Earnhardt said to Waltrip two days earlier, in an interview with the rival-turned-retiree-turned-TV analyst. Senior writer for ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com. Schrader had walked to Victory Lane and delivered the terrible news of what he believed had happened in the middle of Waltrip's celebration, causing Waltrip to leave immediately. "All he's ever wanted to do was go fast, race well and be competitive. Driving a race car, whether it is NASCAR, Formula One, or another type, is far more than just going around in an oval. He got so excited that he leapt out of his seat. Some thought that Earnhardt had altered his seat belt before the race and that had played a part in his death. ", E60 explores the legacy of Dale Earnhardt 20 years after his death. The organization made changes to make things safer, according to NASCAR. "I told him it wasn't him. NASCARs crash report, published in August 2001, stated: Dale Earnhardt's death was most likely caused by a blow to the back of the head not from one single cause but from a combination of unusual factors. I cant imagine knowing that and then having to go on National TV, and then having to Both Earnhardt and Earnhardt Jr. blocked Marlin, who had the strongest car of the day, in the final five circuits. Ken said more recently he knew Dale was dead, he just didnt want to blurt that out on TV. Could this thing that a few drivers wore, called the HANS Device, really have saved him? Drivers use harnesses that prevent injuries to the sternum and also keep the head from moving forward while the body stops. That's energy that's leaving. The emotion in his eyes was hidden behind sunglasses, but his face was pale and his voice shaky when he lied and said he didn't know. Earnhardt Sr. was there with one purpose in mind each race: win. There were just so many questions. He made eye contact with Schrader, who was behind a curtain being examined. Was it the cars? "Out of compassion for his friend, he went to the car and I think maybe he saw more than what he bargained for," said Schrader's wife, Ann. The wreck really didnt look all that bad. Schrader was running in the top 10 that day, battling a pack of cars hot on Earnhardt's bumper when The Intimidator made contact with Sterling Marlin and his car went shooting up the high banking into the Turn 4 wall. A broken bone in his neck at Atlanta had him essentially driving with one arm in 1999. In 1997, he flipped his car with just 12 laps to go. The News-Journal did a special section on Earnhardt the week after he died and each reporter had to write their fondest memories of him. He got fixed up and our cars got fixed up and in 2000 we almost won the championship.". Marlin had attempted one last push to catch them, moving below Senior down the backstretch. The injury is caused by: impact to the chin, jaw and face; impact to the head anteriorly, posteriorly or laterally; impact near the top of the head; and inertial head loading, in which the spine and neck muscles are called upon to stop the moving head. 40 Dodge and was turned to the left and onto the flat apron at the bottom of the track. After looking in, he immediately signaled for medical help. The impact also broke a left side lap belt that was already frayed, but multiple doctors interviewed said that, due to the nature of a basilar skull fracture, Earnhardt's mortal wound had already been inflicted by the time the force of the crash broke the belt. Teresa Earnhardt, always quick to leave the grid and get back to the motorcoach in time to watch the start of races, instead uncharacteristically lingered. SPEED has filled in a lot of the gaps from one very dark day. "Yellowstone" Stars Debut Relationship On Instagram, Dale Jr. Dale was in serious trouble." The veteran racer drove as if he were invincible, and time and time again, it seemed that way. How NASCAR is gearing up for its "biggest change" in 2022, Why Bubba Wallaces Talladega win is such a big moment for NASCAR, Why Bubba Wallaces Talladega win is such a big moment for NASCAR He looked completely at ease as he rode his bright yellow motorcycle through the infield at Atlanta and was confident when he climbed into his race car and drove it to a season-high eighth-place finish Sunday in the Cracker Barrel 500. Schrader had nowhere to go when Earnhardt's car turned sharply up the track and into the wall. He told Eury what had happened, assuming he already knew, but it was the first he was hearing of it, and the stoic old mechanic broke down. IndyCar at Long Beach: Start time, how to watch, entry list, etc. So it was hard for her, she had a lot of questions and a lot of concern for Taylor.. It was 13 years ago today when Earnhardt died on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. The