's okay!" Shows the kind of man Waltrip is and the kind of friend he is! We look foward to seeing what's in store for the generations ahead!
SJ-M m I'm not a NASCAR fan but I am from NC I remember being I 7th grade when this happened exactly one month before my 13th birthday. A friend at school told me and shocked wasn't even the word! As I said before I'm not a racing fan but Dale was my favorite driver.
Ro'Shaun Goolsby Thanks, you sure know how to make a girl feel really old. Haha. NASCAR isn't what it was! I don't keep up with it anymore.
Did you know there has been at least one NASCAR death on a NC Safeway that I know of. It was televised.
I mean raceway
Ken knew he was dead. Had to impact him more than we can know!....:(
especially since he, Earnhardt and Mikey got along so well outside of the track...
I agree. I think he knew as soon as he looked. I can’t imagine.
Kelley Chandler there’s a reason he never talks about what he saw. What he saw was traumatic for him.
Yep. As soon as he looked into the car, he knew Earnhardt was toast.
I met Ken Schrader at my local dirt track back in 2006 as he was giving me his autograph it ran through my head like OMG this man was the first one who saw Dale but I didn't dare bring that up I just shook his hand and said thanks Kenny glad your out here tonight
I will never forget this as long as i live. Im 27 and my oldest brother is just over 40 and had everything dale. I mean all his diecasts the whole thing. Dale was his reason for watching NASCAR. He was his hero. The night they made the announcement i was only 10 yrs old and i remember being on the living room floor with my parents just watching tv and all of a sudden my brother runs up from downstairs pail as a ghost and my mom asked him whats wrong and he said they lost dale. And when he told us what channel to turn it on and we saw the announcement by mike Helton. I will forever remember his words from that day. People always remember where they were when a historic or tragic event happened and im no different. And in closing when kevin won at atlanta a few races later, it was just me and my mom home at that time and there was alot of tears to say the least
That must have been SOME time.
Imagine if he didn't crash? Would've been the best finish for 3rd place EVER!!!
Dessoville 739 too soon
And Dale would've probably been absolutely stoked to take that 3rd place with having Waltrip and Jr. finish 1-2.
This was the first NASCAR race that I ever watched from start to finish, I was instantly hooked after this. Not because of Dale's death, but because of all the comradare involved. Such a family oriented and team sport. I picked Dale Earnhardt Jr as my favorite driver to root for before this race. Now after 17 years, I am still a Dale Jr and NASCAR fan. R.I.P. Dale Earnhardt Sr.
Poor Mikey, his life was basically destroyed after this. It should have been the best day of his life.
I was watching the race and never believed Dale died. I was waiting for him to come out of the car and he never did . He is dearly missed
You watch the. Race and sales death?
Never saw him race live, I'm too young.
But I admire this man, he drove his heart out every single race, he looked for his people and he was a monster out on the racetrack, he's definitely a role model that I look up to.
RIP _3_ I wish I could have seen you race!
Ik
Was fortunate enough to meet Richard Petty DW Dale Jr but never fortunate enough to meet Sr. Only time I’d ever seen my dad cry was the day he died. Will never forget it. Was laying on our ugly blue couch woke up to my dad yelling no can’t be it wasn’t even a roll over. We all watched the race and did not think it was bad at all. My family went to every race huge NASCAR fans after that day we stopped watching tbh. Went to Martinsville once and watched junior but went from family gathering watching when I was a kid to nobody watching anymore. The intimidator was IT. Him and Richard Petty IMO. Almost passed out as a kid meeting Richard at a race.
I’ve been in NC since 2017 and knew nothing about the Earnhardt legacy but today I watched this and sobbed so hard. Truly tragic and can be felt to this day. Rest in the MOST peace.
Did anyone start crying during this
cole everett yes
cole everett yeah.
So much crying
Yes
Yea I was in some rough shape watching jr run to the infield care center
My grandfather always spoke about Dale with a smile on his face. He was a huge nascar fan and he always said that Dale would forever be his favorite…I like to think that when my grandfather passed away he finally got to go up and speak to Dale in heaven. Rest in peace 🤍
It doesn't matter what car you cheered for, everyone cheered for Jr
Ben Does Stuff not me
James Cyr why
The Gaming Egg *Sr
I think Austin Dillon is a bigger "gravy trainer" than Dale Jr. and Kyle Petty. He's had everything handed to him since day 1. His grandpa being Richard Childress is the only reason why he drives the 3 car.
