| Achievements | - , , , , , , Winston Cup SeriesChampion
- Tied with Richard Petty and Jimmie Johnson for most NASCAR Cup Series Championships (7)
- , , , IROC Champion
- Daytona winner as driver
- Daytona winner as owner[a]
- Brickyard winner
- , , Southern winner
- , , Coca-Cola winner
- ,
• Dale Earnhardt, Sr. ( &#; ) Born on April 29, 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 lager 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 bilparkering 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 , 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  • Dale Earnhardt Sr. killed in crashOn February 18, , Dale Earnhardt Sr., considered one of the greatest drivers in National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) history, dies at the age of 49 in a last-lap crash at the 43rd Daytona in Daytona Beach, Florida. Earnhardt was driving his famous black No. 3 Chevrolet and vying for third place when he collided with another car, then crashed into a wall. After being cut from his car, Earnhardt, whose tough, aggressive driving style earned him the nickname “The Intimidator,” was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead of head injuries. Earnhardt had been involved in another crash at the Daytona in , when his car flipped upside down on the backstretch. He managed to escape serious injury and went on to win Daytona in , his first and only victory in that race after 20 years of trying. The lap, mile Daytona , which was first run in at the newly opened Daytona International Speedway, is one of NASCAR’s premiere events as
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