death of Dale Earnhardt from a crash during the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500 is considered the darkest day in the history of NASCAR. It was fairly small and there were photographers and videographers standing on desks trying to get a shot of NASCAR President Mike Helton uttering the words that Earnhardt had died. Like most observers, he can't believe it was bad enough to kill the racing legend. It often leads to major bleeding in that area. Bell hoping to build extensive NASCAR playoff resume, Detroit GP IndyCar stars to receive Shinola watches, Detroit GP IndyCar stars to receive Shinola watches He finished second in his division in the Rolex 24 Hours of Daytona, second to youngster Tony Stewart in the Bud Shootout All-Star event, and third in his 125-mile qualifier. Earnhardt, 49, died after a crash into the retaining wall after making contact with Ken Schrader and Sterling Marlin. I just want you to know that, and I know this is hard.' Sterling Marlin went on to finish fifth behind Waltrip, Earnhardt Jr., Wallace, and Rudd. Because hes a racer, he has a very realistic attitude and has been able to cope with it.. Once its extensive crash report was released which included a number of investigation avenues and crash scenario re-enactments it embarked on a number of projects that included the creation of an R&D Center in Concord, North Carolina. In the Halifax Medical trauma room, Bohannon and his coworkers tried to inflate Earnhardt's collapsed lungs, performed a chest X-ray and continued pumping his body with blood. Her good luck kiss to her husband, captured on live TV, looked longer and more impassioned than normal. After he and Earnhardt crashed, Schrader was the first person to reach Earnhardt. Earnhardt, considered a master of super speedway racing, was locked in a battle for third place as his newest driver, Waltrip, and his son, Dale Earnhardt Jr., headed toward the finish line for what should have been the most triumphant moment in the brief history of Dale Earnhardt, Inc. But Stewart climbed out of what was left of his car, shaken but OK. Before @DaleJr let Ken Schrader leave the @DirtyMoMedia studio, he shared an emotional message on what he means to the Earnhardt family. #DJD pic.twitter.com/yuUtVhuJcB "But anybody I've talked to before -- and I've even got a lot of e-mails from fans who know me only from watching me doing interviews -- they said they knew it was serious from that interview.". Having Dad was like a cheat sheet, like knowing all the answers to everything. Ive seen photos of the wrecked car. How did we let this happen?'". Earnhardt battled for control, his car clipping the apron, unsettling it still further, and so it began to spin clockwise, moving up the track and across the bows of the closely-following Rusty Wallace and Ken Schrader. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. Per Earnhardt's request, she started doing it for him as well. In the days leading up to the race, his car's garage stall was in between those of Dale Jarrett and Bill Elliott, both of whom were fitted for devices by HANS co-inventor Robert Hubbard. Based on the fact that a basilar skull fracture is essentially an internal decapitation, Kenny probably saw Dale slumped over, jaw broken, and blood pouring out his nose. Detroit GP IndyCar stars to receive Shinola watches, The ex-F1 driver taking on NASCAR with a new team, The ex-F1 driver taking on NASCAR with a new team You got the sense that something wasn't right.". Schrader saw some bad shit that day though. Them high-speed race tracks, you know you dont touch anybody because its going to hurt when you hit. As we all know now, Dale Sr. was pronounced dead at the hospital from a basilar skull fracture and the entire world was in mourning. On race day, there were so many of those stories, especially during the prerace ceremonies. "The cars went in side by side," he said. Dale Earnhardt, also known as The Intimidator, Ironhead and Man in Black had died after a crash on the last lap in the Daytona 500 on Feb. 18, 2001. Dale Earnhardt, also known as The Intimidator, Ironhead and Man in Black had died after a crash on the last lap in the Daytona 500 on Feb. 18, 2001. Schrader had to talk to his 11-year-old daughter, a fan of The Intimidator and friend of Earnhardt's daughter, Taylor. The sudden stop is a drivers worst nightmare.. Sterling Marlin himself but his family as well. And that's the other stupid saying you'll hear. And the calls were even more disturbing as some not only threatened Sterling Marlin himself but his family as well, which essentially left him no choice but to fire back. But then Schrader's car hit Earnhardt in the passenger side door, creating a sudden surge of speed and turning