Earnhardt Dies Following Daytona 500 Accident
(courtesy of NASCAR.com)
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla.--Seven time NASCAR Winston Cup Champion Dale Earhnardt, 49, was fatally injured Sunday, Feb.18, 2001, in a multi-car accident on the final lap of the 43rd Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway.
Earnhardt, a native of Kannapolis, N.C., was Daytona's career victories leader and winner of the 1998 Daytona 500. According to Dr. Steve Bohannan, emergency medical services director at Daytona International Speedway who responded to the crash, Earnhardt was killed instantly.
"He had what I feel were life-ending type injuries at the time of impact", Dr. Bohannon said. "Really, nothing could be done for him."
The announcement was made at 7p.m. ET by NASCAR President Mike Helton
"Undoubtedly this is one of the toughest announcements I've personally had to make", said Helton, whose motorsports career covers more than 20 years. "After the accident in Turn 4 at the end of the Daytona 500 we've lost Dale Earnhardt."
"NASCAR has lost its greatest driver," said NASCAR chairman of the board Bill France "and I personally have lost a great friend."
Earnhardt started his 23rd Daytona 500 from the seventh position and was racing for third when the accident occured. His No.3 Childress Racing Chevrolet was bumped into the spin by Sterling Marlins No.40 Dodge between Turns 3 and 4 of the 2.5 mile speedway as a tangled pack of cars raced to the checkered flag. Rescue workers immediately responded and began administering oxygen and CPR to Earnhardt, who according to Dr. Bohannon never showed any sign of life at any time. He was immediately transported to Halifax Medical Center and was pronounced dead at 5:16p.m. from "head injuries, basically to the base of the skull."
In the accident Ken Schraders No.36 Pontiac struck Earnhardts car in the right side after the famous black No.3 shot up the race track to spear the outside wall. "I don't know what happened--all of a sudden we we're all crashing," said Schrader. "I guess someone got into Dale because Dale got into me and then we went up. We hit pretty hard and Dale hit harder."
He made 676 starts in his Winston Cup career, which begain in 1975. He was rookie of the year in 1975 and won his first championship the next season. He is sixth on the career Winston Cup Victories list with 76 and was on a path to break Terry Labonte's current consecutive starts record of 655. Earnhardt's start was his 694th straight. Earnhardt is motorsports leading all-time money winner with $41,639,662 in his career.
It was later discovered that his seatbelt broke and he hit his face on the steering wheel, causing fatal injuries.
We will Miss you Dale Earnhardt.
May you always be where you take the checkered flag, Godspeed
RIP |
