51. He Slid Down The Track
Earnhardt’s son from his second marriage, Dale Jr, sped to a second place finish just as his father’s wrecked car slid down the track and into the infield grass. His car, along with Schrader’s, came to a stop near the exit of turn four. Instead of raucous cheers as the race ended, there was only eerie silence as the reality of the crash sunk in.
52. He Was Unresponsive
Schrader climbed out of his car, unscathed, and ran to Earnhardt. But what he found was far from reassuring. Earnhardt’s window net was still up, and when Schrader pulled it down, he was met with a grim sight. Frantically, Schrader signaled for the paramedics who were just arriving at the crash site. But, secretly, he knew the truth.
Taublieb Films, Blink of an Eye (2019)
53. He Was Gone In A Flash
Years later, Schrader revealed what he saw in Earnhardt’s crashed out vehicle. “When I went up to the car,” he explained, “I knew. I knew he was dead, yeah […] I didn't want to be the one who said, ‘Dale is dead’”. By the time Earnhardt arrived at the hospital, medics confirmed what everyone already knew: Earnhardt had perished in the crash.
They gave his official cause as a basilar skull fracture caused by blunt force trauma. The news was so devastating that one newspaper called it “Black Sunday”.
Taublieb Films, Blink of an Eye (2019)
54. They Found Something Suspicious
As NASCAR officials began to investigate what had really happened, they made an utterly chilling discovery in Earnhardt’s car. They claimed that the left lap belt on Earnhardt's seat belt harness had broken, making the fault a potential reason why Earnhardt’s chin had struck the steering wheel, causing his skull fracture.
From there, the tragedy—and mystery—deepened.
55. They Blamed Him
In the aftermath, the maker of the seatbelt received death threats. They claimed that Earnhardt and his team had installed it in an unauthorized way to increase Dale’s comfort. A sportswriter even attempted to obtain the autopsy records and photos.
Ultimately, the investigation that followed found that belt failure hadn’t played a significant part in the accident.
56. He Left a Legacy
Dale Earnhardt left a NASCAR legacy behind unlike any other—and not just because he won 100 cups in his career. While he couldn’t ever truly escape his own Daytona 500 curse, his son did. Dale Earnhardt Jr followed in his father’s tire tracks (thankfully not too closely) and won the Daytona 500 twice in his career, living up to the Earnhardt family tradition: “You don’t move over for anybody, even your own flesh and blood”.
