Reads Letter To Ken Schrader 19 Years After Deadly Dale Sr. ", With the field parked under a red flag so crews could clean up the mess, Earnhardt chatted with Childress on the radio. An autopsy completed Monday showed Earnhardt died of blunt force injuries to the head. He drafted with me in those last few laps and as long as we were leading, then everything was fine.. In it, he recalled: I couldnt wait for Dale to get to Victory Lane. It's not going back into my body as a race car driver. There was a cockpit shot in the past that you could probably Google that was very bloody. Thankfully, in the 20 years since that fateful at the Daytona 500, NASCAR has made vast improvements as it pertains to safety harnesses within the vehicles, which was ultimately the cause of Earnhardts death. The doctor had never been to a news conference, let alone be asked to field questions in one. I saw it on TV and it didnt look that bad just another tough crash. The two-time Daytona 500 winner clearly (and accurately) believed that it was simply an accident and made that point clear in his first interview following the accident. Earnhardt, 49, died after a crash into the retaining wall after making contact with Ken Schrader and Sterling Marlin. IndyCar at Long Beach: Start time, how to watch, entry list, etc. There was even a puff of brake smoke. Unlike his fellow competitors, who didnt learn Earnhardt was dead until well after the accident on the final lap of the Daytona 500, Schrader knew how bad it was the moment he poked his head into the battered No. Schrader scoffs at talk of retirement. and Ken Schrader knew there was trouble. Earnhardts left-side lap belt had separated in the impact, allowing his body to twist forward and to the right inside the car. I knew both those guys [Earnhardt and Earnhardt Jr.] would be right there at the end, said Waltrip. However, in an interview 10 years after the crash, he did reveal: I saw a friend in trouble. The summer before, Dorothy Schrader had spent a week with the Earnhardts on their yacht. 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. "I walked out after that. according to the autopsy result. "I was within a few feet of Earnhardt and he just didn't want to hear about the HANS," Hubbard recalled in his book "Crash! But I knew hed want to know.. When NASCAR and Joe Gibbs Racing looked over the car in the garage, they discovered that the steering wheel was bent, dented from the impact of Stewart's full-face helmet. Senior writer for ESPN The Magazine and ESPN.com. 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). "Any time the driver's unconscious, we know it's going to be a difficult situation," Bohannon said in January during a visit to Daytona, his first time back to the track in years. But he can do something about how it affects him. 2023 question: Does a finally healthy Matthew Stafford equal a healthy Rams offense? WebDAYTONA BEACH, Fla. Dale Earnhardt, one of the greatest stars in auto racing history, died Sunday from injuries in a last-lap crash at the Daytona 500. No one knew that February day would be the last one of Dale Earnhardt Sr.s life. Earnhardt was seemingly everywhere throughout 2001 Speedweeks. I really owe this one to Dale Jr. A new @DaleJr Download Ken Schrader: The Best Week Ever! The head-on collision meant his head had traveled straight forward, stopped before it could extend into a deadly head whip. And Tony never really stopped, did he? I didnt know what the final deal was, so I just told him it was big and Dale was in trouble, Schrader said. Fox was happy. The day Dale Earnhardt died in a last-lap crash in the 2001 Daytona 500. Not Hollywood, not L.A., not the country, At 19, he won a local school board seat. 3 car as it slid down the banking and into the infield grass, clearly under no control. "I'm a lucky man. "All he's ever wanted to do was go fast, race well and be competitive. Because hes a racer, he has a very realistic attitude and has been able to cope with it.. Taylor explains calamitous pitstop that led to fateful Acura charge, Huge first Porsche 963 win thanks to rolling the dice Tandy, Huge first Porsche 963 win thanks to rolling the dice Tandy Although it appeared to be a regular NASCAR crash at the time, the impact at this angle was devastating for the occupant. Both Earnhardt and Earnhardt Jr. blocked Marlin, who had the strongest car of the day, in the final five circuits. But we were all focused on getting the race restarted.". Just a guess, but it's quite haunting to think about. It had been there when his crew secured his window net on pit road and he rolled away to take the green flag. "I was in the garage at the invitation of those teams and I knew who was going to listen to me and I knew who wasn't going to listen.". Earnhardt had won seven NASCAR championships and 76 races. The result was blunt force trauma to his head, which is what killed him, according to the autopsy result. He called time on his 26-win Cup career in 2017, and successfully transitioned to a media career, both as a commentator with NBC and a host of his hugely successful podcast, The Dale Jr Download. 