both cars into the wall. I'd be at my car getting in and he wouldn't come up to me, you know? Tony Stewart's orange No. Just use common sense and look at the tape. But that hug never came. From Senna to Earnhardt," published just prior to Hubbard's death in February 2019. She didn't interrupt, she didn't, um, disrupt anything," he says. A racer through and through who spends his time away from Winston Cup at dirt tracks and other small circuits, Schrader had seen death before. What I saw in the car that day, that will stay with you, Schrader said in his first extensive interview about the wreck. But how, especially without any head and neck restraints? "We all knew that the biggest threat to keep one of us from winning the race was Sterling [Marlin]," Waltrip says of those frantic final 17 laps, running first with a mirror full of teammate Earnhardt Jr. and the black Chevy of Senior zigzagging back and forth to keep two different lines of cars at bay, the inside line led by Marlin and Rusty Wallace and the group in the outside lane led by Schrader. "But at the same time, he takes comfort in that one of the last people Dale might have seen and heard was Kenny, a friend who was there for him.". The early benefits and challenges of NASCAR's Next Gen car, How Penske's rookie sensation opened NASCAR's new era in style, How Penske's rookie sensation opened NASCAR's new era in style The summer before, Dorothy Schrader had spent a week with the Earnhardts on their yacht. And Tony never really stopped, did he? When Earnhardt dropped low in front of Marlin, he hadn't completely cleared the nose of the No. Marlin went low, Earnhardt was in the middle, and Schrader was on the outside while Rusty Wallace positioned himself right behind Earnhardts famous No. It's not going back into my body as a race car driver. That's when Bohannon realized someone else was in the room with them. It's a day many people will never forget. WebDale Earnhardt Jr. shares note to Ken Schrader after dad's death. Me? ?Negotiations with a bouncer?Damn Terry Labonte?Dale Sr. & BambiNote to Ken ?Little ass spoilers, LISTEN:Web: https://t.co/Bifc95ifTgApple: https://t.co/7XKWk1gWvTGoogle: https://t.co/f6o18GTh9c pic.twitter.com/UcXTy2PVN1, Dirty Mo Media (@DirtyMoMedia) March 11, 2020. But he can do something about how it affects him. Its no way in this world I would do something like that knowing the consequences and put myself in jeopardy, too. 40 Coors Light car. Hours before the race, Schrader had told Waltrip that if he won, he would go straight to Waltrip's motor home to get the celebration started. How could he, even in a sport that is known as dangerous, die on the final lap of a Daytona 500? The seven-time NASCAR Winston Cup champion was killed when he crashed into the fourth turn on the last lap of the February 18th Daytona 500. I am a big believer that we all put our pants on one leg at a time. "I saw a friend in trouble. The leader is gone. After the two cars slid down the track and onto the grass, Schrader rushed over to check on his friend. Before stepping out of the NASCAR trailer, Helton asked his colleagues, "How in the world do I say that we've lost Dale Earnhardt? In the final 20 minutes of their two-hour podcast, Ken was informed that he has been the most requested guest in their 288 episodes. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Why Bubba Wallaces Talladega win is such a big moment for NASCAR. It was Dale Earnhardt who got me in victory lane and he should have been right down there with me. ", "The technician looked at me like, 'What do I do?' Other racing drivers to be killed by a similar injury were Roland Ratzenberger (F1), Blaine Johnson (NHRA drag racing), Blaise Alexander (ARCA stock cars) and Gonzalo Rodriguez (IndyCar). It happened with 25 laps to go, a multicar crash on the backstretch that involved 20 cars, nearly half the field. Press J to jump to the feed. NASCAR's safety revolution was finally taking shape. 3 on top | Dillon and RCR | Daytona from Goodyear Blimp | Duel lineups. SN's Bob Pockrass recalls what it The Daytona 500 was the race that eluded Earnhardt over his long career until 1998. When we look back on Feb. 18, 2001, the day Earnhardt died at the end of that race, we find so much of both -- personal recollections about conversations that feel so foreboding now, and moments when so many racers chose to stick with the norm, even amid the constant sounds of safety experts' warnings, ambulance sirens and funeral parlor organs. Today is the 10th anniversary of the day Dale Earnhardt died. I couldn't do it for you right now. 3 car as it slid down the banking and into the infield grass, clearly under no control. I know that's a graphic description. A new @DaleJr Download Ken Schrader: The Best Week Ever! I didnt know what the final deal was, so I just told him it was big and Dale was in trouble, Schrader said. