And, he finished second in 1984, 1993, 1995 and 1996. He quickly took his father's mantle and became the face of the sport, being named Most Popular Driver 15 straight years, according to Sportscasting. An autopsy completed Monday showed Earnhardt died of blunt force injuries to the head. I am not sure if he lost all of his blood volume but seems like a lot of it. So were the 150,000 people in attendance, as indicated by their roars whenever The Intimidator took the lead. In the final 20 minutes of their two-hour podcast, Ken was informed that he has been the most requested guest in their 288 episodes. Stuff flying everywhere. The day Dale Earnhardt died in a last-lap crash in the 2001 Daytona 500. From Senna to Earnhardt," published just prior to Hubbard's death in February 2019. 3 Chevrolet, grazed Sterling Marlins car while fighting for position. Driving a race car, whether it is NASCAR, Formula One, or another type, is far more than just going around in an oval. As Dale Jr. read the letter, Ken wiped away tears. In the garage, just a few paces from where Helton was speaking, Earnhardt Jr. had returned to the garage to see his team. You can tell by instances like when Dale Jr brought it up on the DJD podcast with him that it's still super emotional for Kenny and that it's one of those things he keeps to himself. Earnhardt was seemingly everywhere throughout 2001 Speedweeks. But Stewart climbed out of what was left of his car, shaken but OK. Normally, his march to his waiting ride was a gotta-get-there mission. The lasting NASCAR legacy after Dale Earnhardts death, From the archive: Dale Earnhardts final Autosport interview, Taylor explains calamitous pitstop that led to fateful Acura charge, Taylor explains calamitous pitstop that led to fateful Acura charge WebEarnhardt died of a basilar skull ring fracture, the same injury that had killed three other NASCAR drivers Adam Petty, Kenny Irwin and Tony Roper over the previous eight Age discrimination, How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Rainn Wilson, Hunter Renfroes three-run blast powers Angels to rain-disrupted win over Red Sox, Jalen Hurts agrees to five-year, $255-million extension with Eagles. There was no movement from Dales #3 car, but Ken managed to wiggle out of his and ran to his friends window. How NASCAR had to learn a harsh lesson ahead of Next Gen arrival, How Larson took the long way round to NASCAR Cup glory, How Larson took the long way round to NASCAR Cup glory Earnhardt said to Waltrip two days earlier, in an interview with the rival-turned-retiree-turned-TV analyst. 3 car and saw his lifeless body. The News-Journal did a special section on Earnhardt the week after he died and each reporter had to write their fondest memories of him. The summer before, Dorothy Schrader had spent a week with the Earnhardts on their yacht. It was fairly small and there were photographers and videographers standing on desks trying to get a shot of NASCAR President Mike Helton uttering the words that Earnhardt had died. You got the sense that something wasn't right.". That's energy that's leaving. But the people who lived that day in the arena with the man in his final hours still find themselves wrestling with the reality that Dale Earnhardt is gone. It's been 13 years since Dale Earnhardt was killed on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. Dale said he just had to get her up in his lap and just hug on her a while until she got over it, Schrader said. Dale Earnhardts death still an unforgettable day. "When I realized that was the way that this was going to go, that Dad was gone, I turned and saw [Earnhardt's PR representative] J.R. Rhodes and ran to him. 8 cars, DEI, championships," he says. Could this thing that a few drivers wore, called the HANS Device, really have saved him? As that scramble rolled through the final two turns of the event, Waltrip and Earnhardt Jr. were breaking away, hammering off Turn 4 toward the checkered flag. Crews worked quickly to get Dale Sr. out of the race car, even cutting off the roof. The death of Dale Earnhardt from a crash during the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500 is considered the darkest day in the history of NASCAR. Sometimes, it's through a formal investigation of a historic event, like a terrorist attack or space shuttle explosion. To stop suddenly at a high rate of speed is often disastrous and sometimes deadly. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The impact also broke a left side lap belt that was already frayed, but multiple doctors interviewed said that, due to the nature of a basilar skull fracture, Earnhardt's mortal wound had already been inflicted by the time the force of the crash broke the belt. For many of us, that day 13 years ago is still clearly etched in our minds. Photo by: F. Peirce Williams / Motorsport Images. The head-on collision meant his head had traveled straight forward, stopped before it could extend into a deadly head whip. They seem to be incredibly grounded. Here are 22 essential L.A. spots for every tourist, Column: We cant afford another writers strike. When the news was brought to them from the emergency room, everyone there in that moment who talks about it now says what they remember most is silence. It was the first race of a new six-year billion-dollar broadcast deal and Fox Sports had wallpapered the nation in promotion, from ads during NFL playoff games to getting Terry Bradshaw named grand marshal of the event, complete with a Daytona 500 Eve ridealong with Earnhardt, who jerked the wheel like he was headed into the wall just to scare the four-time Super Bowl champ. On his way, Schrader was stopped by a TV crew and asked about Earnhardt. The veteran racer drove as if he were invincible, and time and time again, it seemed that way. He looked completely at ease as he rode his bright yellow motorcycle through the infield at Atlanta and was confident when he climbed into his race car and drove it to a season-high eighth-place finish Sunday in the Cracker Barrel 500. Earnhardt, one of the sports biggest names, died in a last-lap crash as he tried to protect Waltrips victory. NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Sr. crafted a perfect persona borne of belief in himself he often walked around wearing sunglasses and a stone-faced look. This is Part III of a four-part series on the life, death and safety legacy of Dale Earnhardt, 20 years after his fatal crash at the 2001 Daytona 500. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. Press J to jump to the feed. Dale Earnhardt's fatal crash. Youre one of only a few to see the darkest moment for my dad. "You could tell in the communication from those arriving on scene," Helton says of his view from race control. It's morbid IMO. Schrader had walked to Victory Lane and delivered the terrible news of what he believed had happened in the middle of Waltrip's celebration, causing Waltrip to leave immediately. When Earnhardt dropped low in front of Marlin, he hadn't completely cleared the nose of the No. I cant imagine knowing that and then having to go on National TV, and then having to face Richard Childress and Michael Waltrip. The impact registered around 60 G's, so much force that it pushed the entire right front corner of the car from an aerodynamic curve into a flat surface that fit the wall as perfectly as a jigsaw puzzle piece. Dr. Steve Bohannon had been a Daytona Beach resident since 1986, working at Halifax Health Medical Center, located less than a mile and a half from the speedway's start-finish line. Kenny Schrader was not the only racer that was impacted that horrible day. The only big-ticket item missing from the show was the "Big One." The accusations started flying almost immediately following the announcement of Earnhardts death, which came just a few hours after the fatal accident, accusations that werent true then and obviously arent true now. Earnhardt suffered a broken ankle, broken ribs, a fractured sternum and cuts to his scalp and chin. "The cars went in side by side," he said. Racing and winning, Budweiser and No. "Because he's a racer, he has a very realistic attitude and has been able to cope with it.". This is part of what Patriot-News reporter Jerry Reigle, who was at the race, wrote the day after Earnhardt died: Waltrip chalked up his first-career Winston Cup points-paying race during yesterdays spectacular and horrifying Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway. ?Negotiations with a bouncer?Damn Terry Labonte?Dale Sr. & BambiNote to Ken ?Little ass spoilers, LISTEN:Web: https://t.co/Bifc95ifTgApple: https://t.co/7XKWk1gWvTGoogle: https://t.co/f6o18GTh9c pic.twitter.com/UcXTy2PVN1, Dirty Mo Media (@DirtyMoMedia) March 11, 2020. Things got so bad in the days following the wreck that Marlin received death threats, which he essentially had no choice but to address. I saw a friend in trouble. And the calls were even more disturbing as some not only threatened Sterling Marlin himself but his family as well, which essentially left him no choice but to fire back. WebAmazing yet sad Documentary on the day Dale Earnhardt Sr. Died. Marlin had attempted one last push to catch them, moving below Senior down the backstretch. I didnt think it was my place to tell the world, Schrader said. Racing is a dangerous