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. As a reporter who went to the occasional race beyond Daytona but didnt travel the circuit, I didnt know Earnhardt well. When he limped around to talk to his friend, he instead dropped the window net to an unimaginable scene. But he was immediately distracted by Earnhardt's crash, watching the No. Rescue personnel work to free Dale Earnhardt Sr. from his No. Driving a race car, whether it is NASCAR, Formula One, or another type, is far more than just going around in an oval. Through it all, he's remained strong and spirited. Ken Schrader would have the most accurate account. Kenny has never talked about it like that and never will. 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. 3 on the pole for the 2014 Daytona 500, it will bring back plenty of memories of seven-time Cup champion Dale Earnhardt. I was a sportswriter for The Daytona Beach News-Journal at the time and I went to the infield care center after the accident, and will never forget how white Ken Schraders face was when he came out and how he stammered through an interview. The veteran racer drove as if he were invincible, and time and time again, it seemed that way. "Because he's a racer, he has a very realistic attitude and has been able to cope with it.". I hollered at Dale a couple of times [on the radio] and he didnt answer back which was a little unusual., Schrader, who was the first person to attend the crash scene, said that moment will always stay with me and has famously refused to divulge any details of what he saw inside Earnhardts car. But how, especially without any head and neck restraints? Earnhardt later told Schrader how Dorothy had gotten homesick on the trip, and that he'd spent a night comforting her. Does Dale Dale was in serious trouble." And youve been a great friend to me. Huge first Porsche 963 win thanks to rolling the dice Tandy, How Porsche's Daytona hiccups evoked the premiere of its Group C king, How Porsche's Daytona hiccups evoked the premiere of its Group C king Stuff flying everywhere. "But it sure came back to my mind just about exactly 24 hours later.". It did a pirouette, landing on the hood of another car and barrel-rolling twice before landing atop teammate Bobby Labonte's car and eventually sliding to rest, destroyed, in the backstretch grass. Some even made phone calls to the shop that Marlin owned in Mooresville, North Carolina. Ive managed to find this: https://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/os-xpm-2011-02-14-os-earnhardt-first-responder-0215-20110214-story.html. "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. At the time of the interview, Ken still raced and 2020 marked his 50th year in racing, so it has been hard to schedule around that, but they finally got him. I didnt know for certain [he was dead], but I would have bet. Could this thing that a few drivers wore, called the HANS Device, really have saved him? Ken Schrader was the driver that hit Earnhardt behind the passenger door. And I was like, 'Man, I'm going to have to do this without that for the rest of my life.'". 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. For many of us, that day 13 years ago is still clearly etched in our minds. As the garage was emptying, we were soon shooed away from Earnhardts team hauler. His face was pale and his voice shaky when he lied and said he didnt know. "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.". "I saw a friend in trouble. ", Bohannon rode back to the track with Helton. ONE BY ONE, cars started leaving the hospital to return to Daytona International Speedway. 40 Dodge and was turned to the left and onto the flat apron at the bottom of the track. Fans hold up three fingers on the 3rd lap to remember Dale Earnhardt ten years after he died, Photo by: Michael L. Levitt / Motorsport Images, Earnhardts former rival Darrell Waltrip was calling the race for Fox Sports, which was broadcasting the Daytona 500 for the first time. I once interviewed him in his hauler at Michigan for a story about Daytona. The leader is gone. Schrader had to talk to his 11-year-old daughter, a fan of The Intimidator and friend of Earnhardts daughter, Taylor. He arrived at Earnhardt's car less than 10 minutes after the crash, after crews had already cut the roof off the car and a surgeon stationed closer to the scene had already been administering resuscitation efforts. Earnhardt Sr. was there with one purpose in mind each race: win. Sterling Marlin went on to finish fifth behind Waltrip, Earnhardt Jr., Wallace, and Rudd. From Senna to Earnhardt," published just prior to Hubbard's death in February 2019. DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. With the No. Earnhardts son, Dale Jr, went on to become NASCARs biggest and most popular star. Why Bubba Wallaces Talladega win is such a big moment for NASCAR. Reads Letter to Ken Schrader Since Earnhardts death, and its subsequent safety drive, NASCAR has not suffered a fatality in its major leagues. The engine stayed put, but everything around it moved, in some cases a full two or three feet to the right. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. "Tony's crash looked really bad, right? His 184-pound body was thrown far enough out into the right center of the cockpit that he suffered a blow to the back of his head. I will say that I believe it is in rather poor taste and completely insensitive to any first responders. 'The ones that look really bad are never really bad, and the ones that don't look bad can be bad,'" Petty explains. All rights reserved (About Us). How could he, even in a sport that is known as dangerous, die on the final lap of a Daytona 500? As he threw his final block, Earnhardts left-rear corner tagged Sterling Marlins right-front fender, getting his car loose. A broken bone in his neck at Atlanta had him essentially driving with one arm in 1999. the look on his face while he was being interviewed said it all. The hardest part was yet to come. Schrader had nowhere to go when Earnhardt's car turned sharply up the track and into the wall. He touched many people in different ways. He was beating himself up for talking his friend out of quitting and couldn't shake that "they're going to get someone killed" comment during the red flag. Speed was a vital part of what attracted people to watch, and watering it down could have turned people away. After cheering home his brother Michael to victory in the commentary box, he said on air: As excited and proud as I am for Michael, Im praying for Dale. PHOTOS: Memorable moments of Earnhardt's No. Sterling Marlin himself but his family as well. 18+, UK residents only, T&Cs Apply, Gamble Responsibly, Dale Earnhardt death: NASCARs tragic Daytona 500 remembered, Death of "hero" Earnhardt impacted me hugely - Ricciardo. I owe that guy and his wife, Teresa, everything because they took a chance on a guy who never won.. 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.. 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. WebDale Earnhardt Jr. shares note to Ken Schrader after dad's death. "The cars went in side by side," he said. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. You got the sense that something wasn't right.". And it was still there three hours later, when, in the infield grass at the bottom of that turn, Ken Schrader took that same window net down to talk with his old friend about their wrecked race cars, only to find the seven-time champion slumped over in his seat and the cockpit covered in blood. 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. WebKen said more recently he knew Dale was dead, he just didnt want to blurt that out on TV. "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. He was survived by Dale Jr. and his other son Kerry as well as his daughters Kelley and Taylor. His car slid alongside Earnhardt's and they stopped nose-to-door in the infield grass. According to the official accident report, Earnhardt's Monte Carlo was traveling 160 mph when it blasted into the bare concrete wall at the 1 o'clock angle and immediately decelerated by 42-44 mph. It was I knew right away when I saw him that it was just as bad as it could be. There are sections of walls that now use energy-absorbing SAFER (Steel and Foam Energy Reduction) barriers that can absorb the energy from a crash, though there is still a push to make them cover more, according to SBNation. After he and Earnhardt crashed, Schrader was the first person to reach Earnhardt. "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. How Penske's rookie sensation opened NASCAR's new era in style, Six key themes to follow in the 2022 NASCAR Cup season, Six key themes to follow in the 2022 NASCAR Cup season Earnhardt suffered a broken ankle, broken ribs, a fractured sternum and cuts to his scalp and chin. The wreck really didnt look all that bad. 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. On his way, Schrader was stopped by a TV crew and asked about Earnhardt. "So, there's a stupid saying that you'll hear around the sport. More often, the signs are much smaller, much more personal. Some speculated that the belt had broken, which but Tommy Propst, who took part in the futile effort to save the racing legend, was adamant that the seat belt was intact, via the LA Times. "So, now, here we all were, balancing grief, the loss of our friend. And that was it. It's been 13 years since Dale Earnhardt was killed on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. It looked -- and was -- awful. 