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.
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...
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!
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.
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
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 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
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!! 🏁
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.
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!
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.
Our Dale Sr was gone. He was driving #3 up to Heaven to drive for God. I cry every time I see this. We loved Dale so much. One of the saddest days of our lives. Tx Oppermans
FYI Tx Oppermans simply means that we are the Oppermans from Tx (Texas) because someone fussed because she was confused because I did Tx Oppermans. Just clarifying
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'm not a person who cries over things but this hits hard and makes me ball like a baby every time I watch something about that day. RIP DALE "THE IMTIMADATOR" EARNHARDT. ONE OF THE GREATEST SPORTS ICON EVER. #3FOREVER #THEBEST
"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.
Dale Sr died a legend and giving Michael the chance to believe in wining the daytona 500 he shall always be in the hearts of all nascar fans R.I.P Dale Sr
Dale Earnhardt was Nascar in my opinion. He was my absolute favorite driver and I remember exactly where I was when I heard the horrific news that "The Intimidator" passed away and I will never forget the emptiness I felt. He was always my favorite and I will never forget him. #3 Always And Forever
Heroes get remembered, but legends never die! Dale Earnhardt Sr. will always be the Intimidator and "The Man in Black" to me. His death lead to a lot of changes in making NASCAR a lot safer now. Earnhardt is probably up in heaven watching over today's drivers. Now Austin Dillon drives the #3 car, and he won the 2018 Daytona 500, 20 years after Dale Sr won it in 1998. It's what Dale Earnhardt Sr. would've always wanted.
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 .
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
I never saw Dale Sr race because I was too young at the time. But I did watch his son race until he himself, retired from the sport. You never want to see this happen to anyone and if anything that came out of his death, it’s drastic improvement to NASCAR safety! The sport is bigger and better than it ever was before. Thanks to all those hall of fame drivers that paved the way for the next generation.
I know this video is mainly about Dale’s death, but I think the beginning is just as important and tear jerking as the tragedy. Dale at the end of his life, was happy. He was right with the world. He accomplished what he wanted in racing, he was in a better relationship with his family, and he believed he was a better man. How many of us can look at our lives and say we are happy and content? This is what we should always be striving for. Dale’s death was my first celebrity death that had an impact on me. I was watching the race and when they said he died I was sitting at the dinner table with my sister and mom and dad. And we were just stunned. This short documentary is absolutely perfect. It showed the happiness of Dale, the tragedy of the day, but the redemption that soon followed. RIP to the GOAT of racing.
I was in video warehouse when my step mother's called me crying. She told me he was gone. My heart sunk to the floor. You know that a person is special when you never met them but you feel they were almost as much a father to you as your own daddy.
Dale Earnhardt was a character in NASCAR like no other. Do I think he's a tad overrated? Yes. Do I think he's the best of all time? No. But I do believe in his status as the single most important character in NASCAR history? Absolutely. When I think of Dale, I don't think of his car, his accomplishments, his impact, etc. I think of a man that truly symbolized the NASCAR fanbase when NASCAR was in their prime. He was an honest, hard working man that worked his way from the bottom to the very top. He's an example. He's someone that many strive to be. He's someone that NASCAR should never forget.
Unless you were a real NASCAR fan, you would not know how devastating this day really was. So happy for Michael, and just in unbelievable shock about Dale.
Can you imagine the things that guy would have done for the sport if he had lived. Nascar didn't die with Big E but it was a gut punch from hell for all the things hes done and all the things he WAS GONNA DO!!. #Incredibleman
I was just a little kid when this all happened. Hearing the Dale jr won the Daytona 500 next year, is almost like a fairly tale. Don’t believe in much above but that was a sign of hope
Dale Earnhardt Sr is like a good NASCAR god. He helped Dale Earnhardt jr. , Steve park and Kevin harvick win. It’s still sad that he died but, he is awesome.
Dale didn't finish his last lap that day but i think he would be happy as "the last thing he saw was the image of his son and teammate speeding to the finish line".
What an insane day this was. The magic of Darrell screaming his little brother home in the biggest race of his life, only for it to be met with such a tragic loss. Nascar was never the same after 01'
There's a lot of famous and beloved race car drivers died and didn't deserve to go so soon. Ayrton Senna, Davey Allison, Alan Kulwicki, Tim Richmond, Adam Petty, Kenny Irwin Jr., Tony Roper, Colin McRae, and the one and only Dale Earnhardt. There's an alternate universe out there where they're alive.