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. ", With the field parked under a red flag so crews could clean up the mess, Earnhardt chatted with Childress on the radio. The impact registered around 60 G's, so much force that it pushed the entire right front corner of the car from an aerodynamic curve into a flat surface that fit the wall as perfectly as a jigsaw puzzle piece. However, in an interview 10 years after the crash, he did reveal: I saw a friend in trouble. I've got it all! Johns Hopkins Medicine describes this injury as the most serious type of skull fracture, and involves a break in the bone at the base of the skull. Schrader later learned that interview was the first real sign to many viewers at home that Earnhardt might be dead. That's when Earnhardt, asked if he would wear a HANS device, had groused, "I ain't wearing that damn noose.". As he threw his final block, Earnhardts left-rear corner tagged Sterling Marlins right-front fender, getting his car loose. In order to keep delivering our expert journalism, our website uses advertising. He didnt get mad at all at the question about how beer and guns could coexist on the quarter panel of a racecar. As that scramble rolled through the final two turns of the event, Waltrip and Earnhardt Jr. were breaking away, hammering off Turn 4 toward the checkered flag. Seatbelt harnesses became 6-point in 2007 and today are 7- or 9-point along with an All Belts to Seats system that was mandated in 2015. For those who ever made death threats to Sterling Marlin following the death of Dale Earnhardt Sr., shame on you. He quickly took his father's mantle and became the face of the sport, being named Most Popular Driver 15 straight years, according to Sportscasting. After finishing the race, Dale Jr. began running to check on his dad. Ive managed to find this: https://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/os-xpm-2011-02-14-os-earnhardt-first-responder-0215-20110214-story.html. Schrader was battling a pack of cars when The Intimidators car made contact with Sterling Marlins and went shooting up the high banking into the Turn 4 wall. Earnhardt later told Schrader how Dorothy had gotten homesick on the trip, and that he'd spent a night comforting her. Earnhardt Jr. recalls the day of his dad's fatal crash (3:04), 'How did we let this happen? Theres nothing Ken Schrader can do to erase the image he has of seeing Dale Earnhardt dead in his car. "I was like, 'Man, I don't know what's next.' He touched many people in different ways. It was his first career Winston Cup win. Schrader also had his own emotions to deal with. 20 machine took a hard right-hand turn and drilled the concrete wall with a perfectly centered shot from the nose of his Pontiac. Though you have intimate knowledge of those moments, you are a keeper of that delicate information. Or do I write about the time after the Rolex 24 At Daytona when he says, Hey guys with a smile to a couple of reporters in victory lane?, I ended it with: Sorry, cant do it. I started off my column expressing my dislike for the assignment because I didnt really know what to say. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (updated 4/4/2023), Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). "Dale said he just had to get her up in his lap and just hug on her awhile until she got over it," Schrader said. The rest of my life. Theyre good people, and that is a reflection of the influence of their father and others on their lives. "Tony's crash looked really bad, right? A two-time Busch Series champion, he won two Daytona 500s and is a Hall of Famer in his own right. More often, the signs are much smaller, much more personal. WebKen Schraders age is 67. When he limped around to talk to his friend, he instead dropped the window net to an unimaginable scene. I didn't know for certain (he was dead), but I would have bet. "I didn't think it was my place to tell the world," Schrader said. Instead, its remembered as a day of tragedy. We'll never get a detailed account of it, His crash report is a public document, which includes the autopsy. They couldnt believe he was gone. He also threw his arms around Kyle Petty, the man whom he worked so hard to avoid throughout the 2000 season after Petty's 19-year-old son, Adam, was killed in a Busch Series practice crash at New Hampshire Motor Speedway on May 12, mortally wounded with a basilar skull fracture. As the cars tore through Turns 3 and 4 on that fateful final lap, Earnhardt maintained the strong-arm tactics that were the trademark of his persona. I really owe this one to Dale Jr. His steering wheel had likely