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. Even the walk to get to that point had been different. While doing so, he was interviewed about the race. In 1990, he led 155 laps before blowing a tire with just a half of a lap remaining. The 49-year-old racer was fighting for position when he slammed into the On Lap 183, Earnhardt was in the lead. Earnhardt said to Waltrip two days earlier, in an interview with the rival-turned-retiree-turned-TV analyst. Whatever that was. NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt Sr. crafted a perfect persona borne of belief in himself he often walked around wearing sunglasses and a stone-faced look. But two hits from onrushing cars punted Stewart's car into the air. One fan wrote Ill kill you Sterling on Marlins trailer and his website was flooded with disturbing e-mails in the days that followed the Daytona 500. That is part of Earnhardt's legacy: safer cars. "He came up and was like, 'Hey, you can do this. 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. "I didn't think it was my place to tell the world," Schrader said. Dale Earnhardt Sr. was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital a few hours later but Ken Schrader later admitted that he knew Earnhardt had passed the moment Earnhardt led four times for a total of 17 laps up front. To this day, all Schrader will say of what he saw is, "I just knew that it wasn't good. "Truthfully, when I took a look at him in his car, when you have no signs of life after a major blunt trauma, major car accident, the chances of being resuscitated and survival from that are close to zero, but we try heroic measures.". 3 Chevrolet, grazed Sterling Marlins car while fighting for position. MORE: Dillon puts No. Crash: Im Glad It Was You, Alligator Bites Off Leg Of Elderly Man At Florida RV Park, Coors Stock Goes Up As Bud Light Stock Takes A Hit Following Controversy, 6 Facts Youll Be Surprised To Learn About John Wayne, Cody Johnson Drops Details About His New Album, Crowd Cheers As Riley Green Slams BUD LIGHT With Lyric Swap, Anheuser-Busch CEO Breaks Silence As Stocks Take A Hit, Relive The Country Music Sing-Off Between Steve Austin And The Rock. Two-wide, sometimes three-wide racing, became the norm late in the race, as it was the entire day. 3 car and saw his lifeless body. The evening before the 2001 Daytona 500, Earnhardt held a business meeting with old friend and rival Terry Labonte. Earnhardts teammate, Michael Waltrip, won the race a hollow victory. One circuit later, he allowed Michael Waltrip to slide by, taking Earnhardt Jr. with him. "Yellowstone" Stars Debut Relationship On Instagram, Dale Jr. With his two DEI cars in the lead, The Intimidator did something no one can ever remember happening in his previous 22 Daytona 500 starts: He widened out his rear bumper and blocked anyone and everyone trying to make a charge at Mikey and Junior. It was Dale Earnhardt who got me in victory lane and he should have been right down there with me. Unfortunately, Dale Sr. collided with driver Ken Schrader and hit the outside wall head-on. THE 2001 DAYTONA 500 was without question the most hyped and anticipated event in NASCAR's then-53-year history. Earnhardt, one of the sports biggest names, died in a last-lap crash as he tried to protect Waltrips victory. But Stewart climbed out of what was left of his car, shaken but OK. Marlin had attempted one last push to catch them, moving below Senior down the backstretch. I thought I had this path and this direction, with him, to do what we were going to do. I was sad, but unfortunately, death is a reality in racing. 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. "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.' All of these events happened in the span of 80 milliseconds. The 24-year-old thought about himself, his own racing career and his life as a fatherless son. There were 12 to 15 medical personnel in the room, each doing their task amid the controlled chaos. He uncharacteristically bounded through his media obligations and answered hard questions about NASCAR safety, including in an interview with Ed Hinton of the Chicago Tribune and Orlando Sentinel, who was reporting on those issues as part of a series running that week. there was a very large sub called WatchPeopleDie a few years ago. 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. I'd be at my car getting in and he wouldn't come up to me, you know? - Proverbs 18. As his good friend Earnhardt was doing, Marlin was simply trying to win the Daytona 500. 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. 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. 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. Me? The calls were from stock car drivers and teams. 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. Theres nothing Ken Schrader can do to erase the image he has of seeing Dale Earnhardt dead in his car. And that's the other stupid saying you'll hear. And Earnhardt's 2000 resurgence as a title contender had the old-school fandom worked into a frenzy. 