Dale Earnhardt

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Lore & Background

Earnhardt's career was defined by a unique ability to win across four consecutive decades, starting with his first win in 1979 and ending with two victories in 2000. He secured seven Winston Cup championships, tying the record held by Richard Petty. His dominance included winning the "crown jewel" races: four Winston 500s (1990, 1994, 1999, 2000), three Coca-Cola 600s (1986, 1992, 1993), and the 1998 Daytona 500. In total, he amassed 76 points wins and 24 non-points exhibition events for an overall Winston Cup win total of 100, making him one of several drivers in history to reach that milestone. His aggressive driving style led to a famous "Pass in the Grass" maneuver at the 1987 Winston All-Star Race, where he passed Bill Elliott while both were on the grass.

In Their Own Story

The 1987 season marked a turning point for Earnhardt's reputation. During the Winston All-Star Race, he was briefly forced into the infield grass but maintained control and returned to the track without surrendering his lead. This moment, later dubbed the "Pass in the Grass," intensified his fearsome image. That same year, after an angry fan sent a letter threatening to kill him at Pocono, Watkins Glen, or Dover, the FBI provided security for Earnhardt on those three tracks; the investigation closed only after he finished all races without incident. His career began with a breakthrough in 1979 under Rod Osterlund Racing, where he won Rookie of the Year and followed it immediately with his first Winston Cup Championship in 1980. He is the only driver to ever win Rookie of the Year and the championship in consecutive seasons.

Reader's Guide

Earnhardt began his career in 1975 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in the World 600 but drove his first Grand National race in 1974 at Metrolina Speedway, finishing 22nd. He spent 1982 and 1983 with Bud Moore Engineering driving a No. 15 Ford Thunderbird, his only full-time Ford ride, before returning to Richard Childress Racing in 1984 for the remainder of his career. His personal life included three marriages: first to Latane Brown (son Kerry), then Brenda Gee (children Kelley and Dale Jr.), and finally Teresa Houston (daughter Taylor). He opened the Dale Earnhardt Chevrolet dealership in Newton, North Carolina, on July 16, 1987. On February 18, 2001, at age 49, he died from a basilar skull fracture sustained during a last-lap crash in the Daytona 500.

Did You Know?

• Earnhardt is one of several drivers in NASCAR history to score at least one win in four different decades (1970s, 80s, 90s, 2000), a feat also achieved by Bobby Allison, David Pearson, and others.
• He tied Richard Petty's record of seven Winston Cup championships upon winning his seventh title.
• In 1998, he granted the wish of a young girl named Wessa Miller by gluing her penny for good luck to his dashboard before winning the Daytona 500.
• His father, Ralph Earnhardt, was a top short-track driver who won the 1956 NASCAR Sportsman Championship but died in 1973 from a heart attack.
• Earnhardt is one of several drivers in history to achieve an overall Winston Cup win total (including exhibition races) of 100.