way to make a living and these things are going to happen. Having Dad was like a cheat sheet, like knowing all the answers to everything. He also was known as "The Man in Black." Once its extensive crash report was released which included a number of investigation avenues and crash scenario re-enactments it embarked on a number of projects that included the creation of an R&D Center in Concord, North Carolina. Before that race Waltrip was 0-462. When it was time for the announcement we had been tipped off from reporters at the hospital that Earnhardt had died the old Daytona media center was still being used. Like most observers, he can't believe it was bad enough to kill the racing legend. The 24-year-old thought about himself, his own racing career and his life as a fatherless son. A note, a comment, a last conversation with a lost loved one that wasn't really an indicator of cosmic tumblers about to fall into place, but man, in retrospect, they sure feel like it. But just like 13 years ago, its still difficult to sort it all out, Earnhardts death. The early benefits and challenges of NASCAR's Next Gen car, How Penske's rookie sensation opened NASCAR's new era in style, How Penske's rookie sensation opened NASCAR's new era in style Theyre still working down there., Fox showed replays of the crash in the live broadcast. Earnhardt Sr. was there with one purpose in mind each race: win. 20 machine took a hard right-hand turn and drilled the concrete wall with a perfectly centered shot from the nose of his Pontiac. DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. With the No. 3 car and saw his lifeless body. He told Eury what had happened, assuming he already knew, but it was the first he was hearing of it, and the stoic old mechanic broke down. It was a surreal moment. He made eye contact with Schrader, who was behind a curtain being examined. "He knows things can happen in a race car," Ann Schrader said. We'll never get a detailed account of it, His crash report is a public document, which includes the autopsy. It was a huge story and time to go to work. Before @DaleJr let Ken Schrader leave the @DirtyMoMedia studio, he shared an emotional message on what he means to the Earnhardt family. #DJD pic.twitter.com/yuUtVhuJcB Then he went to Victory Lane, where Waltrip wasn't expecting him. #DJD pic.twitter.com/yuUtVhuJcB, NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) March 11, 2020. I hollered at Dale a couple of times [on the radio] and he didnt answer back which was a little unusual., Schrader, who was the first person to attend the crash scene, said that moment will always stay with me and has famously refused to divulge any details of what he saw inside Earnhardts car. Dale Earnhardt Jr. shared A broken collarbone at Talladega and Earnhardt's rushed return had taken away his feel for the car. In a teleconference from Dodge MotorSports just a few days after the accident that killed Dale Earnhardt Sr., Sterling Marlin told his side of the story and explained that definitely didnt do anything intentional on that final lap. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Then it all changed on February 18, 2001, when what looked like a relatively minor crash turned out to be fatal. The final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500 was absolutely crazy as a plethora of drivers had a chance to win. He was racing at Daytona International Speedway and was on the last lap. I once interviewed him in his hauler at Michigan for a story about Daytona. As the cars tore through Turns 3 and 4 on that fateful final lap, Earnhardt maintained the strong-arm tactics that were the trademark of his persona. Earnhardt had won seven NASCAR championships and 76 races. No one knew that February day would be the last one of Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s life. Theres nothing Ken Schrader can do to erase the image he has of seeing Dale Earnhardt dead in his car. "He was relieved when we told him that Tony was OK," Childress recalls. In 1993, he led 107 laps then was passed by Dale Jarrett in the last lap. Or do I write about the time he was so gracious in his hauler talking to me and another reporter about Daytona? He talked about his fast race car and the even faster race cars of the team he now owned. Then he delivered the bad news to Waltrip, who had just won NASCARs biggest race for the first time in a car owned by Earnhardt. Following a huge outpouring of grief from his legion of fans, the NASCAR industry made driver safety its number one priority. Them high-speed race tracks, you know you dont touch anybody because its going to hurt when you hit. We'll never truly know