Watching the number 3 car now is not the same as when Dale Earnhardt was driving. I was 5 when Earnhardt died. Richard Childress should have never brought the 3 car back. Rest in Peace Dale Earnhardt Sr. 🙏#3
Someone mentioned the 1996 DieHard 500 crash. That was the one that even burned his mustache off. But the absolute worst part for him was the next race when he had to get outta the 3 at Indy and let Skinner drive. You can just imagine how something like that would have affected him. Probably about like having to "share" Teresa. So the week after that, >>>with a broken sternum AND a broken collarboneROAD COURSE!!!
I live in Cleveland but I was in Toledo visiting friends for that weekend. We'd started watching the race at my friend's apartment, and then about an hour in we all decided it was time to go. It takes about an hour and a half to drive between Cleveland and Toledo. So when I got home I caught the last half hour or so. So I was watching the whole thing unfold live, as it happened. My Grandfather and Uncle were pretty big NASCAR fans too, my Grandfather's guy was Jeff Gordon since my Grandfather retired from working at DuPont from 1946-1982. So I knew he would have been watching the race. I called him first after the wreck first happened. Then I called him after Helton's announcement. My Grandfather didn't have cable and didn't know, and unless I'm wrong Helton's announcement was only carried live on some cable networks, not on the big 3 broadcast networks.
I still cry! The worst day in NASCAR history! I was not a Dale Earnhardt fan, I guess I loved to hate him, but I certainly didn’t want him to die! He was one hell of a race car driver.
MAN I remember that day like it was 2000! I remember watching the race until that crash that killed a race legend. I was there just shocked with tears in my eyes.
The day NASCAR officially died when Dale Earnhardt senior parished at the 2001 Daytona 500 always and forever the intimidator always and forever the man in Black always and forever a Dale Earnhardt senior fan 4life NASCAR'S greatest driver in history forever number#3 Dale Earnhardt
NASCAR just hasn't been the same since Big E got it in turn three on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. He literally sacrificed his life so Michael and Dale Jr would go 1,2. loved watching Jr kick ass for a few years after that but it's still never been the same. Thankfully I got to see the ole man race in person a few times before his death. I don't even bother watching it anymore now. RIP Dale, we love ya buddy 🙏
His story is just so crazy around that number 3. 20 years to win the Daytona 500, 3 years later he would die, the day he died on the last lap, he finished the race in 3rd with the crash protection. Even tho his car was painted different and with a new driver and number, the car he would’ve been in won 3 weeks after his death. Dale won the Daytona 500 at 46 years old. Dale Jr won the 46th annual Daytona 500
What a sacrifice Dale Sr gave so Michael and Dale Jr could have the glory of winning. We sat on the deck and talked about Dale that evening and try to process losing Dale Earnhardt Sr while we downed a few beers that night and watched the stars above. Jerry and Sugar Bear and I watched as one star sail across the sky. We have to feel that Dale Sr was driving in the sky in Heaven! Sail on Dale Earnhardt Sr!😇🐻🚖3️⃣🥰
This Made Me Cry So Much Cause Dale Earnhardt Sr Was My Driver I Was Like I've Waited So Long To Drive His Car In The Video Games And #3 Whenever I Thought Or Watched NASCAR I Thought Of #3 I always Thought Of #3 And I Took The Methods Dale Earnhardt Sr Used And I Used Them To Win My Video Game Races
tankdempsey14 why are you criticizing a man that is being very emotional? Why are you trying to insult someone after they have clearly lost a big part of their life? That’s not how being a decent human being works. You have to realize you’re fucking up at this point.
I lived NASCAR for as a child as my father was in Buddy Arrington’s pit crew. The pain was familiar, I lost Davey in 1992. Dale was a fixture and represented the Patton of NASCAR. My pain was for Jr., the Waltrips, Kenny, and Sterling. I had no remorse for Mile Helton, the killer of the sport I loved. FMH
I will never forget that day! I was 7 years old we had a big party my mom was staren at the tv in shock my dad came running in and said hes dead my mom didnt believe him after 5 mins she broke down 😢 crying i was crying we all were we loved him so muchh
How fucking cool though he got to be racing with his son. He was probably so proud of his boy for following in his footsteps. That's like a dad's dream come true
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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
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 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…
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 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
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 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
"20 years under an unjust sun" that literally have me chills
Love Kenny Schrader awesome man!!! Need more of Kenny Schrader's in the world!!
