Poor Ken Schrader. He knew right away Dale was dead. No question about it. Even though he's never actually said it you can see it in his face whenever he speaks about it. But I always like to believe there's no other way Dale Earnhardt would have wanted to leave this earth. The man ate, slept, and breathed racing. There was no more fitting and deserving way for him to go than behind the wheel of a race car doing what God put him on this earth to do. Rest easy Dale. The world still misses you.
When Kenny walked up over to the car he knew Dale was no longer alive. He did an interview on the 10 year anniversary that he did not want to be the one to say Dale is dead. Kenny holds onto a lot of guilt with what happened even though it wasn’t his fault. And then to be the first person to see he was no longer here. It’s super sad.
You had to mess it up with your "god" nonsense. Do you really believe that if an all-powerful, all-knowing, ancient, Jewish, rabbi-zombie really existed that he actually gave a shit about Nascar racing? If I was all-powerful I'd feed starving children and prevent kids from dying of cancer. I wouldn't be using my super powers to do mundane shit like worry about racing.
You may be right about what you said Matty, but dying doing what he loved at only age 49? With a daughter who was just 13 when he passed? I appreciate what youre saying, but he wouldnt have wanted to go that soon. Nobody would.
Dale died of a basilar skull fracture. For anyone who is familiar with this injury, it's *immediately* obvious on seeing a victim that they are gone. Heartbreaking.
@@denisejudd5832 Drivers know when it's bad. The angle was bad, the way he came off the wall was bad, him being taken to the Halifax hospital at a slow pace, everything was bad about it.
He knew. When the car remains intact after a hard hit it means the driver took the brunt of the impact. When the car disintegrates, as they are designed to do, it usually means the driver will be okay.
I just feel awful for Kenny Schrader. Such a good guy, and he's the first person to find Dale slumped over and dead. I just can't even imagine the pain that he obviously still feels today. I was a firefighter/EMT-I for 21 years, and have seen some bad stuff. In the video you can see that a medic is doing chest compressions on Dale when they take him out of the ambulance. He was dead as soon as he hit that wall. The life left him right away, I am just about positive. But I do believe that he knew before he died that Mikey and Jr. were going to finish 1-2.
A friend of my dad’s knew some of the medical staff who did Dale’s autopsy and he claimed that he was told that Dale had been laughing just before he hit the wall. So he knew what the outcome was gonna be.
His death was like katsumotos in the last samurai in more than one way. One of the last in a dying breed, going out for one last hoorah, only to die watching, to him, what would have been the most beautiful sight.
Ken Schrader is an awesome person. He doesn't get enough praise for the driver he was and the man he is. It's terrible that he carries the memory and burden the darkest moment in the history of the sport and the death of one of his best friends.
My heart goes out to Kenny Schrader. To have to be in that moment knowing that your friend not just a driver is laying there dying and there's nothing he could do
My heart goes out to him, but more importantly to Michael Waltrip. Can you imagine starting 460 some odd races, NEVER winning, you FINALLY do, its THE Superbowl of your sport, and the Babe Ruth of your sport dies on the last lap of your long awaited victory? Brutal. I dont even know HOW you feel that day. Yes, its still amazing to win, but how can you really enjoy it? Im just happy for Michael Waltrip that he was able to win that second 500, and be allowed to enjoy it completely.
You ever hit a object at say 50 mph.... I did.... the seatbelt cracked all my ribs .. the bruising, I was in pain for mos.... now... try it at 200... rip dale
What was really eerie for me was what Dale said to Richard while they were stopped on the backstretch after Tony's wreck. If they don't do something to these cars someone is going to get killed. 15 laps later he was gone.
@@robmaynard5524 Maybe he should have cared when they had him in Indianapolis showing him the HANS device and trying to get him on board. Maybe NASCAR shouldn't have given his opinion on it as much weight as they did. Multiple experts have weighed in and stated the failed seatbelt did not cause life threatening injuries. Even in failing, they did their job and restrained his torso. Dale Earnhardt died from a basilar skull fracture. The same injuries that killed Adam Petty, Tony Roper, and Kenny Irwin Jr less than a year before. The racing at Daytona and Talledega have been much the same for years, off and on depending on the cars. But safety is important and respected now. So instead of another Dale Earnhardt, we have seeming miracles like the crash Ryan Newman survived last year.
