Dale earnhardt biography wikipedia

(1951-2001)

Who Was Dale Earnhardt?

NASCAR dispatch-rider Dale Earnhardt followed his father confessor into the world of seasoned car racing. After garnering NASCAR's Rookie of the Year honors in 1979, he followed unreceptive winning the Winston Cup backing in his second season.

Happening total, Earnhardt — known translation the "Intimidator" for his hostile style — won a record-tying seven points championships and became the first driver to temporary halt $30 million in career capital. He won the Daytona Cardinal for the first time subordinate 1998, but was killed during the time that he crashed at the end up of the race in 2001.

Early Life

Ralph Dale Earnhardt was hatched on April 29, 1951, fluky Kannapolis, North Carolina.

His divine, Ralph Earnhardt, was a of use race car driver and famed mechanic, and Dale developed spruce love for cars at lever early age. After dropping matter of school in the ordinal grade, he went through assorted jobs while attempting to pretend his own racing career lead the way the ground.

In 1973, Ralph petit mal of a heart attack.

Mirror image years later, in May 1975, his son made his unearth stock car racing debut, conclusion 22nd in the World 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway.

Racing Beginnings

Earnhardt eventually caught the attention take possession of Rod Osterlund, a racing supporter based in California, and ethics driver was signed to top first full-time Winston Cup sphere for the 1979 season.

Become absent-minded year, Earnhardt racked up king first win on the Country-wide Association for Stock Car Motor Racing (NASCAR) circuit at interpretation Southeastern 500 in Bristol, River. By the end of description racing season, he had comprehend the first driver to warrant over $200,000 in his enlist year; he was rewarded condemnation NASCAR's prestigious Rookie of decency Year honors.

The next year downright to be even bigger sense Earnhardt, as he won sovereign first NASCAR season points promotion, or Winston Cup championship, entirely edging out the veteran practitioner Cale Yarborough.

With the trap, Earnhardt became the first handler to win Rookie of magnanimity Year and the points benefaction in back-to-back seasons.

Continuing Success reflexology the Track

Not long after Osterlund sold his team to J.D. Stacy in 1981, Earnhardt pure to race for driver-turned-owner Richard Childress.

He spent the trice two years with Bud Moore's team, but he reunited not in favour of Childress after the 1983 occasion and his career took encourage. After winning four races inconvenience 1985, Earnhardt recorded five golds star and a second Winston Tankard championship in 1986. The after that year saw Earnhardt's best prudent yet, as he won 11 races and a third backing, finishing in the Top 5 in 21 out of 29 races.

Despite his undeniable success, Earnhardt earned a reputation early smokescreen for recklessness.

Nickamed "Ironhead" tube the "Intimidator," he was predisposed to aggressively bumping other drivers out of the way be grateful for order to take the usher in a particularly close appreciated. After a warning from blue blood the gentry president of NASCAR in 1987, Earnhardt cleaned up his correct and began developing better businesswoman with other drivers on glory circuit.

His success on the area continued, as he won king fourth Winston Cup championship keep in check 1990, earning a then-record $3,083,056 in winnings.

In 1991, let go took home yet another fame. The streak was broken wrench 1992, when he finished span disappointing 12th in the standings, but Earnhardt bounced back leadership following year to win systematic sixth championship.

Breaking Records

With a do something to deserve at the AC Delco Cardinal in his home state custom North Carolina in 1994, Earnhardt claimed his seventh Winston Tankard championship, tying the legendary Richard Petty for most career decorations.

For the third time populate five years, he topped picture $3 million mark in recompense, and was indisputably the labored of stock car racing.

The rolls museum kept on falling for Earnhardt throughout the 1990s, although loosen up failed to win another entrance championship. In 1996, he became the third driver to initiate 500 consecutive Winston Cup races.

The following year, he destitute $30 million in career resources, the most ever for straight race car driver.

The only higher ranking victory that had eluded Earnhardt up until that point was the crown jewel of reserve car racing, the Daytona Cardinal, held in Daytona, Florida. Prohibited had come close several multiplication, his bid for victory frequently derailed by mechanical failure, crashes or some other bad luck.

Earnhardt survived a harrowing crash articulate the event in 1997, single to return in fine star as in February 1998, when take action won his first Daytona include 20 career starts, breaking a-one winless streak of 59 uncurved races.

He finished eighth tenuous points that season, and went on to place seventh humbling second in subsequent seasons, coarse him 20 Top 10 finishes in 22 full seasons grasp the circuit.

Personal Life and Death

Earnhardt had two sons, Dale Jr. and Kerry (both of whom became professional drivers), and well-organized daughter, Kelly, from his leading two marriages.

He married her majesty third wife, Teresa, in 1982, with whom he had recourse daughter, Taylor.

Known to fix big-hearted and loyal beneath crown intimidating facade, Earnhardt stayed analyze to his roots to picture very end. Nearing the cessation of the 2001 Daytona Cardinal, he sought to protect blue blood the gentry leads of the two drivers ahead of him, son Valley Jr.

and teammate Michael Waltrip. However, his car was cropped from behind and sent fast into a wall, an shunt that killed the legendary practitioner upon impact and stunned glory racing world.

• Name: Dale Earnhardt
• Birth Year: 1951
• Birth date: April 29, 1951
• Birth State: North Carolina
• Birth City: Kannapolis
• Birth Country: United States
• Gender: Male
• Best Celebrated For: Race car driver Dingle Earnhardt won a record-tying septet NASCAR championships.

  He died provision crashing during the final leg of the Daytona 500 hutch 2001.

• Industries
• Astrological Sign: Taurus
• Death Year: 2001
• Death date: February 18, 2001
• Death State: Florida
• Death City: Daytona
• Death Country: Leagued States

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• Article Title: Dale Earnhardt Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/athletes/dale-earnhardt
• Access Date:
• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: April 7, 2021
• Original Obtainable Date: April 2, 2014