He was and is still “ THE MAN “. Fly High Dale! ❤️😇
What continues to make this more and more sad and that will forever be heartbreaking is thinking about how MW waited and couldn't wait to see Dale and get that arm around the neck and spend the greatest day of his life with his most favorite person in this world
I never was a Dale fan I always pulled for Bill Elliott then later Kenseth, but I was floored when he died and nascar has felt different ever since. He was in my mind the greatest ever & always will be. RIP Intimidator
When Ken said, "I lost my hunting buddy", it hit me. I was 16 years old watching with my parents when it happened and we all thought the same thing..."It wasn't that bad. He'll be alright". And then we heard the news. I haven't watched a NASCAR race since then
That wasnt Kenny, it was Richard Childress.
I will always remember Dale. And I will always remember this day as we had this playing during my birthday. Every year now on my birthday whether Daytona was racing that day or not I always have a moment of silence for Dale
Feb18th? My Birthday, too. 1982
My birthday also. February 18th. Dale Earnhardt Sr. was my favorite driver. I was not able to watch NASCAR racing, after Dale Sr. lost his life, nor enjoy my birthday for a couple of years. When I decided to watch it later, it just wasn't the same, and I no longer listen to it. I just can't.
R.I.P. Dale Sr. You are gone, but will always be remembered with love and respect. ❤
your not a real man until you cry
And yet here you are using words incorrectly like a child would...
Guess I’m not a real man.
I wanna cry but i cant
I cried knowing that I pushed forward to victory . RIP Dale Earnhardt Sr
Review It For You dude fuck off
This is so emotional for Dale Jr. Steve Park Michael Waltrip
I was a 24 fan, but I never watched a race after Dale died. I feel like the sport died with him. I just had no more interest after that.
Scoot S It made it all too real
Scoot S Yeah it was too big for the sport.
I wasn’t even alive yet
Jeff was the reason I was into NASCAR and even after this race had torn a piece of me out I kept on watchin because of Jeff, and also knowing that Jeff was undeniably influenced greatly by what Sr. had taught him in his younger years when he was the Rainbow Warrior. I've only really now walked away from NASCAR after Jeff left to follow ALMS/WEC and F1.
Love Kenny Schrader awesome man!!! Need more of Kenny Schrader's in the world!!
I can still remember this day. I was like 7. My family was on a trip and had gone out to dinner. My mom had pulled me away from the TV before the ending of the race, but at the dinner, I saw the crash and I cried for a good 15 minutes under the table and was inconsolable. He was a great man and a great driver. RIP.
great driver, I agree. He was entertaining to watch at the very least. But outside his inner circle he was pretty well known to be a prick, especially to the fans. What happened, happened. I know people that worked for him and around him, he wasn't exactly a nice guy.
I wasn't born but my dad told me about it I was born a year later
I never got into NASCAR, but my dad loves it. Always had it on TV when it was on. I was only 2 when this all happened, and I can only imagine the tears in my dads eyes when he saw all this go down.
When Dale Jr won at the end, I cried. 😢 I was eight when Dale Senior died but I remember my dad and mom being sad. Wasn't sure why
Dale died to keep other drivers alive. That is something a man with a heart does!! Thank you dale😔
No disrespect to Dale whatsoever but he refused to follow several safety protocols out of stubborness and overestimating.
It doesn't matter how good and experienced you are...not following safety protocols will shorten your time, especially let alone when your livelihood is more dangerous than others...it really doesn't matter if you are a pro.
And he was an amazing racer who changed the face of NASCAR.
I'm not disrespecting him once again, but it's frustrating to know he would have likely survived that had he just listened.
Had he not died though others would have after...so you're right in that, but he didn't do it on purpose to save others...he was stubborn.
May he still rest in peace
I guess that's what the team player does.
@@Deakybean181Agreed. We tend to martyr people when they die. Dales death DID lead to safer cars, but saying he died for others to be safe, is absurd. He didnt sacrifice himself for others, and I honestly wonder if he wasnt so openly opposed to HANS and full faced helmets, that NASCAR might have mandated those things earlier. Dale's voice and opinion had that much power, and we all know how close he was to the France's.
To have your best day and your worst day on the same day affects you in a way that is so profound that no one could ever say anything to help you. But knowing that is how life is makes it a bitter pill to swallow.