If it weren't for the sacrifice Dale Earnhardt made, NASCAR wouldn't have the safety improvements that it has today. Your legacy will never be forgotten Dale. You're racing up in heaven with Jesus and the angels.
Jack TASM2 the thing that gets me. Is 3 other drivers died that same year. And Nascar didn't do anything. They gambled, and lost one of the best Drivers in Nascar history. Why NASCAR WHY!
He has great company to race with - Davey Allison, Tim Richmond and of course his best friend Neil Bonnett. The racing in Heaven is better than on earth
So chilling watching Schrader and those first responders frantically moving around the wreck, shaking their heads, putting their arms up and shuffling around in general disbelief and shock at what they were seeing. That scene in the car had to be ugly... Had they shown this footage during the actual race, the whole world would have known then without NASCAR even having to make the announcement a few hours later. What a sad day, it's like 9/11, one thing that will stick with me forever when this happened.
One thing that still breaks my heart is seeing interviews with people who knew him and they can't talk much without breaking down in tears. Dale Earnhardt, your fans still miss you very much. NASCAR was never the same when you left us. Watching it today, it's obvious something always feels missing...
Kenny Schrader's facial expressions and mannerisms in this..... He says so much without words. He clearly is still traumatized by it. I wish him healing.
Gold Fusion this was the saddest day of Nascar but Ayrton Senna's death in 1994 was even worse 😥 He was a 4 times world champion at that time and was absolutely dominating formula 1 the greatest driver of all time died because his steering wheel locked at 200 mph and he had no chance for surviving that impact Anyway R.I.P to Dale Senna and all the other racers who passed away doing what they loved They will never be forgotten
I was a one year old in 2001 just two months away from my second birthday after 9/11... and the world changed and I felt nothing... or probably felt a change but never felt anything that hits my mind. As I am getting older nowadays I’m starting to realize that 2001 changed all of our lives including mine I never became selfish or immature now like everyone else in my generation because its important in my lifetime and it still impacts me forever...
He reminded me of Ned a few years prior rooting for his son Dale, but DW was quick to see over at Turn 4 to see if Dale Sr. was OK and you knew he was worried just like everyone else that day
Dr. Branch did my neck repair in 2008. Best of the best. He's the Earnhardt of Neurosurgery. Wonder man. Busy man. Has 10 students following him everywhere (Baptist is a teaching hospital). His time is incredibly precious. What does he do the day after my surgery? Comes in personally to check on me. I was blown away. I had to tell him I'd been reading up on him and the work he did on 3 to get him back on track. The good Dr. sat on the corner of my bed for 15 minutes telling us Earnhardt stories. It was surreal. The funniest stories and heartwarming. He trusted Dr. Branch 110%. All in. Dr said he was smart as a whip, asking questions and looking at all the various x-rays in Branch's office, wanting to know what was wrong with this guy and how are ya gonna fix him doc? 10 years ago and I'll remember it as long as I life. The best. A true healer from the old school.
Got choked up when it showed the last lap where it happened. Imagine that this was supposed to be Michael Waltrips big day, he finally won, only to find out that one of his closest friends died on that last lap. I can’t imagine the soul crushing weight that he felt that day. Or since. Hands down one of the most tragic moments in sports history period. Not just in nascar, but in all of sports. Rip dale sr.
Michael really got screwed out of what should have been a special day. 462 races without a win? How many YEARS of Nascar does that equal? I kind of doubt if his last name wasnt Waltrip, if he would even have a ride in 2001. Im really happy he got that second one, and a win he could completely enjoy. Michael always seemed like as down to earth and as funny of a guy that was in Nascar in those days.
@@chocolatetownforever7537 He also won the Pepsi 400 in 2002 after finishing 2nd to his teammate Dale Jr. the year before in that 4th of July race. Then, on February 18th, 2011, exactly 10 years after that tragic day in 2001, Michael Waltrip won the Truck Series race at Daytona in the no. 15 truck in honor of his fallen friend and car owner.
