Dale Earnhardt Jr. Emotionally Recalls the Exact Moment He Realized Dale Sr. Died on the Track During the Daytona 500
Even though he passed away more than 24 years ago in a tragic last-lap crash in the 2001 Daytona 500, Dale Earnhardt remains alive in the hearts and minds of countless NASCAR fans.
In a new docuseries — “Earnhardt” — exclusively on Prime Networks, the legacy of The Intimidator is once again retold by daughter Kelly and son Dale Jr.
In an exclusive interview with Entertainment Tonight, Dale Jr. reflected on the moment he learned his father had died at the far too young age of 49 years old.
“I knew it right away,” Junior said when asked how quickly he realized that his legendary father had been killed. “You have this sense. When I was watching the crash in the (rearview) mirror, I just had a feeling.
“I came back around and crossed the finish line, you drive around the track back to the pits and so I come by the accident scene and I was like, ‘Yeah, you can tell, having seen and knowing the mechanics of how a crash is treated by the wreckers, the ambulance and all the things, you see something and go, ‘Yeah, there’s something going on here. There’s more to it than normal.’
“I kind of had an idea right from the moment I looked in the mirror and saw the crash, and I thought that doesn’t look good.”
The irony of Earnhardt’s death was just the moments beforehand. He made sure that his driver, Michael Waltrip, was ahead on the last lap and streaming toward the checkered flag, and Dale Jr. was right behind in second place.
It was almost as if the elder Earnhardt served as a blocker to assure his two drivers — including his son — finished 1-2 ahead of him. And, if the crash had never taken place, it’s very likely that Dale Sr. would have finished third for a 1-2-3 Dale Earnhardt Inc. finish.
Alas, that did not happen, sadly.
Waltrip took to X (Twitter) after watching the docuseries, and even 24-plus years later, the emotion still cuts like a knife: “Laying in bed watching #Earnhardt and crying like a baby. Remembering and missing Dale.”
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