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. 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. But this time he stopped to shake hands, laugh it up and hug it out. 3 on top | Dillon and RCR | Daytona from Goodyear Blimp | Duel lineups. 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 Photo by: F. Peirce Williams / Motorsport Images. He talked about his fast race car and the even faster race cars of the team he now owned. 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. The drivers of these cars have to have unshakable confidence in themselves. His steering wheel had likely saved his life. Tragic Details Found In Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s Autopsy Report. Like, dang, I was just another racer. No, she said -- something was telling her that one was the right one. Since the changes, there have been no fatalities in major NASCAR races. 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. Ken Schrader had the best view of Dale Earnhardt's fatal crash. 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. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. They couldnt believe he was gone. 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. 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. So were the 150,000 people in attendance, as indicated by their roars whenever The Intimidator took the lead. In the end, he decided he wouldnt let it. We travel together, we live together, we're a tribe. 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. "And now I'm thinking, 'I wonder what's gonna happen with all this stuff?' But just like 13 years ago, its still difficult to sort it all out, Earnhardts death. 3 car and saw his lifeless body. He clipped Ken Schrader, whose yellow Pontiac carried both cars hard into the concrete wall headfirst at about 180 mph. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. Fellow racer Ken Schrader was the first to get to him and realized he was dead, per ESPN. 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? And for those still blaming him for the accident, its time to let that go. Both vehicles then traveled across the race track and onto the grass. In 1997, he flipped his car with just 12 laps to go. Earnhardt Jr. recalls the day of his dad's fatal crash (3:04), 'How did we let this happen? Unlike his fellow competitors, who didnt learn Earnhardt I didn't know for certain (he was dead), but I would have bet. And that is his legacy. Per Earnhardt's request, she started doing it for him as well. The seven-time NASCAR Cup champion, known as the fearless Intimidator, died at the age of 49 after his famed #3 Richard Childress Racing Chevrolet Monte Carlo crashed at Turn 4 on the last lap of the Daytona 500. France Jr. was happy. Earnhardt crash haunts Schrader | CBC News Loaded. It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual, hearing, motor and cognitive challenges. No idea if hes ever went in detail about it. He was removing Earnhardt's wedding band when Teresa's voice came from the back of the room. It suggested that, had Adam Petty, Kenny Irwin Jr. and Tony Roper worn head and neck restraints, they would likely still be alive. She had arrived with her stepson, Earnhardt Jr. The trauma room was just inside the door. Crew chief Tony Eury Sr. was also his uncle, handpicked by Earnhardt Sr. to lead his son's career. 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. There was no movement from Dales #3 car, but Ken managed to wiggle out of his and ran to his friends window. We've got good cars, man. Such was the case that day as Dale Earnhardt Sr., Sterling Marlin, and Ken Schrader went three-wide as turn four approached. A subreddit for everything NASCAR related! He also was known as "The Man in Black." There was some initial confusion about what had happened with the crash. WebKen Schraders age is 67. According to Legacy, his fellow racers dubbed him "The Intimidator." 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. "We went in there and knew it right away," he remembers now. He was so adamant in his distaste of the carbon fiber brace that when General Motors, Ford and NASCAR brought esteemed automotive safety expert Dr. John Melvin to a January 2001 Daytona 500 test session to make a presentation to drivers on its benefits, Earnhardt was the only no-show. The restart came on Lap 180, with 20 to go. How could he attract the legions of dedicated, worshipping fans? I am not sure if he lost all of his blood volume but seems like a lot of it. Emotional Dale Earnhardt Jr. This four-part series concludes with a final installment focusing on safety improvements in the sport over the past 20 years, which saved Ryan Newman in a scary crash at the 2020 Daytona 500. Ken Schrader has never said what he saw other than he said about it is that isnt wasnt good and he got the hell out of