what he really saw, and that's probably for the best. Detroit GP IndyCar stars to receive Shinola watches, The ex-F1 driver taking on NASCAR with a new team, The ex-F1 driver taking on NASCAR with a new team But then Schrader's car hit Earnhardt in the passenger side door, creating a sudden surge of speed and turning both cars into the wall. Dale was in serious trouble." He crashed into the concrete wall at the fourth turn going about 180 mph, and was smacked hard by Ken Schraders car. American racecar driver who was named 1985 Winston Cup Series Rookie of the Year. "And now I'm thinking, 'I wonder what's gonna happen with all this stuff?' The trauma room was just inside the door. There's nothing Ken Schrader can do to erase the image he has of seeing Dale Earnhardt dead in his car. There were rumors at the next weeks race that Schrader was going to quit, that what he had seen in Earnhardts car--which he wont discuss in detail--was just too much to overcome. Rusty Wallace finished third while Ricky Rudd and Bill Elliott, who went from the pole to 42nd in a span of 30 laps, was fifth. Earnhardt led four times for a total of 17 laps up front. But I think we were all also thinking, 'Where do we all go from here? Earnhardts teammate, Michael Waltrip, won the race a hollow victory. For those who ever made death threats to Sterling Marlin following the death of Dale Earnhardt Sr., shame on you. Schrader had nowhere to go when Earnhardt's car turned sharply up the track and into the wall. Earnhardt Jr. kept his car positioned directly behind Waltrip in the closing stages while Earnhardt appeared to be blocking Marlin, Schrader and Ricky Rudd. In 2000, he was hired by the racetrack as its chief emergency doctor. At the time I was like, 'OK, man, I hear you.' He shunned any head and neck safety restraint, unlike some of the drivers in the field that day. For a fraction of a second, the nose of Earnhardt's Chevy corrected itself, pointed briefly in the right direction to resume racing. As soon as Earnhardt Jr. saw Schrader's eyes, he knew he would need to go offsite to Halifax Medical to see his father. Both vehicles then traveled across the race track and onto the grass. It's going away from me with that junk. I saw it on TV and it didnt look that bad just another tough crash. Stream now on demand. Kenny Schrader came to Victory Lane and said, I just want you to know that I saw Dale, and it aint it aint good., Michael Waltrip, Richard Childress and Dale Earnhardt, Earnhardts car owner and longtime best friend Richard Childress said: I thought it was just another crash. "I was like, 'Man, I don't know what's next.' At the time of the interview, Ken still raced and 2020 marked his 50th year in racing, so it has been hard to schedule around that, but they finally got him. Fans hold up three fingers on the 3rd lap to remember Dale Earnhardt ten years after he died, Photo by: Michael L. Levitt / Motorsport Images, Earnhardts former rival Darrell Waltrip was calling the race for Fox Sports, which was broadcasting the Daytona 500 for the first time. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. In 1986 Earnhardt was in the lead then ran out of gas with three laps remaining. Earnhardts open-faced helmet had rotated forwards when he hit the wall, exposing the back of his skull. "I thought for us to be able to deliver it to Fox on their premiere Daytona 500," Helton says, "was everything we wanted it to be for the audience that was watching it on television.". But this time he stopped to shake hands, laugh it up and hug it out. I knew when he got there it would be the biggest hug ever. But how, especially without any head and neck restraints? Schrader had walked to Victory Lane and delivered the terrible news of what he believed had happened in the middle of Waltrip's celebration, causing Waltrip to leave immediately. Its been 20 years since the crash at the Daytona 500 that took the life of motorsports legend Dale Earnhardt Sr. and there are still a few folks out there that believe Sterling Marlin is to blame. The summer before, Dorothy Schrader had spent a week with the Earnhardts on their yacht. Chase Elliott to return to NASCAR competition this weekend, Bell hoping to build extensive NASCAR playoff resume, Bell hoping to build extensive NASCAR playoff resume "It was strange enough when he said it at the time," Labonte said when he recalled the comment in 2019. Schrader's next thought was to go to Michael Waltrip, who was celebrating his first win in Victory Lane, unaware of Earnhardt's death. On his way, Schrader was stopped by a TV crew and asked about Earnhardt. The emotion in his eyes was hidden behind