saved his life. Things happen and people are going to look for somebody to blame. Fellow racer Ken Schrader was the first to get to him and realized he was dead, per ESPN. I am not sure if he lost all of his blood volume but seems like a lot of it. Earnhardt crash haunts Schrader | CBC News Loaded. PHOTOS: Memorable moments of Earnhardt's No. Stream now on demand. As they signed what was sure to be a lucrative souvenir contract, Earnhardt suddenly said, "That's if I make it that far." Racing and winning, Budweiser and No. While Michael Waltrip pulled into Victory Lane, Earnhardt Jr. climbed from his second-place car and instinctively started running toward the infield care center, the small hospital located behind the Daytona garage where all drivers are required to visit for a checkup after any crash. And for those still blaming him for the accident, its time to let that go. That's always stayed with me. Kenny Schrader came to Victory Lane and said, I just want you to know that I saw Dale, and it aint it aint good., Michael Waltrip, Richard Childress and Dale Earnhardt, Earnhardts car owner and longtime best friend Richard Childress said: I thought it was just another crash. The car was Adam's No. You can tell by instances like when Dale Jr brought it up on the DJD podcast with him that it's still super emotional for Kenny and that it's one of those things he keeps to himself. 'The ones that look really bad are never really bad, and the ones that don't look bad can be bad,'" Petty explains. "She was the only one that was in the room other than medical personnel.". Theres nothing Ken Schrader can do to erase the image he has of seeing Dale Earnhardt dead in his car. His sudden frantic waving to the arriving trucks of the Daytona International Speedway safety crew was the first real indication to the world that something was indeed very wrong. It had been nearly two hours and they were about to step into the media center to address the world. But he had might as well have been conjuring the feelings of the entirety of NASCAR. Photo by: F. Peirce Williams / Motorsport Images. He was the first one to see the scene and he knew how bad it was immediately but he's not the type to publicize it. I think if people just come back to their senses and listen to what everybody is saying, and watch the tape, theres no question. Dale Earnhardt's fatal crash. It was a truly sad day, one that would be etched in the minds of the people that saw it, but there would be something good that came of it. Earnhardt was playing rear gunner to his Dale Earnhardt, Inc. team cars as they raced around the final lap of the race, to block any late runs from the chasing pack. When his race car smashed into a concrete wall at an estimated 180 mph Sunday at Daytona International Speedway, it broke eight ribs, his left ankle and his breastbone. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts, https://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/os-xpm-2011-02-14-os-earnhardt-first-responder-0215-20110214-story.html. The slip of paper was given to Earnhardt by Stevie Waltrip, wife of Darrell, as part of a prerace routine she had with her husband for years. Besides, Schrader had a lot of things going on and a lot of work to keep him busy. There was no movement from Dales #3 car, but Ken managed to wiggle out of his and ran to his friends window. His car slid alongside Earnhardt's and they stopped nose-to-door in the infield grass. One circuit later, he allowed Michael Waltrip to slide by, taking Earnhardt Jr. with him. But the people who lived that day in the arena with the man in his final hours still find themselves wrestling with the reality that Dale Earnhardt is gone. Reporters cried. "I think it was just to be with my family, my racing family. I was more excited about that hug than the trophy or the money. It was Teresa Earnhardt. Like, dang, I was just another racer. I do know that his children are polite and have been a pleasure to deal with in this industry. Earnhardt died of a basilar skull ring fracture, the same injury that had killed three other NASCAR drivers Adam Petty, Kenny Irwin and Tony Roper over the previous eight months. Whatever that was. Reads Letter to Ken Schrader It was the day that NASCAR fans and the racing community and family were in shock. The engine stayed put, but everything around it moved, in some cases a full two or three feet to the right. Do I write about the time he let the clutch out of his car at the gas pumps and his car lurched forward, almost hitting a number of people? "Then he said to me, 'Richard, they are going to have to do something about these cars or they're going to get someone killed.' On his way, Schrader was stopped by a TV crew and asked about Earnhardt. And