R.I.P Dan wheldon,indycar driver,R.I.P Dale Earnhardt, Nascar driver
The saddest irony of all is that although it was obviously a hard impact, it still seems like far from the worst you've ever seen, in fact Dale had survived much more violent and spectacular wrecks than that. A reminder that the pursuit of safety in motor racing can never become complacent.
The worst day in NASCAR history. We still miss you 22 years later Dale.
A damned good man and a great race car driver.
Can't be that good he crashed and died
Phil Bateman I couldn't agree more the intimadator was the best
Tuckyvoonoost are you really that big of a moron everyone even the greatest can have a wreck and anyone could have been killed it's a dangerous sport but make no mistake Dale Earnhardt was the greatest ever
Tuckyvoonoost would of saved it if ken wasn’t there dipshit.
I dont believe I was able to watch another Nascar race after this. As a young kid I idolized this man's tenacity on and off the track. Miss ya Intimidator, long live the legend of the best stache you could see in a rearview.
I remember Dale Earnhardt saying that too and I thought it was crazy of him to say that considering what happened on the final lap
Sabastian Moore what he sayv
That the cars needed to change or it'll end up killing someone. (Safety)
I do to this just broke my heart I was at the 2001 daytona 500 and I won't go back because I don't want someone to die again
This was so beautifully done in remembering "The Intimidator", Dale Earnhardt, Sr. This day will forever be etched in my brain because Dale's passing was also the same weekend that my husband and I were married. Coming home and listening to MRN radio during the Daytona 500 and then learning just before we reached home, that reports of Dale Sr, passing away. All I could do was pull over and cry. Dale Sr, you will always be in the heart's of all NASCAR fan's and you will NEVER, EVER be forgotten. Rest In Peace Dale Earnhardt Sr and race for that checkered flag in heaven. The #3 Legend Lives On.
I saw the crash and the finish. My son was a year old and napping. I figured everything would be ok. I decided to join him for a brief nap. I woke up to the announcement that we lost Dale. I was shocked. The racing world changed that day. Poor Kenny has to carry what he saw. Damn,its still tough today. I fly the 3 on my back porch to this day. Dale was every working man.
Only time I ever saw my dad cry. Remember watching the race being a kid and thinking it wasn’t that bad. We’d seen roll overs and far worse wrecks. When the announcement was officially made my dad broke down crying. We all did. Was surreal. I’ll never forget that day. Long live the intimidator
I wasn't much of a NASCAR fan back then but I knew of Dale Earnhardt and his legacy and I remember watching Sportscenter the day this happened and saw on thier little ticker that he died and was in disbelief and then when they made the announcement my heart just dropped. Just sad that it took the loss of such a legend to make everything in NASCAR alot safer
Today marks 20 years since we lost him ❤️
I will watched this video of Remembering Dale Earnhardt’s death on this day each year.
Watching in 2019 and it still feels like it happened yesterday ......
I started watching NASCAR in 1996, at 13 years old. I immediately latched on to Dale Sr. From '96-'03 the only race I missed was Dale's 98 Daytona win. That will forever bother me on some level.
I knew this guy in High School who was obsessed with Dale Earnhardt. He grew the mustache, had the sunglasses, had #3 Flags on his buick, He was a dork, but Im sure this shattered him to the core
Rest in Peace Dale Earnhardt a legend never forgotten
I can't imagine the hell NASAR's president was feeling when he said, "We've lost Dale!" Dale, was the angel that has carried many over that finish line, even Waltrip, on the day Dale became an angel!
Man seeing how happy and giddy he was, especially the night before the 500, makes it all that heartbreaking. It really sucks that he was taken from us in an untimely fashion. What a huge loss not only for NASCAR, but just for sports in general.
Dale ain't dead. He's just a lap ahead all of us.
Shrader’s emotions are heartbreaking…he will never get over that day…
I don't know this sport or him but I'm crying right now. 😢😢
Blfan same
He truly was the embodiment of nascar
I was a little to young to remember this day I was only 7 but unfortunately I had to go through this same type of thing with my favorite Indycar driver Dan Wheldon with his fatal crash at Las Vegas in 2011
I couldn’t even talk about this for years.😢💔 I was Dale’s #1 fan & felt so lost when he was gone. I actually stopped watching for a very long time. My heart still breaks thinking about losing the greatest driver in NASCAR, Miss U So Much Dale!! 🏁
Not only he's the greatest Nascar driver of all time.
He had a smile on his face every time he was on the track and his legacy will always be remembered in Nascar!