He was and is still “ THE MAN “. Fly High Dale! ❤️😇
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
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!! 🏁
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
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 was 18 I'm 41 still remember that day like it was yesterday 😢😢😢lost my hero as did many ❤❤❤#3❤❤❤
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!
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.
Our Dale Sr was gone. He was driving #3 up to Heaven to drive for God. I cry every time I see this. We loved Dale so much. One of the saddest days of our lives. Tx Oppermans
FYI Tx Oppermans simply means that we are the Oppermans from Tx (Texas) because someone fussed because she was confused because I did Tx Oppermans. Just clarifying
Watching in 2019 and it still feels like it happened yesterday ......
Every death is sad.
Died doing what you hate.
Died doing what you love.
We all miss you Dale, And we Always will.
Rest In Peace.
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'm not a person who cries over things but this hits hard and makes me ball like a baby every time I watch something about that day. RIP DALE "THE IMTIMADATOR" EARNHARDT. ONE OF THE GREATEST SPORTS ICON EVER. #3FOREVER #THEBEST
"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.
Dale Sr died a legend and giving Michael the chance to believe in wining the daytona 500 he shall always be in the hearts of all nascar fans R.I.P Dale Sr
Dale Earnhardt was Nascar in my opinion. He was my absolute favorite driver and I remember exactly where I was when I heard the horrific news that "The Intimidator" passed away and I will never forget the emptiness I felt. He was always my favorite and I will never forget him. #3 Always And Forever
Heroes get remembered, but legends never die! Dale Earnhardt Sr. will always be the Intimidator and "The Man in Black" to me. His death lead to a lot of changes in making NASCAR a lot safer now. Earnhardt is probably up in heaven watching over today's drivers. Now Austin Dillon drives the #3 car, and he won the 2018 Daytona 500, 20 years after Dale Sr won it in 1998. It's what Dale Earnhardt Sr. would've always wanted.
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 .
R.i.P dale I’m so sad😞😭 you was my favorite racer 😔
44:39 Rusty winning on Dale's 50th birthday at California was a special one too 🏁
Glad for that Prayer DW gave at the next race saying without a doubt, Dale's in Heaven. DW knew him personally & knew without a doubt.
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.
That daytona 500 could've been remembered as one of the greatest in history had it not been for that tragedy.
I am sad because he was my favorite NASCAR racer
I was 10 years old when we lost Dale. It still hurts today as much as it did then. Thank you #3
still so very moving & heart wrenching to this day.
I never saw Dale Sr race because I was too young at the time. But I did watch his son race until he himself, retired from the sport.
You never want to see this happen to anyone and if anything that came out of his death, it’s drastic improvement to NASCAR safety! The sport is bigger and better than it ever was before. Thanks to all those hall of fame drivers that paved the way for the next generation.
still gives me chills, I haven't watched NASCAR since
Watching this in light of 20 years since this tragic day. I wish I got to see him really race. He died 4 years before i was born.
I know this video is mainly about Dale’s death, but I think the beginning is just as important and tear jerking as the tragedy. Dale at the end of his life, was happy. He was right with the world. He accomplished what he wanted in racing, he was in a better relationship with his family, and he believed he was a better man.
How many of us can look at our lives and say we are happy and content? This is what we should always be striving for.
Dale’s death was my first celebrity death that had an impact on me. I was watching the race and when they said he died I was sitting at the dinner table with my sister and mom and dad. And we were just stunned. This short documentary is absolutely perfect. It showed the happiness of Dale, the tragedy of the day, but the redemption that soon followed.
RIP to the GOAT of racing.
28:30 damn Kenny's comments broke me all over again "Because his boss is.....Not there to help him." Can't even begin to fathom what Kenny saw.
I was in video warehouse when my step mother's called me crying. She told me he was gone. My heart sunk to the floor. You know that a person is special when you never met them but you feel they were almost as much a father to you as your own daddy.
Dale Earnhardt was a character in NASCAR like no other. Do I think he's a tad overrated? Yes. Do I think he's the best of all time? No. But I do believe in his status as the single most important character in NASCAR history? Absolutely. When I think of Dale, I don't think of his car, his accomplishments, his impact, etc. I think of a man that truly symbolized the NASCAR fanbase when NASCAR was in their prime. He was an honest, hard working man that worked his way from the bottom to the very top. He's an example. He's someone that many strive to be. He's someone that NASCAR should never forget.
