This article is about Dale Earnhardt Sr. For his son, see Dale Earnhardt Jr. For the racing team he founded, see Dale Earnhardt, Inc.
"The Intimidator" redirects here. For other uses, see Intimidator (disambiguation).
NASCAR driver
Dale Earnhardt
Earnhardt at Phoenix International Raceway before the start of the 1997 Dura Lube 500
Born
Ralph Dale Earnhardt[1] (1951-04-29)April 29, 1951 Kannapolis, North Carolina, U.S.
Died
February 18, 2001(2001-02-18) (aged 49) Daytona Beach, Florida, U.S.[2]
Cause of death
Basilar skull fracture sustained from 2001 Daytona 500 crash
Height
6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight
195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Achievements
1980, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994 Winston Cup SeriesChampion
Tied with Richard Petty and Jimmie Johnson for most NASCAR Cup Series Championships (7)
1990, 1995, 1999, 2000IROC Champion
1998 Daytona 500 winner as driver
2001 Daytona 500 winner as owner[a]
1995 Brickyard 400 •
Dale Earnhardt, Sr. (1951 – 2001)
Born on April 29, 1952 in the town of Kannapolis (Cabarrus County), North Carolina, Ralph Dale Earnhardt, like other racing oriented families such as the Pettys and the Labontes, was the son of a NASCAR driver. Dale’s father, Ralph Earnhardt, neverachieved superstar status like his son, but the elder laid the foundation and provided the guidance that helped develop one of the best stock car racers of all time. Known by his fans as “Ironheart”, Ralph Earnhardt raced as many as three times a week to support his family of five. Dale, who was constantly in the garage observing his father, learned quickly about stock cars and engine building.
The allure of auto car racing captivated a young Dale, who opted for a racing career before finishing school. In 1967, the sixteen-year-old Earnhardt dropped out of school in the ninth grade to pursue his passion. When asked about why he quit school, Earnhardt said, “I wanted to race — that’s all I ever wanted to do. I didn’t care about work or school or anything, all I wanted to do w
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The Intimidator
Fiercely competitive on the track and a gentleman off the track, Dale Earnhardt re-defined the modern-era NASCAR driver and became one of the sport’s first superstars. Born in Kannapolis, North Carolina in 1951, Earnhardt would watch his father build dirt track cars in the family garage and accompany him to races. His father’s death in 1973 from a heart attack was a crushing blow, but he was determined to continue his family’s racing legacy. Earnhardt began racing in his late teens on local tracks around North Carolina. He would build and repair his cars by himself, often borrowing money to do so, hoping to win in order to pay off his debts.
In 1979, team owner Rod Osterlund offered Earnhardt his first full-time NASCAR ride. He started 27 races that year, and earned Rookie of the Year honors with 17 top ten finishes. Earnhardt won his first NASCAR Championship the following year, but Osterlund decided to sell his team during the next season, forcing Earnhardt to finish the season driving for Richard Childress. Childress recognized Earnh