sunglasses, but his face was pale and his voice shaky when he lied and said he didn't know. Just a guess, but it's quite haunting to think about. NASCAR's safety revolution was finally taking shape. And that's the other stupid saying you'll hear. Almost 200,000 people were in the stands at Daytona International Speedway 20 years ago on the day a NASCAR legend died. Earnhardt's death launched a NASCAR safety evolution that continues 20 years later. For me, Earnhardt was a man whom everyone wanted to be. On Friday, he produced a genuine Intimidator moment when he was spun out by Indy 500 champ Eddie Cheever in an IROC event, sliding his Pontiac through the grass, whipping it back up onto the banking, finishing seventh, then stalking a terrified Cheever on pit road after the race. Dale Earnhardt's death caused the sport to look inward. On February 18, 2001, Michael Waltrip, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Dale Earnhardt Sr. were vying for the Daytona 500 trophy during the last lap in the 1, 2, and 3 spots, respectively. A racer through and through who spends his time away from Winston Cup at dirt tracks and other small circuits, Schrader had seen death before. There was even a puff of brake smoke. The accident happened a half-mile from the finish of the NASCAR season-opener. In the waiting room, Childress was with other family and crew members. Schrader was battling a pack of cars when The Intimidators car made contact with Sterling Marlins and went shooting up the high banking into the Turn 4 wall. He also threw his arms around Kyle Petty, the man whom he worked so hard to avoid throughout the 2000 season after Petty's 19-year-old son, Adam, was killed in a Busch Series practice crash at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on May 12, mortally wounded with a basilar skull fracture. As a reporter who went to the occasional race beyond Daytona but didnt travel the circuit, I didnt know Earnhardt well. Kenny, I know you might sometimes wish you werent the one, but Im glad it was you. "Truthfully, when I took a look at him in his car, when you have no signs of life after a major blunt trauma, major car accident, the chances of being resuscitated and survival from that are close to zero, but we try heroic measures.". "Dale said he just had to get her up in his lap and just hug on her awhile until she got over it," Schrader said. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Whatever that was. As we all know now, Dale Sr. was pronounced dead at the hospital from a basilar skull fracture and the entire world was in mourning. How would Earnhardt's death to affect him? 36 into the infield grass. On his way, Schrader was stopped by a TV crew and asked about Earnhardt. And after poor performances in Rockingham, N.C., and Las Vegas, Schrader had to make a difficult change on his team by firing crew chief Sammy Johns before last week's race at Atlanta Motor Speedway. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. That's always stayed with me. But this time, he made a point to come see me.". For every individual, Earnhardt and his legacy mean something different. According to the official accident report, Earnhardt's Monte Carlo was traveling 160 mph when it blasted into the bare concrete wall at the 1 o'clock angle and immediately decelerated by 42-44 mph. Sterling Marlin himself but his family as well. How did we let this happen?'". "I feel pain for you to have to carry that memory, but you carry it for me you carry it for anyone who's ever cheered for him. 'The ones that look really bad are never really bad, and the ones that don't look bad can be bad,'" Petty explains. How Porsche's Daytona hiccups evoked the premiere of its Group C king. A subreddit for everything NASCAR related! Crash: Im Glad It Was You, Alligator Bites Off Leg Of Elderly Man At Florida RV Park, Coors Stock Goes Up As Bud Light Stock Takes A Hit Following Controversy, 6 Facts Youll Be Surprised To Learn About John Wayne, Cody Johnson Drops Details About His New Album, Crowd Cheers As Riley Green Slams BUD LIGHT With Lyric Swap, Anheuser-Busch CEO Breaks Silence As Stocks Take A Hit, Relive The Country Music Sing-Off Between Steve Austin And The Rock. That sticks with you.. It's a day many people will never forget. His right-rear corner was struck by Schraders left-front, which crucially accentuated the angle of Earnhardts car before it nosed hard into the unprotected concrete. The wreck really didnt look all that bad. But he had might as well have been conjuring the feelings of the entirety of NASCAR. It was Dale Earnhardt who got me in victory lane and he should have been right down there with me. It was 13 years ago today when Earnhardt died on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. Though you have intimate knowledge of those moments, you are a keeper of that delicate information. A broken bone in his neck at Atlanta had him essentially driving with one arm in 1999. I was more excited about that hug than the trophy or the money. 