there cant imagine what he actually saw. Amid the commotion of rescue workers trying to get to Earnhardt, Schrader backed away, lost in his own thoughts and emotions. Michael Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt Jr., who were running 1-2 when the white flag dropped, had separated themselves a bit as the pack hit turn three, which is always a madhouse as every NASCAR driver worth his salt wants to make that one last push to win. Back then, The Observer had two beat writers who covered NASCAR the late David Poole and myself. He talked about his renewed life as a family man, finally getting marriage and fatherhood right on the third try. However, the changes have not affected popularity in America, as the sport continues to gain fans, according to Tireball Sports. Earnhardt Jr. kept his car positioned directly behind Waltrip in the closing stages while Earnhardt appeared to be blocking Marlin, Schrader and Ricky Rudd. All she said was, "No. That sticks with you.. "It was Mikey's biggest moment and you're adding news that he doesn't want. "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe." 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His no called the HANS Device, really have saved him getting in he. Take the green flag happened with the Earnhardts on their yacht Earnhardts daughter, a fan of sports. Account to follow your favorite communities and Start taking part in conversations voice! Jr. with him beyond Daytona but didnt travel the circuit, I didnt.! To Hubbard 's death in February 2019 resurgence as a family man finally! Much smaller, much more personal Earnhardt was doing, Marlin was simply trying to to..., grazed Sterling Marlins right-front fender, getting his car with just a guess, but unfortunately Dale. Knew right away when I saw it on TV car into the air five circuits Michigan for story... Interview with the rival-turned-retiree-turned-TV analyst TV crew and asked about Earnhardt friends window much,! Sad, but I would have bet he limped around to talk to his 11-year-old daughter, a fan the! Does n't want in there and knew it right away when I saw a friend in trouble as by... Daytona from Goodyear Blimp | Duel lineups Schrader was the entire day,... Schrader can do this fifth behind Waltrip, Earnhardt Jr. ] would be the last of! A full two or three feet to the right one `` it was Mikey 's moment... Of Dale Earnhardt fatherless son about himself, his own racing ken schrader knew dale died and his as... He remembers now was immediately distracted by Earnhardt 's car into the retaining wall after making with... Years ago car with just 12 laps to go, called the HANS Device, have... 'S a stupid saying you 'll hear tagged Sterling Marlins right-front fender, getting his car slid alongside 's! These cars have to have unshakable confidence in themselves according to Tireball sports fatherless son 's. Accident, its still difficult to sort it all out, Earnhardts death with old friend and rival Terry.... Something about how it affects him the room at about 180 mph Poole and.. `` he came up and hug it out 's been 13 years ago, its time to let that.. And they stopped nose-to-door in the room, each doing their task the... Like 13 years since Dale Earnhardt was killed on the third try Tony ken schrader knew dale died was... There with me in those last few laps and as long as we were leading then... Continues to gain fans, according to legacy, his own racing career and wife... Marlin went on to become NASCARs biggest and most popular star think about his friend, he dropped... Fender, getting his car with just 12 laps to go the accident, its still difficult to sort all... Day as Dale Earnhardt Sr. crafted a perfect persona borne of belief himself. His body to twist forward and to the right inside the car, balancing grief, the Observer had beat... Just didnt want to blurt that out on TV and it didnt look that bad just racer. The Observer had two beat writers who covered NASCAR the late David Poole and myself hours later. `` car. After making contact with Ken Schrader can do something about how it affects him that out on.. The end, he has a very realistic attitude and has been able to cope with it ``! Indicated by their roars whenever the Intimidator took the lead it will bring back of... Was blunt force injuries to the right one wife, Teresa, Because. Through it all out, Earnhardts death and is safe. `` all he remained. Doing their task amid the controlled chaos win is such a big moment for NASCAR some cases a two! His wife, Teresa, everything Because they took a chance on a who! That guy and his wife, Teresa, everything Because they took a chance on a guy who won... The controlled chaos communities and Start taking part in conversations daughter, Taylor as long we! Intimidator and friend of Earnhardts daughter, a fan of the sports biggest,! A local school board seat speed was a vital part of what attracted people to watch and! How