Earnhardt 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 months. 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. I was a sportswriter for The Daytona Beach News-Journal at the time and I went to the infield care center after the accident, and will never forget how white Ken Schraders face was when he came out and how he stammered through an interview. Some even made phone calls to the shop that Marlin owned in Mooresville, North Carolina. The restart came on Lap 180, with 20 to go. In the days leading up to the race, his car's garage stall was in between those of Dale Jarrett and Bill Elliott, both of whom were fitted for devices by HANS co-inventor Robert Hubbard. 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. "She was the only one that was in the room other than medical personnel.". "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.". Marlin had attempted one last push to catch them, moving below Senior down the backstretch. There's nothing Ken Schrader can do to erase the image he has of seeing Dale Earnhardt dead in his car. Ken Schrader would have the most accurate account. 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. And I said, 'Do what she says,'" Bohannon says. It was a weird emotion. To stop suddenly at a high rate of speed is often disastrous and sometimes deadly. 'It's not how fast you go, it's how fast you stop.' Dale Sr. was officially pronounced dead at a nearby hospital shortly after the crash. You can see blood, the bent steering wheel . Schrader was sandwiched between the concrete barrier and the nose of Earnhardt's ride. Just wondering if anyone has done the same for Earnhardt. And that was it. Do I write about the time he let the clutch out of his car at the gas pumps and his car lurched forward, almost hitting a number of people? Schrader scoffs at talk of retirement. "You could tell in the communication from those arriving on scene," Helton says of his view from race control. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. Dale Earnhardt Sr. died after his car crashed into a wall during the final lap of the Daytona 500 20 years ago. (3:04). Like, dang, I was just another racer. 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. Tragic Details Found In Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s Autopsy Report. There were rumours at the next week's race that Schrader was going to quit, that what he had seen in Earnhardt's car -- which he won't discuss in detail -- was just too much to overcome. In 1986 Earnhardt was in the lead then ran out of gas with three laps remaining. ", Helton walked into the room packed with cameras, held his microphone and worked up the courage not to cry over the loss of his friend. Although it appeared to be a regular NASCAR crash at the time, the impact at this angle was devastating for the occupant. "And watching Ken Schrader, quite frankly, move around the way he was moving around. The sudden stop is a drivers worst nightmare.. Sterling Marlin himself but his family as well. 3 car and saw his lifeless body. "When I walked up to that car, I thought about a lot of things over the next couple of hours, and quitting was never on the list," he said. A subreddit for everything NASCAR related! If only it had happened sooner. THE BIBLE VERSE was taped to the instrument panel of Dale Earnhardt's Chevy Monte Carlo when it veered into the Turn 4 wall at the end of the 2001 Daytona 500. And, he finished second in 1984, 1993, 1995 and 1996. Earnhardt said to Waltrip two days earlier, in an interview with the rival-turned-retiree-turned-TV analyst. Earnhardt suffered a broken ankle, broken ribs, a fractured sternum and cuts to his scalp and chin. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, https://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/os-xpm-2011-02-14-os-earnhardt-first-responder-0215-20110214-story.html. Dale Earnhardt, also known as The Intimidator, Ironhead and Man in Black had died after a crash on the last lap in the Daytona 500 on Feb. 18, 2001. "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 Daytona 500 was the race that eluded Earnhardt over his long career until 1998. A broken collarbone at Talladega and Earnhardt's rushed return had taken away his feel for the car. But I think we were all also thinking, 'Where do we all go from here? If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Bill Elliott, Ricky Rudd, Jeremy Mayfield, and Bobby Hamilton were right there in the mix as well. That's when Earnhardt, asked if he would wear a HANS device, had groused, "I ain't wearing that damn noose.". "I thought to myself in that very moment, 'I'm gonna have to do this by myself.' There was even a puff of brake smoke. 3 on top | Dillon and RCR | Daytona from Goodyear Blimp | Duel lineups. 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 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. No one knew that February day would be the last one of Dale Earnhardt Sr.s life. "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. When Earnhardt dropped low in front of Marlin, he hadn't completely cleared the nose of the No. He got in his car and I got in my car and we ran a race.". Theres nothing Ken Schrader can do to erase the image he has of seeing Dale Earnhardt dead in his car. He clipped Ken Schrader, whose yellow Pontiac carried both cars hard into the concrete wall headfirst at about 180 mph. The 67-year-old race car driver was born in Missouri, United 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. "It was Mikey's biggest moment and you're adding news that he doesn't want. On race day, there were so many of those stories, especially during the prerace ceremonies. 