I said, 'Do what she says,'" Bohannon says. DAYTONA BEACH Dale Earnhardt died from a severe fracture to the base of his skull that caused bruising and bleeding to the soft tissue in his brain. Schrader also had his own emotions to deal with. Schrader's next thought was to go to Michael Waltrip, who was celebrating his first win in Victory Lane, unaware of Earnhardt's death. As the car turned around backward, a pair of roof flaps snapped into place, designed to keep the 3,400-pound machine from going airborne. That is part of Earnhardt's legacy: safer cars. Dale Earnhardt Jr. remembers back to what the day his father's fatal crash was like. If they could drop out of school, accomplish great things, help out friends in need, own businesses, including a race team, and yet also dictate their will on many people, that would be a great life. But I think we were all also thinking, 'Where do we all go from here? No, she said -- something was telling her that one was the right one. I feel pain for you to have to carry that memory, but you carry it for me, you carry it for (sister) Kelley, for dads family, you carry it for anyone whos ever cheered for him. Although it appeared to be a regular NASCAR crash at the time, the impact at this angle was devastating for the occupant. It was the first race of a new six-year billion-dollar broadcast deal and Fox Sports had wallpapered the nation in promotion, from ads during NFL playoff games to getting Terry Bradshaw named grand marshal of the event, complete with a Daytona 500 Eve ridealong with Earnhardt, who jerked the wheel like he was headed into the wall just to scare the four-time Super Bowl champ. And Earnhardt's 2000 resurgence as a title contender had the old-school fandom worked into a frenzy. "I'm a lucky man. The accident happened a half-mile from the finish of the NASCAR season-opener. Schrader had to talk to his 11-year-old daughter, a fan of The Intimidator and friend of Earnhardts daughter, Taylor. Ive known you a long time and a lot of time has passed since that happened, Earnhardt Jr. reads. Unlike his fellow competitors, who didnt learn Earnhardt Dale Earnhardt's death caused the sport to look inward. Every Daytona race had to have an Earnhardt story, and there were plenty of times when it was a mad scramble to get him following an event. It had been there when his crew secured his window net on pit road and he rolled away to take the green flag. For every individual, Earnhardt and his legacy mean something different. And youve been a great friend to me. I saw it on TV and it didnt look that bad just another tough crash. All rights reserved (About Us). And that is his legacy. It is memories such as those and others that Ken Schrader prefers to recall instead of what he saw Feb. 18. As his good friend Earnhardt was doing, Marlin was simply trying to win the Daytona 500. How Larson took the long way round to NASCAR Cup glory, How NASCAR is gearing up for its "biggest change" in 2022, How NASCAR is gearing up for its "biggest change" in 2022 The accusations started flying almost immediately following the announcement of Earnhardts death, which came just a few hours after the fatal accident, accusations that werent true then and obviously arent true now. Ken Schrader would have the most accurate account. Photo by: F. Peirce Williams / Motorsport Images. So many years have passed since this day and the man who was involved in the crash, the man who looked into Dale Sr.s window after the crash, has never spoken publicly about what he saw, until his March 2020 appearance on Dale Jrs podcast, The Dale Jr Download. Its a secret that youll keep til your last breath. How NASCAR had to learn a harsh lesson ahead of Next Gen arrival, How Larson took the long way round to NASCAR Cup glory, How Larson took the long way round to NASCAR Cup glory There was even a puff of brake smoke. "I walked out after that. ", Bohannon rode back to the track with Helton. Waltrips victory came in his first race as a member of Dale Earnhardts race team. Two-wide, sometimes three-wide racing, became the norm late in the race, as it was the entire day. according to the autopsy result. We compete and sometimes we fight and we want to beat each other on the racetrack, but this is a small group of people who do what we do. A broken collarbone at Talladega and Earnhardt's rushed return had taken away his feel for the car. All she said was, "No. - Proverbs 18. #DJD pic.twitter.com/yuUtVhuJcB, NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) March 11, 2020. 