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Ralph Dale Earnhardt, born April 29, 1951, in Kannapolis, North Carolina, was the son of NASCAR Grand National champion Ralph Earnhardt and his wife Martha. His Winston Cup career began with a bang, earning Rookie of the Year honors in 1979 and winning his first championship in 1980, making him the only driver to achieve these milestones in consecutive years. Three years later, Dale appeared alongside other NASCAR drivers and personalities in the Burt Reynolds/Loni Anderson racing comedy "Stroker Ace." Sharp-eyed viewers will notice that the film’s climactic race used actual footage from Talladega, with close-ups filmed at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Shortly after winning the Daytona 500 on February 15, 1998, he filmed his second and final movie, "BASEketball," which featured other sports stars and racing commentator Kenny Mayne. Following a recent trend, drivers often become car owners, and Dale was no exception. In 2001, he expanded his team to three cars with the addition of Michael Waltrip. Also driving for Dale Earnhardt, Inc. were Steve Park and his son, Ralph Dale Earnhardt, Jr. On February 18, 2001, during the closing laps of the 43rd Daytona 500, Dale ran third behind two of his own cars, driven by Waltrip and Dale Jr. On the final lap, as those cars secured a 1-2 finish, Dale tragically died in a multi-car crash in turn 4. Over his 22-year career, he earned 22 poles, 76 wins, and 7 championships on NASCAR’s top circuit.