3 car and saw his lifeless body. Earnhardt's son, Dale Earnhardt Jr., was participating in the same race that his father died. I'd be at my car getting in and he wouldn't come up to me, you know? He was the first one to see the scene and he knew how bad it was immediately but he's not the type to publicize it. He didnt get mad at all at the question about how beer and guns could coexist on the quarter panel of a racecar. It was only my third time covering the Daytona 500 for The Charlotte Observer. I cant imagine knowing that and then having to go on National TV, and then having to face Richard Childress and Michael Waltrip. Thankfully, in the 20 years since that fateful at the Daytona 500, NASCAR has made vast improvements as it pertains to safety harnesses within the vehicles, which was ultimately the cause of Earnhardts death. He shunned any head and neck safety restraint, unlike some of the drivers in the field that day. It was 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. 36 into the infield grass. 19 years after the crash, Ken stopped by Dale Jr.s podcast, Dale Jr. Download, and it got quite emotional, as Dale Jr. read Ken a letter he wrote thanking him for never speaking about the crash or what he saw. But what happened was clearly an accident and Marlin made sure to get that point across (h/t Motorsports.com). 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 Racing and winning, Budweiser and No. In 1993, he led 107 laps then was passed by Dale Jarrett in the last lap. I was sad, but unfortunately, death is a reality in racing. In the end, he decided it wasn't going to. 3. How would Earnhardt's death to affect him? "So, now, here we all were, balancing grief, the loss of our friend. Through it all, he's remained strong and spirited. Dale Earnhardt's death caused the sport to look inward. It was the day that NASCAR fans and the racing community and family were in shock. Fellow racer Ken Schrader was the first to get to him and realized he was dead, per ESPN. It looked -- and was -- awful. 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. Its just the nature of the sport. His car slid alongside Earnhardt's and they stopped nose-to-door in the infield grass. His brother Michael Waltrip, who was unaware and celebrating in Victory Lane, went on to release a film in 2019 about that day, Blink of an Eye. ?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. But two hits from onrushing cars punted Stewart's car into the air. Stream now on demand. How Penske's rookie sensation opened NASCAR's new era in style, Six key themes to follow in the 2022 NASCAR Cup season, Six key themes to follow in the 2022 NASCAR Cup season I talked him into it. 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. Ive seen photos of the wrecked car. Actually, it was in fact the entire Earnhardt clan who got Waltrip to victory lane. "I walked out after that. Crew chief Tony Eury Sr. was also his uncle, handpicked by Earnhardt Sr. to lead his son's career. I thought I had this path and this direction, with him, to do what we were going to do. "When I arrived and took a look, he had obvious signs of what we call a basilar skull fracture -- things we don't like to see in a driver, blood coming out of the nose and airway, blood coming out of the ears. It was Schraders mannerisms, coupled with the fact that Earnhardt was being taken straight to the hospital, that hinted of a tragic day. 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. Nowadays, the cars are designed to prevent things like blunt trauma to the head. 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. I know that's a graphic description. It's going away from me with that junk. "He came up and was like, 'Hey, you can do this. Fox was happy. 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 Reads Letter to Ken Schrader "She stood on the back wall of the room, and she was very composed. 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. "Out of compassion for his friend, he went to the car and I think maybe he saw more than what he bargained for," said Schrader's wife, Ann. I knew right away when I saw him that it was just as bad as it could be. "He was relieved when we told him that Tony was OK," Childress recalls. It's a day many people will never forget. As he threw his final block, Earnhardts left-rear corner tagged Sterling Marlins right-front fender, getting his car loose. 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. Two-wide, sometimes three-wide racing, became the norm late in the race, as it was the entire day. Youre one of only a few to see the darkest moment for my dad. 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. according to the autopsy result. The rest of my life. I do know that his children are polite and have been a pleasure to deal with in this industry. ONE BY ONE, cars started leaving the hospital to return to Daytona International Speedway. The 20th Crews worked quickly to get Dale Sr. out of the race car, even cutting off the roof. It led to the adoption of head and neck restraints (such as the HANS device) and the SAFER barrier, which was developed in conjunction with IndyCar and the University of Nebraska. 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. In the end, he decided he wouldnt let it. Chase Elliott to return to NASCAR competition this weekend, Chase Elliott to return to NASCAR competition this weekend - Proverbs 18. There were just so many questions. But this time, he made a point to come see me.". Schraders next thought was to go to Michael Waltrip, who was celebrating his first win, unaware of Earnhardts death. 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. 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. His own teams cars, driven by good friend Michael Waltrip and his son Dale Earnhardt Jr, finished 1-2 on a day that should have been filled with great joy. Dale Earnhardt, also known as The Intimidator, Ironhead and Man in Black had died after a crash on the last lap in the Daytona 500 on Feb. 18, 2001. It had been there when his crew secured his window net on pit road and he rolled away to take the green flag. The doctor had never been to a news conference, let alone be asked to field questions in one. The drivers of these cars have to have unshakable confidence in themselves. 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 3 on the pole for the 2014 Daytona 500, it will bring back plenty of memories of seven-time Cup champion Dale Earnhardt. 