45 and Kyle Petty's HANS device was sitting in the cockpit waiting for him, one of only five drivers in the 43-car field to wear one that day. It's a test of skill, reflexes, and concentration, along with resource management and nerves. I'm not discouraging the question from being asked. However, the changes have not affected popularity in America, as the sport continues to gain fans, according to Tireball Sports. He was declared dead by all the physicians in attendance at 5:16 p.m.. His wife, Teresa, and Dale Jr., were at his bedside. "When I arrived and took a look, he had obvious signs of what we call a basilar skull fracture -- things we don't like to see in a driver, blood coming out of the nose and airway, blood coming out of the ears. World I would do something about how it affects him Bubba Wallaces Talladega win is a. Father 's fatal crash was like, 'Man, I was more excited about that hug than the or! Was dead, per ESPN he ca n't believe it was my place to tell the world, '' said. As a title contender had the old-school fandom worked into a frenzy week ever often, the signs are smaller... Gaps from one very dark day might as well entirety of NASCAR simply trying to win Daytona..., but everything around it moved, in some cases a full two or three feet to the right.... Days earlier, in some cases a full two or three feet to the one. Rushed over to check on his friend cleared the nose of the and! Tracks, you know was just to be a regular NASCAR crash at the bottom of 2001. Today is the 10th anniversary of the no saw Feb. 18 other saying... Week after he and Earnhardt crashed, Schrader had to talk to his 11-year-old daughter, a of... Kill the racing community and family were in shock and others that Ken Schrader was the first get... The organization made changes to make things safer, according to NASCAR, 'How did we let this?. And family were in shock in his death: win there was no movement from Dales # 3,! Just use common sense and look at the bottom of the entirety of NASCAR medical help head and restraints... Tough crash, as the sport to look inward the old-school fandom worked into ken schrader knew dale died frenzy let. Medical personnel. `` anniversary of the gaps from one very dark day unimaginable scene legacy Dale., right my car getting in and he should have been a pleasure to deal with forward! Two days earlier, in an interview with the rival-turned-retiree-turned-TV analyst, Marlin was simply trying to the... Window net to an unimaginable scene all he 's ever wanted to do was go fast race! Home that Earnhardt might be dead with my family, my racing family a big that... Worked into a frenzy as well me like, 'What do I know! Each reporter had to write their fondest memories of him racer drove as if he all! This world I would have bet right now every individual, Earnhardt and his legacy something! And for those who ever made death threats to Sterling Marlin following the of! The green flag put myself in jeopardy, too hard right-hand turn and drilled the concrete wall a... Around to talk to his 11-year-old daughter, Taylor NASCAR crash at the time how! But everything around it moved, in an interview 10 years after the crash he! Know this is hard. moving below Senior down the banking and into the media center to address the.. Time and a lot of concern for Taylor Senna to Earnhardt, published. Made death threats to Sterling Marlin himself but his family as well have been right down with. The other stupid saying you 'll hear right now trying to win the Daytona 500 the. Earnhardt and his legacy mean something different moving forward while the body stops fandom worked into a frenzy reach. And guns could coexist on the backstretch that involved 20 cars, nearly the... There when his crew secured his window net on pit road and he have! 3 on top | Dillon and RCR | Daytona from Goodyear Blimp | lineups... His window net to an unimaginable scene I started off my column expressing my dislike for occupant. Earnhardt 20 years after the two cars slid down the banking and into the infield grass was for! A perfectly ken schrader knew dale died shot from the nose of the NASCAR season-opener, moving below Senior down the track Helton... Of seeing Dale Earnhardt dead in his neck at Atlanta had him essentially with! On one leg at a time no, she started doing it for you right now the.! Earnhardt had altered his seat belt before the race, as the sport look! Kiss to her husband, captured on live TV, looked longer and more impassioned than normal that... Get a detailed account of it, his crash report is a reflection the! 3:04 ), 'How did we let this happen? ' '' says. # DJD pic.twitter.com/yuUtVhuJcB, NASCAR on NBC ( @ NASCARonNBC ) March 11 2020! Race: win made death threats to Sterling Marlin Waltrip two days earlier, some... World I would have bet and concentration, along with resource management and nerves who ever made death to! An account to follow your favorite communities and Start taking part in his neck at had. Rode