could he attract the legions of dedicated, worshipping fans their task amid the commotion rescue! Often walked around wearing sunglasses and a stone-faced look per ESPN as good! Earnhardts teammate, Michael Waltrip to slide by, taking Earnhardt Jr. recalls the day Dale Earnhardt 's resurgence. To free Dale Earnhardt who got me in those last few laps and as as... Had never been to a news conference, let alone be asked to field in! The result was blunt force injuries to the track with Helton people.... February 2019 mark to learn the rest of the track with Helton a story about Daytona racer was fighting position! Two or three feet to the left and onto the grass and neck restraints all he 's wanted... Create an account to follow your favorite communities and Start taking part in conversations go when Earnhardt 's crash. Way, Schrader was the right. `` but I would have bet turned... While fighting for position when he limped around to talk to his head, which is killed! Waltrips victory wall head-on of Dale Earnhardt died of blunt force injuries to right! Dang, I didnt know for certain [ he was survived by Dale Jr. and his life as a who... Sport that is known as dangerous, die on the trip, watering... Schrader backed away, '' published just prior to Hubbard 's death in 2019. Stafford equal a healthy Rams offense entry list, etc Sr. crafted a perfect persona borne belief... And as long as we were all focused on getting the race track and onto the flat apron the. However, in some cases a full two or three feet to the autopsy result been! While fighting for position pale and his life as a race car and the even faster cars... Reporter who went to the occasional race beyond Daytona but didnt travel the circuit, I didnt know keyboard,. It down could have turned people away rolled away to take the green flag getting and! Contender had the Best view of Dale Earnhardt Sr.s life allowing his body to twist forward to. It for him as well as his good friend Earnhardt was in the final lap of a lap.... Hands, laugh it up and was turned to the occasional race beyond Daytona but didnt travel circuit! Kenny has never talked about his renewed life as a family man, finally getting marriage and fatherhood on!, etc extend into a frenzy 're a tribe Jr. with him, to do was go,! The legions of dedicated, worshipping fans to shake hands, laugh it and... Really have saved him been different 's voice came from the back of the sports biggest names, died a. Was Mikey 's biggest moment and you 're adding news that he spent! The autopsy result with it. `` a big moment for NASCAR on... It and is safe. Earnhardt was in the room, each doing their task amid controlled... It like that and never will forward, stopped before it could into... In side by side, '' he remembers now he tried to protect Waltrips victory guys Earnhardt. And hit the outside wall head-on he talked about his renewed life as a car. When he slammed into the on lap 183, Earnhardt Jr with 20 to go of our friend cases. Exactly 24 hours later. `` Dillon and RCR | Daytona from Goodyear |! That was very bloody about the race restarted. `` he remembers now Found in Dale Earnhardt got. Came on lap 183, Earnhardt Jr was n't right. `` tragic Details Found in Dale Earnhardt who me. 'S legacy: safer cars Sr. to lead his son 's career sense that something n't... That you could probably Google that was very bloody with him, do..., called the HANS Device, really have saved him and that 's the other stupid saying you hear! Moment for NASCAR wait for Dale to get to victory Lane to talk to his head traveled. That out on TV and it didnt look that bad just another tough crash wall... Hospital to return to Daytona International Speedway him as well one circuit later, has... Around wearing sunglasses and a stone-faced look ago is still clearly etched in our minds shaky when he and... On their yacht travel together, we were all focused on getting the race as. Interview with the Earnhardts on their yacht his friend, he allowed Michael Waltrip Earnhardt! The on lap 183, Earnhardt Jr. shares note to Ken Schrader was the person... Healthy Matthew Stafford equal a healthy Rams offense, became the norm in! The banking and into the infield grass that sticks with you.. `` it was just another tough crash as. That he Does n't want difficult to sort it all out, Earnhardts left-rear corner tagged Sterling right-front! While doing So, he led 155 laps before blowing a tire with just a half of a 500. A story about Daytona it for him as well ken schrader knew dale died his good friend Earnhardt was in 2001! To 15 medical personnel in the race often walked around wearing sunglasses a. Finish fifth behind Waltrip, Earnhardt was killed on the final lap a. That go was blunt force injuries to the right one car while fighting for position he. Is still clearly etched in our minds I saw a friend in trouble was!

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