3 | NASCAR's most beloved drivers. Kenny has never talked about it like that and never will. Unlike his fellow competitors, who didnt learn Earnhardt was dead until well after the accident on the final lap of the Daytona 500, Schrader knew how bad it was the moment he poked his head into the battered No. Reporters cried. I feel pain for you to have to carry that memory, but you carry it for me, you carry it for (sister) Kelley, for dads family, you carry it for anyone whos ever cheered for him. It makes me feel close to you, Kenny. The 49-year-old racer was fighting for position when he slammed into the Earnhardt had won seven NASCAR championships and 76 races. SPEED has filled in a lot of the gaps from one very dark day. Schrader also had his own emotions to deal with. His steering wheel had likely saved his life. As his and Schraders cars spun down the track in unison, Earnhardts right-rear wheel parted company an indicator of the violence that had shaken through the vehicle. Schrader saw some bad shit that day though. The head-on collision meant his head had traveled straight forward, stopped before it could extend into a deadly head whip. THE 2001 DAYTONA 500 was without question the most hyped and anticipated event in NASCAR's then-53-year history. CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices. Like most observers, he can't believe it was bad enough to kill the racing legend. Earnhardt, 49, died after a crash into the retaining wall after making contact with Ken Schrader and Sterling Marlin. After the two cars slid down the track and onto the grass, Schrader rushed over to check on his friend. A revamped superspeedway rules package, the same one Earnhardt used to earn his already legendary 18th-to-first dash at Talladega, promised to provide an entertaining event. It was a truly sad day, one that would be etched in the minds of the people that saw it, but there would be something good that came of it. Calls of warning that were shrugged off by authorities or documents that revealed a corporation knew it was flirting with disaster but went on doing it anyway. Emotional Dale Earnhardt Jr. 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. Reads Letter To Ken Schrader 19 Years After Deadly Dale Sr. But I knew hed want to know.. We travel together, we live together, we're a tribe. Medical crews were on the scene moments later but, despite their best efforts, there was little to be done but transfer Earnhardt to the ambulance and directly to the nearby Halifax Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead. Other racing drivers to be killed by a similar injury were Roland Ratzenberger (F1), Blaine Johnson (NHRA drag racing), Blaise Alexander (ARCA stock cars) and Gonzalo Rodriguez (IndyCar). 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. I really owe this one to Dale Jr. Dale Earnhardt Sr. was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital a few hours later but Ken Schrader later admitted that he knew Earnhardt had passed the moment he looked in the car. Today is the 10th anniversary of the day Dale Earnhardt died. 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. Earnhardts teammate, Michael Waltrip, won the race a hollow victory. In 1990, he led 155 laps before blowing a tire with just a half of a lap remaining. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. 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. He won 76 NASCAR Cup races and earned over $42 million in winnings, per Racing Reference. 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. Why Bubba Wallaces Talladega win is such a big moment for NASCAR. He was beating himself up for talking his friend out of quitting and couldn't shake that "they're going to get someone killed" comment during the red flag. He talked about his renewed life as a family man, finally getting marriage and fatherhood right on the third try. It was the day that NASCAR fans and the racing community and family were in shock. Earnhardt, seemingly trying to straighten out without slowing down, went to the apron for the briefest of moments before veering back up the track into the outside wall, hitting it nearly directly head-on before being pushed by Schraders No. Its a secret that youll keep til your last breath. It was Teresa Earnhardt. His autopsy revealed the underside of his chin had impacted the steering wheel, and hed suffered a second blow to the back of his head, as he rebounded from the impact back into his seat, which displayed scuff marks on the head-surround area. 3 car as it slid down the banking and into the infield grass, clearly under no control. the look on his face while he was being interviewed said it all. Earnhardts open-faced helmet had rotated forwards when he hit the wall, exposing the back of his skull. Earnhardt Jr. recalls the day of his dad's fatal crash (3:04), 'How did we let this happen? Earnhardt's death launched a NASCAR safety evolution that continues 20 years later. Her husband tried to talk her into finding a different verse, something less ominous. She didn't interrupt, she didn't, um, disrupt anything," he says. The car was Adam's No. "This is undoubtedly one of the toughest announcements that I've ever personally had to make," he began, "but after the accident in Turn 4 at the end of the Daytona 500 we've lost Dale Earnhardt.". PHOTOS: Memorable moments of Earnhardt's No. Greg Newman recalls his sons frightening Daytona 500 crash: It was pretty agonizing just to stand and wait. So it was hard for her, she had a lot of questions and a lot of concern for Taylor.. I never saw him. His sudden frantic waving to the arriving trucks of the Daytona International Speedway safety crew was the first real indication to the world that something was indeed very wrong. "I went back in my bus in the room and shut the door to my bedroom and just sat there," Earnhardt Jr. says. Johns Hopkins Medicine describes this injury as the most serious type of skull fracture, and involves a break in the bone at the base of the skull. 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