This incident and Ayrton Senna’s fatal crash at Imola in 1994 are two of the most tragic, sad ways to lose two of the most important people in Motorsport at that time. It pissed me off that Dale’s wreck didn’t seem that bad until you saw the onboard.
I actually watched both..plus Dan Weldon&Grant Adcox& JD Mcduffie& Blaise Alexander
Senna didn't look too bad either, just very unlucky.
But, the piss take is that it took both legends dying for the sports to clear their act up and focus on safety.
Before that, drivers were dying left, right and center. No one cared much about their deaths as a few of them were not so big/well known.
Both drivers would still be here to this day, if it didn't take their death being the one to make safety a priority.
Haven't had a death in Nascar since. Only death in F1 since 1994 was Jules which was tragic, we truly lost an upcoming great but, that was freak accident which very frustratingly, we almost had a repeat last year, at the same god damn track!!! Unbelievable.
Still hurts today as it did then. Watching this brought all the emotions to the surface again. My dog sitting here wondering what's wrong, but not leaving my side. Not sure why but their are only a few who have passed that get me in the same way .
Dales death just comes to show how dangerous this sport can be! I’ve watched this around five times and I cried every single time
"Those words were impossible!" That's exactly how I felt. I just remember watching Mike Helton and I just kept thinking No No No, don't you say it, and then he did. Even though I knew it was coming, His words were truly Impossible to hear. Marty Smith said it perfectly.
I’ve never seen those videos of him the days before the Daytona 500… how chilling and so sad to see a man on top of the world loving life and not knowing it’s over in 24 hours
Dale Sr. didnt just race NASCAR...he was NASCAR
rest in peace
This is the saddest video I've ever seen. when i was young, i really cried when his death happen that day. Every time i play my NASCAR games, i always played as Dale Sr because i love him so much. I wish i could meet him in real life. But, i never got the chance. Dale Sr is in a better place right now in heaven. I'm glad Dale Jr wanted to continue his legacy in racing. Dale Sr is gone but not forgotten. Thank you Dale Earnhardt Sr. The Intimidatior will always be remembered to it's fans.
Dale Earnhardt..#3...The Intimidator...One of the BEST racers of all time!!!
We will never forget you!!!
I can't believe it's been 20 years since we lost not only one of the greatest icons in auto racing, but also one of the greatest icons in the history of sports. He would have been 70 years old this year. :'(
I remember where I was when this happened. I was 3 years old and my family and I were in Gatlinburg, TN for a vacation. It was a very cold day and we were in the hotel room and my dad decided to watch the Daytona 500. He was a fan of Dale Sr. After he had that crash on the final lap, he was upset about it and decided to turn off the TV right after he wrecked. Then a little later, he went downstairs to take a dip in the swimming pool and hot tub. Then, less than two hours after the wreck, my dad was in the hot tub and someone got in the tub and asked him if he saw the race and what happened to Dale. He said, "yeah". And he said that it's hard to believe he's dead. And my dad was in disbelief. He was devastated for a while.
Let me tell you this moved me, and it moved me a lot. I’m not even a die hard fan of the sport, but it’s hard not to cry when you see the lead up to the crash, the expressions of everyone being interviewed, and know just how much Earnhardt was loved. Thank you for uploading this in its entirety to RUclips.
My dad took me to Daytona for the race and Dale was my hero. We came from south Carolina and I remember being mad when he wrecked but later that night my dad told me what actually happened. It was a crushing end to an amazing week. I never felt the same about Nascar after that.
20 years later...... and it still doesn't feel right. RIP Dale Sr
You could see all the pain in everyone's eyes that was close to Dale that shared there story on here about the day he died. DAM!
very bad day.. This is just Bad😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔. When I got the news, my reaction was "Damn Papa, it's really a wrap" RIP Dale. 35 years old I am and this program brings back all the pain.
I remember watching that race when i was 5 years old. Even then i knew that crash wasnt good. His sacrifice made the sport safer, he shouldnt have had to sacrifice his life to make it safer but that is just the reality of it. Hindsight is always 20/20. Number 3 forever.
Can't imagine a better way to go out. Sad he's gone, but I think that's the ending he wanted anyway...he went into that crash smiling and with a tear in his eye
Well said.
17 years ago today Dale Earnhardt Sr. gave his life protecting the positions of his son and his friend. Everybody should take a moment and think what a great racer Dale was before his death. We flashback 2018 Daytona 500 : Austin Dillon #3 won the Daytona 500. This symbolizes Dale pushing his #3 car to win the Daytona 500 like he did 20 years before that.