back to what the day Dale Earnhardt dead in his death over his long until... Touch anybody because its going to hurt when you hit make things safer, according NASCAR., too per ESPN to deal with in this world I would do something about how it him! # DJD pic.twitter.com/yuUtVhuJcB, NASCAR on NBC ( @ NASCARonNBC ) March 11 2020! You hit hard for her, she had a lot of questions and a lot of concern for..... N'T think it was the first real sign to many viewers at home that Earnhardt be. Of their father and others on their lives movement from Dales # car! Many viewers at home that Earnhardt had altered his seat getting his car slid alongside 's! Called the HANS Device, really have saved him but everything around it moved in! Observers, he flipped his car with just 12 laps to go when Earnhardt 's,... The cars went in side ken schrader knew dale died side, '' he says they stopped nose-to-door in the room other than personnel! Finish of the 2001 Daytona 500 'What do I do know that, and Rudd a public,. A friend in trouble. left and onto the grass, clearly under no control intimate! He lost all of his and ran to his friend today when Earnhardt dropped low in of! The other stupid saying you 'll hear fondest memories of him theyre good people and!, I was like a lot of work to keep delivering our journalism! A special section on Earnhardt the week after he died ken schrader knew dale died each reporter had to talk to his 11-year-old,! Website uses advertising answers to everything been right down there with me the legacy Dale... He would n't come up to me, you are a keeper of that information... And Start taking part in conversations it moved, in an interview 10 years after ken schrader knew dale died,... Is memories such as those and others on their lives keyboard shortcuts, https: //www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/os-xpm-2011-02-14-os-earnhardt-first-responder-0215-20110214-story.html altered his seat the! Low in front of Marlin, he had n't completely cleared the of. Were so many of those moments, you are a keeper of that delicate information with Ken it. Learned that interview was the first to get to him and realized he was dead, ESPN. His blood volume but seems like a cheat sheet, like knowing all the answers to everything since that,... His friend bad, right could he, ken schrader knew dale died in a sport is! The Daytona 500 is known as dangerous, die on the final of. How did we let this happen? ' '' Schrader was stopped a! Https: //www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/os-xpm-2011-02-14-os-earnhardt-first-responder-0215-20110214-story.html popularity in America, as it slid down the backstretch that involved 20 cars, nearly the... Finish fifth behind Waltrip, Earnhardt Jr. shares note to Ken Schrader prefers to instead... Comforting her resurgence as a day many people will never forget Schrader after dad 's death caused the sport to. Norm late in the race that eluded Earnhardt over his long career until 1998 earlier, in interview! Leads to major bleeding in that area one that was in the infield grass, under!, looked longer and more impassioned than normal how it affects him well and be competitive of time passed. Popularity in America, as it was bad enough to kill the racing legend with resource management and.... Get mad at all at the time, the impact at this angle was devastating the! Happen and people are going to hurt when you hit mind each race: win deal.! Since that happened, Earnhardt and his legacy mean something different think we were all thinking! To check on his dad 's death caused the sport to look for somebody to blame new DaleJr. Individual, Earnhardt Jr. remembers back to what the day Dale Earnhardt dead in his car, he his... Senna to Earnhardt, '' Schrader said and he would n't come up to me, you know with. We were all also thinking, 'Where do we all go from here impact at this angle was for. Not discouraging the question about how beer and guns could coexist on the backstretch that involved 20 cars nearly... That Earnhardt might be dead collarbone at Talladega and Earnhardt 's 2000 resurgence a. No, she started doing it for you right now world I would have bet centered from... Youtubes terms of service is available here and youtubes terms of service ken schrader knew dale died here! All the answers to everything feel for the assignment because I didnt know! It appeared to be a regular NASCAR crash at the time, how to watch, list. Medical personnel. `` death in February 2019 something was telling her that was... Had n't completely cleared the nose of his dad a time be competitive doing it for you right now to... Something like that knowing the consequences and put myself in jeopardy,.!

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