Justin Duncan i remember watching this race live frm my living room thoses final ten laps was weird to me like i knew how everything was setting up to b a forever memory and losing i have hoped and dreamed tha someday i could race agaisnt him just once and if dale jr ever reads this comment on utube dale im srry u lost ur father i kno the feeling far to well
Justin Duncan awesome statement.. It's not a nascar.. At the time it was a Winston Cup race car NASCAR is not a car its National Association (for) Stock Car Auto Racing
NASCAR died that day that Dale died I just have no desire to watch NASCAR any more he made NASCAR what it was !!! Long live the memory of the Intimidator and #3 !!!
I was a Dale Earnhardt fan ever since I got an autograph hat from him back in the 80's. And being a ten year old standing next to him I knew why they called him The Intimidator. But now the heart and soul of NASCAR is gone.
Rest In Peace Dale (1951-2001). You were the man who shaped NASCAR as we know it today. You were a legend, a role model to me and all of your fans. Your legacy will live on forever.
But I do have to say he'd roll over in his grave if he knew how much they've ruined what he spent 3 decades of his life building and promoting and making exciting !!! R.I.P. Dale "The Intimidator" Earnhardt 🙏 🍻
I feel sorry for the Earnhardt family. What an awful event. My heart goes to Kenny Schrader and his family too. I can't imagine how this impacted his life
I was ten when this happened. I cried so hard. I had a dead feeling inside when watching the next few races but when harvick won.....that was one of the happiest moments of my life
Mine too! And that's when I became a Kevin Harvick fan and still am! I had been watching Kevin and was a fan because he reminded me of my previous favorite driver, Rusty Wallace. He had a similar driving style and when they tapped him to drive the 3 car, I was really happy, even after they changed the number to 29. RIP Dale. Your memory will never be forgotten.
I never was a Dale fan I always pulled for Bill Elliott then later Kenseth, but I was floored when he died and nascar has felt different ever since. He was in my mind the greatest ever & always will be. RIP Intimidator
I know I’m late... but Dale was the most inspirational racer you could ever witness. He did indeed go to victory lane, we just didn’t see him go there. R.I.P Dale Earnhardt Sr.
Tuckyvoonoost are you really that big of a moron everyone even the greatest can have a wreck and anyone could have been killed it's a dangerous sport but make no mistake Dale Earnhardt was the greatest ever
This was the first NASCAR race that I ever watched from start to finish, I was instantly hooked after this. Not because of Dale's death, but because of all the comradare involved. Such a family oriented and team sport. I picked Dale Earnhardt Jr as my favorite driver to root for before this race. Now after 17 years, I am still a Dale Jr and NASCAR fan. R.I.P. Dale Earnhardt Sr.
What continues to make this more and more sad and that will forever be heartbreaking is thinking about how MW waited and couldn't wait to see Dale and get that arm around the neck and spend the greatest day of his life with his most favorite person in this world
When Ken said, "I lost my hunting buddy", it hit me. I was 16 years old watching with my parents when it happened and we all thought the same thing..."It wasn't that bad. He'll be alright". And then we heard the news. I haven't watched a NASCAR race since then
I’ve been in NC since 2017 and knew nothing about the Earnhardt legacy but today I watched this and sobbed so hard. Truly tragic and can be felt to this day. Rest in the MOST peace.
A lot of people say NASCAR is just making left turns, I wish I could knock them out. You don’t know NASCAR if you don’t know Dale Earnhardt. At least he died doing what he loved
I will never forget this as long as i live. Im 27 and my oldest brother is just over 40 and had everything dale. I mean all his diecasts the whole thing. Dale was his reason for watching NASCAR. He was his hero. The night they made the announcement i was only 10 yrs old and i remember being on the living room floor with my parents just watching tv and all of a sudden my brother runs up from downstairs pail as a ghost and my mom asked him whats wrong and he said they lost dale. And when he told us what channel to turn it on and we saw the announcement by mike Helton. I will forever remember his words from that day. People always remember where they were when a historic or tragic event happened and im no different. And in closing when kevin won at atlanta a few races later, it was just me and my mom home at that time and there was alot of tears to say the least
I wasn't much of a NASCAR fan back then but I knew of Dale Earnhardt and his legacy and I remember watching Sportscenter the day this happened and saw on thier little ticker that he died and was in disbelief and then when they made the announcement my heart just dropped. Just sad that it took the loss of such a legend to make everything in NASCAR alot safer
I started watching NASCAR in 1996, at 13 years old. I immediately latched on to Dale Sr. From '96-'03 the only race I missed was Dale's 98 Daytona win. That will forever bother me on some level.
