“I Didn’t Know Dad Was Going to Be Taken From Us”: When Dale Earnhardt Jr. Reflected on Racing With Father Weeks Before Tragic Death

The 2001 Rolex 24 Hours at Daytona was a special event for millions of racing fans across the globe. It was one of the last races that Dale Earnhardt completed before passing away in a crash in the 2001 Daytona 500. For Dale Earnhardt Jr., it was a lot more special, considering he was one of his father’s co-drivers in it.

In an interview with NBC Sports in 2019, he named the experience as one of his favorite memories with his father. He believed that participating in the race might have been one of the things that the Intimidator wanted to check off his bucket list. Even then, it surprised Dale Jr. when the idea came up initially.

He said, “I didn’t think he was the type of guy who would do these extracurricular things outside of his immense responsibilities. He was a busy, busy man.” His performances in the Xfinity Series had impressed Earnhardt enough to let him be a part of the effort, and the father-son duo joined forces for Corvette Racing in a No. 3 Corvette C5-R.

They finished second in class and fourth overall. Dale Jr. received a street model replica of their car following the event and his father’s death. His father was supposed to get one as well. Understandably, he considers the Corvette to be one of his most prized possessions. He said, “It means more to me now than I ever thought it.”

“When we decided to have these cars made, I didn’t know Dad was going to be taken from us just a short time later … This is a bit of a symbolic piece for me. Something that we did together at the end of his life.” Dale Jr. drove the car for many years but doesn’t anymore, fearing damage to it.

Is the No. 3 Corvette that the Earnhardts drove still around?

The No. 3 C5-R was shared by the Earnhardts, Andy Pilgrim, and Kelly Collins. Following their podium finish, Earnhardt leaned over to Pilgrim and said, “Second sucks, doesn’t it, son?” Following the ceremonies, he had a long chat with veteran broadcaster Mike Joy about the experience of racing in the endurance event.

Joy later revealed that the Intimidator had been pondering on thoughts of running in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Unfortunately, fate took a dark turn before the dream could materialize. The car that he raced, however, belongs to Lance Miller and still exists. Miller is the promoter of the Corvettes at Carlisle show that goes down in Pennsylvania every August.