Unless you were a real NASCAR fan, you would not know how devastating this day really was. So happy for Michael, and just in unbelievable shock about Dale.
Dale "The Intimidator" Earnhardt, Sr. literally gave his life to NASCAR.
I still can't believe he's gone...
21 years later and it still hurts...
First time I’ve ever seen my mom cry for a “celebrity” death..it was so sad
After watching this again it still brings tears to my eyes. I watched Dale his whole career. Still miss him.
Can you imagine the things that guy would have done for the sport if he had lived. Nascar didn't die with Big E but it was a gut punch from hell for all the things hes done and all the things he WAS GONNA DO!!. #Incredibleman
Always loved Dale I still tear up with these old stories of Dale. I would get so excited watching him run , but damm he was hard on those cars.👍👍
R.I.P Dale, although i hated working at Carowinds, i did enjoy operating the Intimidator coaster
I was just a little kid when this all happened. Hearing the Dale jr won the Daytona 500 next year, is almost like a fairly tale. Don’t believe in much above but that was a sign of hope
He won the Daytona 500 in 2004 actually
Dale Earnhardt Sr is like a good NASCAR god. He helped Dale Earnhardt jr. , Steve park and Kevin harvick win. It’s still sad that he died but, he is awesome.
Dale will always be remembered in are hearts and are minds forever :(
Dale didn't finish his last lap that day but i think he would be happy as "the last thing he saw was the image of his son and teammate speeding to the finish line".
What an insane day this was. The magic of Darrell screaming his little brother home in the biggest race of his life, only for it to be met with such a tragic loss.
Nascar was never the same after 01'
There's a lot of famous and beloved race car drivers died and didn't deserve to go so soon. Ayrton Senna, Davey Allison, Alan Kulwicki, Tim Richmond, Adam Petty, Kenny Irwin Jr., Tony Roper, Colin McRae, and the one and only Dale Earnhardt. There's an alternate universe out there where they're alive.
I feel so bad for Mikey. Hell never be able to talk to dale about his big win and he’ll never be able to be genuinely happy about winning the race.
Watching the number 3 car now is not the same as when Dale Earnhardt was driving. I was 5 when Earnhardt died. Richard Childress should have never brought the 3 car back. Rest in Peace Dale Earnhardt Sr. 🙏#3
Should have been retired
Someone mentioned the 1996 DieHard 500 crash. That was the one that even burned his mustache off. But the absolute worst part for him was the next race when he had to get outta the 3 at Indy and let Skinner drive. You can just imagine how something like that would have affected him. Probably about like having to "share" Teresa. So the week after that, >>>with a broken sternum AND a broken collarboneROAD COURSE!!!
I was at BUD AT THE GLENN. He was awesome 👌 👏 👍 😍 💖 😎
I live in Cleveland but I was in Toledo visiting friends for that weekend. We'd started watching the race at my friend's apartment, and then about an hour in we all decided it was time to go. It takes about an hour and a half to drive between Cleveland and Toledo. So when I got home I caught the last half hour or so. So I was watching the whole thing unfold live, as it happened.
My Grandfather and Uncle were pretty big NASCAR fans too, my Grandfather's guy was Jeff Gordon since my Grandfather retired from working at DuPont from 1946-1982. So I knew he would have been watching the race. I called him first after the wreck first happened. Then I called him after Helton's announcement. My Grandfather didn't have cable and didn't know, and unless I'm wrong Helton's announcement was only carried live on some cable networks, not on the big 3 broadcast networks.
I still cry! The worst day in NASCAR history! I was not a Dale Earnhardt fan, I guess I loved to hate him, but I certainly didn’t want him to die! He was one hell of a race car driver.
Greatness, Touching, Unbelievable, Horrific ✨🥀
MAN I remember that day like it was 2000! I remember watching the race until that crash that killed a race legend. I was there just shocked with tears in my eyes.
The day NASCAR officially died when Dale Earnhardt senior parished at the 2001 Daytona 500 always and forever the intimidator always and forever the man in Black always and forever a Dale Earnhardt senior fan 4life NASCAR'S greatest driver in history forever number#3 Dale Earnhardt
21 YEARS WE MISS YOU DALE AND LOVE YOU
I'll never ever forget that race....I cried
Greatest man to ever race.. The intimidator
I love Kenny Schrader. Poor guy. I’m glad he was first to let Mikey know.