I was a little to young to remember this day I was only 7 but unfortunately I had to go through this same type of thing with my favorite Indycar driver Dan Wheldon with his fatal crash at Las Vegas in 2011
I knew this guy in High School who was obsessed with Dale Earnhardt. He grew the mustache, had the sunglasses, had #3 Flags on his buick, He was a dork, but Im sure this shattered him to the core
I dont believe I was able to watch another Nascar race after this. As a young kid I idolized this man's tenacity on and off the track. Miss ya Intimidator, long live the legend of the best stache you could see in a rearview.
My grandfather always spoke about Dale with a smile on his face. He was a huge nascar fan and he always said that Dale would forever be his favorite…I like to think that when my grandfather passed away he finally got to go up and speak to Dale in heaven. Rest in peace 🤍
The saddest irony of all is that although it was obviously a hard impact, it still seems like far from the worst you've ever seen, in fact Dale had survived much more violent and spectacular wrecks than that. A reminder that the pursuit of safety in motor racing can never become complacent.
Gosh, being a NC girl NASCAR runs through our blood! We've been blessed to say, "Some of the best and greatest of NASCAR have been a part of NC history!" The "Day Dale Died" is a huge part of every NC NASCAR fan! 2001 was a year of memories. "Bring what you've got, bump, and grind, THAT'S RACING!" Thanks too all for the memories! Each of you have left a place in our hearts! The piece where Waltrip says, "It feels great, I hope Dale's okay!" Shows the kind of man Waltrip is and the kind of friend he is! We look foward to seeing what's in store for the generations ahead!
SJ-M m I'm not a NASCAR fan but I am from NC I remember being I 7th grade when this happened exactly one month before my 13th birthday. A friend at school told me and shocked wasn't even the word! As I said before I'm not a racing fan but Dale was my favorite driver.
I'll never forget that day. I was an over the road truck driver who just finished watching the race in an Atlanta truck stop. The crash happened, the race ended, the coverage ended. I got in my truck to head to my stop. Within 10 minutes over the radio station came the words, "Dale Earnhardt is dead". I cried so hard I could hardly drive my truck. I lost my hero that day. Man I miss him.
Dale was undoubtably the best driver in NASCAR. Unfortunately I never got to see him race cuz I was born just a couple years after his death. But I’ve seen plenty of footage of him and his talent on the track that always makes me smile when i see it. Truly the best driver in history. If he were just a few feet in front of Marlin that last lap I wouldn’t be typing this. Rest In Peace legend.
Never saw him race live, I'm too young. But I admire this man, he drove his heart out every single race, he looked for his people and he was a monster out on the racetrack, he's definitely a role model that I look up to. RIP _3_ I wish I could have seen you race!
Was fortunate enough to meet Richard Petty DW Dale Jr but never fortunate enough to meet Sr. Only time I’d ever seen my dad cry was the day he died. Will never forget it. Was laying on our ugly blue couch woke up to my dad yelling no can’t be it wasn’t even a roll over. We all watched the race and did not think it was bad at all. My family went to every race huge NASCAR fans after that day we stopped watching tbh. Went to Martinsville once and watched junior but went from family gathering watching when I was a kid to nobody watching anymore. The intimidator was IT. Him and Richard Petty IMO. Almost passed out as a kid meeting Richard at a race.
