Known as "The Intimidator", Dale Earnhardt was a powerful figure in the world of Nascar. His presence at the track, and on the track, could bring even the Greek God Zeus to his knees. There will never be another like him.

Dale was born in Kannapolis N.C. in 1951, to racing legend Ralph Earnhardt. Growing up, he watched his father race at tracks all over the southeast, with success. He had a developed a passion to one day drive his own car. In his late teens, he started racing at local tracks near Kannapolis trying to learn as much as possible to become successful. In 1973, he lost his father, Ralph died of a heart attack while working on his own race car, a loss Dale had trouble dealing with, and became more determined to climb that ladder to be the best, as he continued to race in the Sportsman's Division around Hickory, and Concord North Carolina.  At the 1975 World 600 in Charlotte, Dale made his his first Winston Cup start, driving a Dodge owned by Ed Negre, and finished 22nd. He would make 8 more starts in a span of 3 years, the last being in 1978, in a second car owned by Rod Osterlund, he finished one spot behind Osterlund's main driver, Dave Marcis. Marcis left at the end of the '78 season, opening the door for Dale to jump into the drivers seat.  Osterlund had a whole list of drivers to choose from, but decided to go with the rookie for the full 1979 season. It took 16 starts, but Dale had finally notched his 1st Winston Cup victory at Bristol. 8 races later in Riverside, he had won his 1st pole. With 11 top 5 finishes that year, he beat out Harry Gant, Terry Labonte, and Joe Millikan to earn the 1979 Rookie of the Year. Now confident he made the right choice, Osterlund's teamed geared up for the 1980 season, and when it was over, Dale had beaten out Cale Yarborough to become the 1980 Winston Cup Championship. It was to be his 1st championship, and he was the first driver to ever win Rookie of the Year, and the Winston Cup Championship in back to back seasons.  His first setback came halfway through the 1981 season. Rod Osterlund had sold his team to J.D. Stacy. Unhappy with the way the team was performing, Dale decided to leave after just 4 races. He teamed up with new car owner Richard Childress for the remainder of the season. Feeling his team was not to par with Dale's driving style, he suggested he team up with owner Bud Moore, who with Ford's, had a high dollar sponsor at the time, Wrangler Jeans. Driving the #15 Ford in the 1982, and 1983 seasons, Dale won 3 races, and finished 12th, and 8th, in the points. 1984 saw Dale and Richard Childress team up again, and with Wrangler Jeans coming aboard, they were determined to build a high-caliber, competitive team. In 1986, they won the 1st Winston Cup Championship for Richard Childress Racing, and #2 for Dale. In 1987, Dale earned his 3rd championship. 1988 saw a change at RCR, when they arrived for the Daytona 500, they unveiled a new car. A black Chevy Monte Carlo, GM Goodwrench as the sponsor,  with silver and red trim, and a big white, slanted #3. They also tinted the windows, which gave way to Dale's "Intimidator" mystique. With his fierce driving style, other drivers knew, when they saw that black car in their mirror, they were in for a rough time trying to keep Dale behind them, and in most cases, they never could. Dale would win 4 more Winston Cup titles, in 1990, 1991, 1993, and 1994. This tied him with "The King" Richard Petty, at 7 championships a piece. Perhaps Dale's worst season came in 1996. After being involved in a horrible crash at Talladega, Dale walked away from the car, holding his shoulder. Everyone learned later, that he had a broken sternum, and broken collarbone. He went to Indy the following week, qualified the car, and after only 6 laps, he climbed out, and turned his Goodwrench Chevy over to a relief driver, something he had never done before, and we could all see the hurt in his face, and hear it in his voice. The following week in Watkins Glen, still battered, he was determined to qualify and race the car. He qualified on the pole, driving with only one hand, and finished 6th. This proved more than ever that Dale was a true racer.  Dale had won just about every major race on the circuit, compiling amazing stats along the way, with the exception of the Daytona 500. Several years of domination in the race yielded bad results, from flat tires, to crashes, but finally, in his 20th season as a driver, Dale finally won the 1998 Daytona 500. His resume was now complete, except for one more thing, he was still seeking his 8th Winston Cup Championship. Dale's accomplishments in his career were, 5 time NMPA Driver of the Year, (1980, 1986, 1987, 1990, and 1994). Winner of more than $30  million. Only driver to win The Winston 3 times, (1987, 1990, 1993). Only 6 time winner of the Busch Clash (1980, 1986, 1988, 1991, 1993,1995). He was a 3 time IROC champion (1990, 1995, 1999) He won 76 races during his career, with 1998 finally being the year he won the Daytona 500, after 20 seasons of trying. He started to look ahead to life after a career of driving by starting Dale Earnhardt Inc. Starting a Busch team, he signed Steve Park to drive the #3 AC-Delco car, before moving him up to his Winston Cup team. He had Ron Hornaday as the driver of his Truck Series ride, and in 1998, put his youngest son, Dale Jr. into the Busch car. 1998, and 1999 saw Dale Jr. bring  Busch Series Championships to DEI. In 2000, Dale Jr. moved up to start his rookie year in a DEI Chevy owned by Dale. Dale was a proud father who witnessed his son win 2 races in his first Winston Cup season.  2001, began with Dale in his familiar Chevy, while adding a third team to his Winston Cup stable. Bringing in Michael Waltrip to drive the #15 NAPA Chevy. On February 18, during the final laps of the 43rd Daytona 500, Dale saw both his cars in front of him, Michael leading, Dale Jr. running second, in his most unselfish act ever on a race track, and having won this race before, it seemed Dale was content with keeping the other drivers from catching his two drivers, each of whom had never won this race, and one who had never won a race at all. Coming out of turn 4 on the last lap, his car was touched from behind in a racing incident, and he was sent head first into the turn 4 wall. This is the same spot, and similar accident where Dale's best friend Neil Bonnett lost his life in 1994, only thing I can figure is, Neil must have hooked one hellva big bass, and needed Dale's help pulling it in th boat up there in heaven. Dale never saw Michael win his first race in his car, he didn't see Dale Jr. finish second. The impact had killed Dale instantly. The racing community was stunned, as we lost the greatest hero ever, since Richard Petty, in an instant. Dale left behind a wife, Teresa, sons Kerry, and Dale Jr., and daughters Kelly, and Taylor Nicole.  Findings several days later revealed that the lap belt on Dale's harness had come apart, causing him to impact the steering wheel, had this not happened, there is a chance he would still be with us today. There will never be another Dale Earnhardt, Dale Jr. is the only person who could possibly fill this void. There has been talk of retiring the #3 but I think the number should be given to Dale Jr. He runs the #8 in honor of his grandfather, and should be given the opportunity to use the #3 to honor his father. It is similar to what Kyle Petty did for Adam, he said he just couldn't see anyone in that car without the last name of Petty, and no one should use this number without the last name of Earnhardt. Fans unite, let your voices and opinions be heard. This would be the greatest tribute of all. Words cannot express the loss all fans of Nascar has experienced, Dale Earnhardt was Nascar, he brought the sport to the level it is today. He will never be forgotten, and at night when you look up to the night sky, and see a fast moving shooting tar, look closely, you will see a #3 on it, and you know Dale Earnhardt is racing on heaven's race tracks now.

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