Some athletes inject some much energy and innovation into a sport, one which they utterly dominate for years on end, that they become household names, well-known even to those who don't follow sports. Dale Earnhardt Sr. is that kind of sports celebrity, one of the biggest stars in NASCAR history. Earnhardt Sr., in his highly recognizable "3"-adorned stock car, won 76 major races between 1979 and 2000, including the illustrious Daytona 500 in 1998.
Earnhardt Sr. came close to finishing near the top of the pack for the Daytona 500 again in February 2001, but things would go tragically awry on the final lap, resulting in a fatal auto crash before tens of thousands of fans. As Michael Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt Jr. drove neck and neck in a dramatic battle for first place, a showdown for third place developed between Earnhardt Sr., Sterling Martin, and Ken Schrader. Earnhardt, an aggressive driver known as "The Intimidator," brushed up against Marlin's car, but then lost control and veered off course, striking a wall, and then endured another hit from Schrader, according to ESPN. Earnhardt Sr. didn't quickly emerge from his car, sending medics and a rescue crew into action. Extracted from the totaled race car, Earnhardt was rushed to Halifax Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead at age 49. The cause of death, according to a NASCAR crash report (via Motorsport): Earnhardt Sr. absorbed a sharp impact to the back of his head during the crash.
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