2001-losing Dale Earnhardt and 9/11- what a shocking year that was!
This happening is actually one of my earliest memories. My grandpa was watching the race
Dale Sr won more races at Daytona than any other NASCAR driver ever did.
Rest in peace Sir 😢😢😢😢❤ you are still #1 no matter what!!!!! # 3 forever he will be missed by us all still to this very day!!!!!; love you!!!!!!❤😢😢😢❤
From Puerto Rico send my condolences to his family,r.i.p champion gone but never forget 💯💪🏾😢
NASCAR just hasn't been the same since Big E got it in turn three on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. He literally sacrificed his life so Michael and Dale Jr would go 1,2. loved watching Jr kick ass for a few years after that but it's still never been the same. Thankfully I got to see the ole man race in person a few times before his death. I don't even bother watching it anymore now. RIP Dale, we love ya buddy 🙏
I Was 4 Years Old Sad Cried Dale Earnhardt Sr 1951-2001
William Grantham Was Cried
William Grantham Was Sad
I was 12 when it happened
It Was Horrible Year 2001
The Greatest Nascar Driver ever bar none Rip Dale you are Missed
Damn. This is gut wrenching. How could I call myself a sports fanatic without knowing this story.
I'm 58 yrs old. Dale Earnhardt made me a NASCAR fan. When Dale died, I felt like NASCAR, died. I haven't watched a entire race yet since 2001
I remember that day I was routing for Dale Sr. God rest his soul!!!!!!!!
I was a Stewart fan, but I watched the whole race. I watched Dale die and it broke my heart.......
His story is just so crazy around that number 3. 20 years to win the Daytona 500, 3 years later he would die, the day he died on the last lap, he finished the race in 3rd with the crash protection. Even tho his car was painted different and with a new driver and number, the car he would’ve been in won 3 weeks after his death. Dale won the Daytona 500 at 46 years old. Dale Jr won the 46th annual Daytona 500
To see the look on Michael Waltrip's face change as Ken Schrader gave him the terrible news is still heartbreaking all these years later.
What a sacrifice Dale Sr gave so Michael and Dale Jr could have the glory of winning. We sat on the deck and talked about Dale that evening and try to process losing Dale Earnhardt Sr while we downed a few beers that night and watched the stars above. Jerry and Sugar Bear and I watched as one star sail across the sky. We have to feel that Dale Sr was driving in the sky in Heaven! Sail on Dale Earnhardt Sr!😇🐻🚖3️⃣🥰
Will never forget. Watched the race. Got on espn.com later on and found out he died. Was shocked.
This Made Me Cry So Much Cause Dale Earnhardt Sr Was My Driver I Was Like I've Waited So Long To Drive His Car In The Video Games And #3 Whenever I Thought Or Watched NASCAR I Thought Of #3 I always Thought Of #3 And I Took The Methods Dale Earnhardt Sr Used And I Used Them To Win My Video Game Races
tankdempsey14 why are you criticizing a man that is being very emotional? Why are you trying to insult someone after they have clearly lost a big part of their life? That’s not how being a decent human being works. You have to realize you’re fucking up at this point.
tankdempsey14 Also you are also being a big hypocrite by doing the exact thing you are criticizing him for
It’ll be 23 years on Sunday dale passed away at the 500 so let’s do the 2024 season for him shall we
Just realize I’m watching this while wearing a NASCAR shirt. I was never around to witness him race but I’ve heard it was really a time to be alive
I lived NASCAR for as a child as my father was in Buddy Arrington’s pit crew. The pain was familiar, I lost Davey in 1992. Dale was a fixture and represented the Patton of NASCAR. My pain was for Jr., the Waltrips, Kenny, and Sterling. I had no remorse for Mile Helton, the killer of the sport I loved. FMH
21 years. Wow..... a real legend 🏴
I will never forget that day! I was 7 years old we had a big party my mom was staren at the tv in shock my dad came running in and said hes dead my mom didnt believe him after 5 mins she broke down 😢 crying i was crying we all were we loved him so muchh
A Nascar Racing GOD. From Motorsports fans DOWN UNDER.
hearing the pain got me so sad
How fucking cool though he got to be racing with his son. He was probably so proud of his boy for following in his footsteps. That's like a dad's dream come true
Dale Sacrificed His Life For The Two Cars He Owned. Big E Will Be Missed.
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.
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
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.
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...