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On February 18, 2001, the world of NASCAR was forever changed in the 2001 Daytona 500. Dale Earnhardt, known as “The Intimidator,” died on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. His tragic death 25 years ago made NASCAR make many changes when it comes to safety. Dale Earnhardt was loved and hated by NASCAR fans all around the world for his intimidating driving style. Now, 25 years later, Dale Earnhardt’s legacy is about all of the safety aspects that have come after his death.
Dale Earnhardt’s Legacy: Aggression
Dale Earnhardt was a 7-time NASCAR series champion, known for his ruthless, intimidating driving style. His driving style against his competitors can make you either hate him or love him as a NASCAR fan. His 76 career wins and seven championships weren’t no accident; it was skills that got him those accolades. Even after Earnhardt’s death, his merchandise and the Earnhardt brand continue to be #1 in sales among NASCAR drivers. The personality of Dale Earnhardt will live on in the hearts and minds of all NASCAR fans forever and always.
The accolades for Dale Earnhardt made him one of the, if not the, greatest NASCAR driver of all time. Seven NASCAR Cup championships, tied with both Richard Petty and Jimmie Johnson. 76 career wins, which puts him 8th on the all-time wins list in the NASCAR Cup Series. Earnhardt has 34 wins at Daytona, the most at any track during his career. In 1998, after 20 unsuccessful attempts, Dale Earnhardt finally conquered the Daytona 500, the most memorable win of his career.
Dale Earnhardt’s Legacy: Safety
But Dale Earnhardt’s legacy was forever changed on February 18, 2001, on the last lap of the Daytona 500. Earnhardt himself was tragically killed on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. Then, all of a sudden, safety became a part of Dale Earnhardt’s legacy because of that moment in time. NASCAR made safety its #1 priority after Earnhardt and 3 drivers were killed the year before in accidents. Since 2001, safety has become the #1 priority for NASCAR and its drivers, so it hasn’t happened since then.
Since Earnhardt’s death in 2001, NASCAR has made many safety changes to tracks, cars, and drivers. They introduced the HANS device, which prevents a driver’s head and neck from snapping forward after a wreck. Also, safer barriers were being installed at every NASCAR track to prevent impacts with concrete walls. A brand-new car was introduced a few years later and became the safest NASCAR had ever produced. And, ever since 2001, no NASCAR driver has been killed in an accident, since Dale Earnhardt’s death.
Earnhardt’s son, Dale Earnhardt Jr., has continued his father’s legacy since 2001. He won many races during his career in NASCAR’s Cup Series. And, has been having a successful career as an owner with his own team mostly in the Xfinity Series. He has also developed many drivers into the NASCAR Cup Series. So through it all, the Earnhardt name in NASCAR has been successful in ways beyond driving a race car.
Dale Earnhardt’s Overall Legacy
Throughout his career, Dale Earnhardt’s legendary accolades reflect his driving style and personality. Before 2001, Dale Earnhardt’s legacy was defined by his intimidating driving style and championship wins. After his tragic death, Earnhardt’s legacy was incorporated into the safety measures that followed. Many drivers in these kinds of accidents should thank Dale Earnhardt for all the safety measures. Dale Earnhardt will forever be a driver in NASCAR will have two legacies when people talk about NASCAR and beyond.
Safety in NASCAR today is all thanks to one man: Dale Earnhardt. No drivers have been killed since 2001, thanks to the safety innovations introduced. When historians talk about Dale Earnhardt in NASCAR, they will talk about two things. They will talk about Intimidating style of driving a race and winning championships. The second talk will be about the safety measures introduced after his death.