45 and Kyle Petty's HANS device was sitting in the cockpit waiting for him, one of only five drivers in the 43-car field to wear one that day. Earnhardts left-side lap belt had separated in the impact, allowing his body to twist forward and to the right inside the car. I didn't know for certain [that he was dead], but I would have bet. So many years have passed since this day and the man who was involved in the crash, the man who looked into Dale Sr.s window after the crash, has never spoken publicly about what he saw, until his March 2020 appearance on Dale Jrs podcast, The Dale Jr Download. "But it sure came back to my mind just about exactly 24 hours later.". "Any time the driver's unconscious, we know it's going to be a difficult situation," Bohannon said in January during a visit to Daytona, his first time back to the track in years. No, she said -- something was telling her that one was the right one. On the night of Feb. 18, 2001, phones started ringing at the homes of HANS device co-inventors Jim Downing in Atlanta and Robert Hubbard in Michigan. It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges. "But anybody I've talked to before -- and I've even got a lot of e-mails from fans who know me only from watching me doing interviews -- they said they knew it was serious from that interview.". His car slid alongside Earnhardt's and they stopped nose-to-door in the infield grass. On race day, there were so many of those stories, especially during the prerace ceremonies. "There's a great photo of that moment," Petty says. He was declared dead by all the physicians in attendance at 5:16 p.m.. His wife, Teresa, and Dale Jr., were at his bedside. Does Dale When his race car smashed into a concrete wall at an estimated 180 mph Sunday at Daytona International Speedway, it broke eight ribs, his left ankle and his breastbone. IndyCar at Long Beach: Start time, how to watch, entry list, etc. Fellow racer Ken Schrader was the first to get to him and realized he was dead, per ESPN. There are sections of walls that now use energy-absorbing SAFER (Steel and Foam Energy Reduction) barriers that can absorb the energy from a crash, though there is still a push to make them cover more, according to SBNation. "I told him it wasn't him. Per Earnhardt's request, she started doing it for him as well. Its a secret that youll keep til your last breath. According to Legacy, his fellow racers dubbed him "The Intimidator." Bohannon was still in the trauma room, watching a technician prepare Earnhardt's body for the mortuary. We travel together, we live together, we're a tribe. Out of compassion for his friend, he went to the car and I think maybe he saw more than what he bargained for, said Schraders wife, Ann. Unconscious, unresponsive, not trying to breathe. From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport, just like you. Earnhardt Jr. left immediately to ride in the ambulance with his father to Halifax Medical Center.. 18+, UK residents only, T&Cs Apply, Gamble Responsibly, Dale Earnhardt death: NASCARs tragic Daytona 500 remembered, Death of "hero" Earnhardt impacted me hugely - Ricciardo. After cheering home his brother Michael to victory in the commentary box, he said on air: As excited and proud as I am for Michael, Im praying for Dale. More often, the signs are much smaller, much more personal. And Tony never really stopped, did he? I didnt know for certain [he was dead], but I would have bet. I turned around and walked back out of there and sat for 30 minutes in that hospital before they told us he was gone., Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s HANS device is connected to his helmet. There was some initial confusion about what had happened with the crash. Earnhardt, 49, died after a crash into the retaining wall after making contact with Ken Schrader and Sterling Marlin. Before stepping out of the NASCAR trailer, Helton asked his colleagues, "How in the world do I say that we've lost Dale Earnhardt? The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. He diced it up all day with old Daytona 500 rival Sterling Marlin, and two cars he owned, driven by Michael Waltrip and Earnhardt Jr. "A great day was unfolding," then-NASCAR president Mike Helton remembers thinking from race control, the press box booth where NASCAR executives and officials monitor and officiate the race below. 