NASCAR racing has become one of America’s most popular sports today. Races are viewed by millions of fans from around 150 countries all over the earth. NASCAR ranks second only to the National Football League in television ratings in homes and viewing areas throughout the United States.
NASCAR is very big business. It is estimated that there are at least 75 million die hard NASCAR fans. These fans are extreme brand loyalists and are said to spend over $2 million a year on NASCAR brand merchandise.
NASCAR is a thrilling. One of the reasons that NASCAR is so well-loved by the fans; is their love of NASCAR competitors. One NASCAR competitors that has a solid place in the hearts of NASCAR fans is Dale Earnhardt Sr.
Dale Earnhardt, Sr.
North Carolina born Dale Earnhardt grew up watching his father Ralph race stock cars all over the Southeast. So, as you can imagine, he always knew what he wanted to be when he grew up. Following his dream, Earnhardt began racing when he was in his late teens. He dropped out of high school and worked days welding and mounting tires to finance his fledgling racing career.
Earnhardt made an unimpressive NASCAR Winston Cup debut in 1975 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in Charlotte, North Carolina. He raced in the World 600, the longest race on the Cup circuit, finishing 22nd in owner Ed Negre’s Dodge. Interestingly, Earnhardt finished one place ahead of his future car owner, Richard Childress. He won Rookie of the Year after 11 top-five finishes that year, despite missing four races due to a broken collarbone. The following year Earnhardt won the NASCAR Winston Cup Championship, making him the only driver in history to win back-to-back Rookie of the Year honors and the Winston Cup Championship.
Those achievements were merely previews to coming attractions. During his racing career, Earnhardt won seventy-six races; is tied with Richard Petty for the most all-time NASCAR Winston Cup championships (seven: 1980, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994); and won four IROC championships (1990, 1995, 1999, 2000). In addition, Earnhardt was inducted into the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2006. He was ranked number one among ESPN’s NASCAR’s 20 Greatest Drivers in 2007 in front of Richard Petty. Earnhardt was posthumously awarded NASCAR’s Most Popular Driver in 2001 and was posthumously inducted into the Motorsports Hall of Fame of America in 2002.
Earnhardt was killed in a racing accident during the Daytona 500 on February 18, 2001. Going into turn three on the last lap, Earnhardt was racing three cars wide with Sterling Marlin to his left and Ken Shrader to his right. In the corner, Earnhardt’s left fender made contact with Marlin’s front bumper. Earnhardt’s #3 car slid off the track’s steep banking onto the flat apron, and then turned sharply up the track toward the outside retaining wall. As Earnhardt’s car came up the track, it collided with Schrader’s car. Earnhardt’s car was hit just behind the passenger door. Both cars ran nose-first into the wall. To most observers, the crash looked minor. However, Earnhardt suffered a basilar skull fracture in the crash. This type of fracture is rare, occurring as the only fracture in about four percent of severe head injury cases; but it is a common cause of death in auto racing accidents. In addition to Earnhardt, basilar skull fracture has claimed NASCAR drivers Adam Petty, Tony Roper, Kenny Irwin, Neil Bonnett, John Nemechek and Clifford Allison.
Bibliography:
The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition. 2001-07
http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0884166.html
Circle Track Magazine Editors, Stock Car Racing Magazine Editors, “Dale Earnhardt: 23 Years with The Intimidator,” MBI Publishing, 2001