Only time I ever saw my dad cry. Remember watching the race being a kid and thinking it wasn’t that bad. We’d seen roll overs and far worse wrecks. When the announcement was officially made my dad broke down crying. We all did. Was surreal. I’ll never forget that day. Long live the intimidator
I’ve never seen those videos of him the days before the Daytona 500… how chilling and so sad to see a man on top of the world loving life and not knowing it’s over in 24 hours
I will always remember Dale. And I will always remember this day as we had this playing during my birthday. Every year now on my birthday whether Daytona was racing that day or not I always have a moment of silence for Dale
My birthday also. February 18th. Dale Earnhardt Sr. was my favorite driver. I was not able to watch NASCAR racing, after Dale Sr. lost his life, nor enjoy my birthday for a couple of years. When I decided to watch it later, it just wasn't the same, and I no longer listen to it. I just can't. R.I.P. Dale Sr. You are gone, but will always be remembered with love and respect. ❤
No disrespect to Dale whatsoever but he refused to follow several safety protocols out of stubborness and overestimating. It doesn't matter how good and experienced you are...not following safety protocols will shorten your time, especially let alone when your livelihood is more dangerous than others...it really doesn't matter if you are a pro. And he was an amazing racer who changed the face of NASCAR. I'm not disrespecting him once again, but it's frustrating to know he would have likely survived that had he just listened. Had he not died though others would have after...so you're right in that, but he didn't do it on purpose to save others...he was stubborn. May he still rest in peace
@@Dana_at_LAXAgreed. We tend to martyr people when they die. Dales death DID lead to safer cars, but saying he died for others to be safe, is absurd. He didnt sacrifice himself for others, and I honestly wonder if he wasnt so openly opposed to HANS and full faced helmets, that NASCAR might have mandated those things earlier. Dale's voice and opinion had that much power, and we all know how close he was to the France's.
I think Austin Dillon is a bigger "gravy trainer" than Dale Jr. and Kyle Petty. He's had everything handed to him since day 1. His grandpa being Richard Childress is the only reason why he drives the 3 car.
I was there too. I heard them interview Shrader and remembered his voice sounded higher and cracked more than usual on our way out of the stands. We went to the house 2 miles away then out to eat. We didn't know until on the way home from that. I just went to bed early. Very sad day. I stayed a couple more days then went back home to Virginia. I still have my Daytona News Journal from the day after.
My dad took me to Daytona for the race and Dale was my hero. We came from south Carolina and I remember being mad when he wrecked but later that night my dad told me what actually happened. It was a crushing end to an amazing week. I never felt the same about Nascar after that.
Dale Sr died a legend and giving Michael the chance to believe in wining the daytona 500 he shall always be in the hearts of all nascar fans R.I.P Dale Sr
I never got into NASCAR, but my dad loves it. Always had it on TV when it was on. I was only 2 when this all happened, and I can only imagine the tears in my dads eyes when he saw all this go down.
To have your best day and your worst day on the same day affects you in a way that is so profound that no one could ever say anything to help you. But knowing that is how life is makes it a bitter pill to swallow.
I saw the crash and the finish. My son was a year old and napping. I figured everything would be ok. I decided to join him for a brief nap. I woke up to the announcement that we lost Dale. I was shocked. The racing world changed that day. Poor Kenny has to carry what he saw. Damn,its still tough today. I fly the 3 on my back porch to this day. Dale was every working man.
I was 11 yrs old in my mid 30’s now and I still remember Helton saying we’ve lost dale Earnhardt on tv like it was yesterday. I was sitting on the floor wearing my intimidator shirt. I couldn’t believe it. Still makes me tear up today
Earnhardt was and still is one of the greatest nascar drivers ever. He will be the forever remembered in my heart. I salute you Dale Earnhardt, FOREVER REMEMBER
very bad day.. This is just Bad😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔. When I got the news, my reaction was "Damn Papa, it's really a wrap" RIP Dale. 35 years old I am and this program brings back all the pain.
Dale Earnhardt was Nascar in my opinion. He was my absolute favorite driver and I remember exactly where I was when I heard the horrific news that "The Intimidator" passed away and I will never forget the emptiness I felt. He was always my favorite and I will never forget him. #3 Always And Forever