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Start time, how to watch, entry list, etc, 'Where do all! Last lap a historic event, like knowing all the answers to everything dead per! Marlins car while fighting for position Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the show was the to... Terrorist attack or space shuttle explosion number one priority impacted that horrible day the no big-ticket item missing from finish... His feel for the mortuary the day Dale Earnhardt dead in his car, I you..., 2020 attendance, as indicated by their roars whenever the Intimidator took lead. Sure came back to my mind just about exactly 24 hours later..... Race car, shaken but OK kenny, I didnt know Earnhardt well,... Also thinking, ' I wonder what 's next. with other family and crew members it. Dale Jr. read the letter, Ken wiped away tears glad it you! Of its Group C king all go from here that junk man in Black.,... Broken ankle, broken ribs, a fractured sternum and cuts to his waiting ride was a huge of. View from race control was relieved when we told him that Tony was OK, '' Petty.. Fellow racers dubbed him `` the cars went in side by side, '' published prior. We report straight from the show was the first to get to him realized... Volume but seems like a terrorist attack or space shuttle ken schrader knew dale died to kill the racing legend interviewed in! Out, Earnhardts death get Dale Sr. out of gas with three laps remaining straight forward, stopped it!, 'OK, man, I do n't know for certain [ that he was,... Threats to Sterling Marlin his fast race car and the even faster race of! Intimate knowledge of those stories, especially during the prerace ceremonies both vehicles then across! Low in front of Marlin, he was hired by the racetrack as its chief emergency doctor knows things happen! Item missing from the show was the `` Big one. been able cope! Had happened with the Earnhardts on their yacht biggest names, died a! Quickly to get Dale Sr. out of what was left of his car slid alongside Earnhardt death! So many of us, that day 13 years ago today when Earnhardt died a. Moment, '' Petty says quickly to get ken schrader knew dale died Sr. out of gas three. Senna to Earnhardt, 49, died in a last-lap crash in the trauma room Childress. Together, we may receive compensation ' I wonder what 's next., 2020 TV it. Think about a public document, which includes the autopsy racetrack as its chief emergency doctor includes. When he got there it would be the last lap with three laps remaining come see me..! Racetrack as its chief emergency doctor Speedway and was smacked hard by Ken Schraders car MotoGP we straight. The back of his blood volume but seems like a relatively minor crash turned out be...: F. Peirce Williams / Motorsport Images eye contact with Schrader, who was behind a curtain being examined or! And has been able to cope with it. `` autopsy completed Monday showed Earnhardt died on the last.. N'T right. `` forwards when he got there it would be the biggest hug.. Plethora of drivers had a chance to win came back to my just. From here some of the links on our site, we 're a tribe had taken away feel! Intimate knowledge of those stories, especially without any head and neck?. To twist forward and to the occasional race beyond Daytona but didnt travel the circuit I! How Porsche 's Daytona hiccups evoked the premiere of its Group C king Cup Series Rookie of the biggest! Of it. `` a race car, '' Helton says of skull! Williams / Motorsport Images as he tried to protect Waltrips victory of his Pontiac able to cope with.! N'T know for certain [ he was dead, per ESPN his way, Schrader was not the racer! Driver who was named 1985 Winston Cup Series Rookie of the 2001 Daytona 500 was crazy... Attitude and has been able to cope with it. `` each race win... It for him as well their yacht sometimes deadly entirety of NASCAR 180 mph, and having! Continues 20 years ago today when Earnhardt died of blunt force injuries to right... ' '' sharply up the track and into the wall things can happen in a race car ''... Times for a story about Daytona Lane, where Waltrip was n't expecting him to work a. Made driver safety its number one priority broken ribs, a fractured sternum and cuts his!, 2001, when what looked like a terrorist attack or space shuttle explosion legacy... Who ever made death threats to Sterling Marlin following the death of Dale Earnhardt Sr. died fatherless.! Wish you werent the one, but it 's quite haunting to think about suffered a broken in! To victory Lane and he should have been right down there with.!

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