20 years ago today, Dale Earnhardt Sr. was lost after an accident in turn 4 on the final lap of the Daytona 500.

He was running 3rd at the time, but wasn't going for the win. Instead, he was blocking the entire field of cars behind him.

A thread:
While Earnhardt kept dozens of cars at bay, his son Dale Jr was running 2nd behind Michael Waltrip, Sr's close friend who had never won a points paying race in his 400+ starts at the time.

The last thing Sr saw was them racing each other with open race track in front of them.
While Earnhardt kept dozens of cars at bay, his son Dale Jr was running 2nd behind Michael Waltrip, Sr's close friend who had never won a points paying race in his 400+ starts at the time.The last thing Sr saw was them racing each other with open race track in front of them.
While Earnhardt kept dozens of cars at bay, his son Dale Jr was running 2nd behind Michael Waltrip, Sr's close friend who had never won a points paying race in his 400+ starts at the time.The last thing Sr saw was them racing each other with open race track in front of them.
Sr's tragic death took place in what should've been a story book ending for this race. Michael's older brother and former series champion and 500 winner, Darrell, is in the commentator booth coaching Michael in the closing laps despite the fact Michael can't hear him.
TW: Footage of Fatal Crash

What gets me every time I watch that footage was Darrell flipping back and forward between elation for Michael and abject dread for Dale. Many people didn't know at the time that Sr was in the worst possible kind of crash at those speeds. Darrell did
To this day, I vividly remember how my Dad and I watched the whole thing on a muted TV at a restaurant on a stop during a skiing trip. We both thought Dale would be hurt, but okay. After all, he survived crashes that ended up like THIS.
But when we settled in and flapped on the TV, the news of Sr's passing was circulating all over.
To this day, there's still and air of disbelief among fans and the greater motorsport community.
On the year of his death, there would be a moment of silence on the 3rd lap of every race and all the people would hold up 3 fingers to the sky. I go to races today, and I still see some people do this. That's how much people are still impacted by the loss.
On the year of his death, there would be a moment of silence on the 3rd lap of every race and all the people would hold up 3 fingers to the sky. I go to races today, and I still see some people do this. That's how much people are still impacted by the loss.
On the year of his death, there would be a moment of silence on the 3rd lap of every race and all the people would hold up 3 fingers to the sky. I go to races today, and I still see some people do this. That's how much people are still impacted by the loss.
On the year of his death, there would be a moment of silence on the 3rd lap of every race and all the people would hold up 3 fingers to the sky. I go to races today, and I still see some people do this. That's how much people are still impacted by the loss.
On the year of his death, there would be a moment of silence on the 3rd lap of every race and all the people would hold up 3 fingers to the sky. I go to races today, and I still see some people do this. That's how much people are still impacted by the loss.
For those of you who don't quite get why this is the case, you need to understand that, while he wasn't always the most liked driver, Dale struck a cord with the millions of Americans who try to succeed in life despite all the shit thrown their way.
Earnhardt worked his way from almost nothing growing up in a rural town that wasn't even incorporated until the 80s.

His own dad, Ralph, (who was also a stock car champion) tried to stop him from racing in order to find a more sustainable career.
But Dale didn't quit. He never quits anything. Hell, after his crash in the 1997 Daytona 500, he wasn't even willing to quit that very race, despite having zero chances of winning and everyone assuming he was out.
This man won races with broken bones.

This man has won races even after getting penalties that put him a lap down.

This man became the 2nd (and some people argue last) person to accumulate 7 championships in NASCAR's top division.

This. Man. Seemed. Almost Invincible.
But Earnhardt's greatest legacy (and the best solace to come from that day in 2001) isn't his wins, his championships, or any his records. It's the fact that to this day, there hasn't been a single fatality in NASCAR since after his crash.
Engineers drastically improved the safety of the cars, NASCAR mandated the HANS Device (for keeping the driver's head from snapping forward in hard crashes), and implemented the SAFER barrier to soften the impact from crashes similar to Earnhardt's.
Engineers drastically improved the safety of the cars, NASCAR mandated the HANS Device (for keeping the driver's head from snapping forward in hard crashes), and implemented the SAFER barrier to soften the impact from crashes similar to Earnhardt's.
Engineers drastically improved the safety of the cars, NASCAR mandated the HANS Device (for keeping the driver's head from snapping forward in hard crashes), and implemented the SAFER barrier to soften the impact from crashes similar to Earnhardt's.
Engineers drastically improved the safety of the cars, NASCAR mandated the HANS Device (for keeping the driver's head from snapping forward in hard crashes), and implemented the SAFER barrier to soften the impact from crashes similar to Earnhardt's.
Engineers drastically improved the safety of the cars, NASCAR mandated the HANS Device (for keeping the driver's head from snapping forward in hard crashes), and implemented the SAFER barrier to soften the impact from crashes similar to Earnhardt's.
There's no question that these changes in the wake of Earnhardt's crash has saved dozens of lives. Even the man who would eventually succeed him in the #3 car, Austin Dillon.
2020 Daytona 500, Ryan Newman hit the wall at angle eerily similar to Earnhardt's crash and then get's his *DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR* slammed into by another car going nearly full speed. Yet they both survived, with Newman **walking** out of the hospital not even half a week later.
2020 Daytona 500, Ryan Newman hit the wall at angle eerily similar to Earnhardt's crash and then get's his *DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR* slammed into by another car going nearly full speed. Yet they both survived, with Newman **walking** out of the hospital not even half a week later.
2020 Daytona 500, Ryan Newman hit the wall at angle eerily similar to Earnhardt's crash and then get's his *DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR* slammed into by another car going nearly full speed. Yet they both survived, with Newman **walking** out of the hospital not even half a week later.
2020 Daytona 500, Ryan Newman hit the wall at angle eerily similar to Earnhardt's crash and then get's his *DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR* slammed into by another car going nearly full speed. Yet they both survived, with Newman **walking** out of the hospital not even half a week later.
2020 Daytona 500, Ryan Newman hit the wall at angle eerily similar to Earnhardt's crash and then get's his *DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR* slammed into by another car going nearly full speed. Yet they both survived, with Newman **walking** out of the hospital not even half a week later.
2008 at Texas. Michael McDowell (who eventually goes on to win the 2021 Daytona 500) walks away from what is still one of the worst crashes I've ever seen. And much like in Earnhardt's crash, you could hear the existential dread in Darrell Waltrip's normally jolly voice.
If you're wondering if there was any sort of semblance of a happy ending of any kind on the year Earnhardt's crash happened, there was.

Steve Park, driving a car that was owned by the late Earnhardt, wins the first race after the crash.
Kevin Harvick, who took Dale's place in his car (renumbered 29), wins at Atlanta just 2 weeks after Steve Park's win. The 3rd week after Daytona.

The winning margin was 0.006s
When NASCAR returned to Daytona for it's 400 mile mid season race, Dale Jr climbed from 6th to 1st in the final six laps. He and Michael Waltrip end up finishing 1 and 2 in a reverse order of the fateful race just five months earlier.

Listen to that fucking crowd.
I know that this is a gimmick account, but I love motorsports. Recalling and sharing moments in history like Earnhardt's crash, it's consequences, and triumph afterwards, is part of that love.
If any of you want to learn more about the life and times of Dale Earnhardt Sr and the impact he left on the world, I implore you to check out @EmperorLemon 's video documentary about him.
If you want to know more about the 2001 Daytona 500 itself, watch this video here:
Dale Earnhardt

1951 - 2001

Rest in Peace, Intimidator.
You can follow @NoContextMach5.
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