One circuit later, he allowed Michael Waltrip to slide by, taking Earnhardt Jr. with him. On February 18, 2001, Michael Waltrip, Dale Earnhardt Jr., and Dale Earnhardt Sr. were vying for the Daytona 500 trophy during the last lap in the 1, 2, and 3 spots, respectively. Theres nothing Ken Schrader can do to erase the image he has of seeing Dale Earnhardt dead in his car. 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. 3 car and saw his lifeless body. ", NASCAR vice president Paul Brooks replied: "Just like that. 3 | NASCAR's most beloved drivers. You can watch this clip below and listen to the full podcast here. Earnhardt, 49, died after a crash into the retaining wall after making contact with Ken Schrader and Sterling Marlin. The doctor had never been to a news conference, let alone be asked to field questions in one. His right-rear corner was struck by Schraders left-front, which crucially accentuated the angle of Earnhardts car before it nosed hard into the unprotected concrete. Reads Letter to Ken Schrader There were 12 to 15 medical personnel in the room, each doing their task amid the controlled chaos. No, she said -- something was telling her that one was the right one. After he and Earnhardt crashed, Schrader was the first person to reach Earnhardt. While doing so, he was interviewed about the race. It's just like a bellow of shock and sorrow and fear.". "But anybody I've talked to before -- and I've even got a lot of e-mails from fans who know me only from watching me doing interviews -- they said they knew it was serious from that interview.". It was a huge story and time to go to work. Ive seen photos of the wrecked car. There's nothing Ken Schrader can do to erase the image he has of seeing Dale Earnhardt dead in his car. We can only imagine why. From Senna to Earnhardt," published just prior to Hubbard's death in February 2019. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. As we all know now, Dale Sr. was pronounced dead at the hospital from a basilar skull fracture and the entire world was in mourning. Schrader, whose car hit the wall adjacent to Earnhardt at much the same speed but at a far shallower angle, was completely unhurt. Schrader couldn't avoid hitting Earnhardt's car, tagging him in the passenger side. THE BIBLE VERSE was taped to the instrument panel of Dale Earnhardt's Chevy Monte Carlo when it veered into the Turn 4 wall at the end of the 2001 Daytona 500. Speed was a vital part of what attracted people to watch, and watering it down could have turned people away. In the days leading up to the race, his car's garage stall was in between those of Dale Jarrett and Bill Elliott, both of whom were fitted for devices by HANS co-inventor Robert Hubbard. But two hits from onrushing cars punted Stewart's car into the air. the look on his face while he was being interviewed said it all. That's energy that's leaving. His car slid alongside Earnhardt's and they stopped nose-to-door in the infield grass. Per Earnhardt's request, she started doing it for him as well. Even the walk to get to that point had been different. Unlike his fellow competitors, who didnt learn Earnhardt Thats all I ask. 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. "Kenny's always going to be doing that, even when he's grey and in a wheelchair. Then he delivered the bad news to Waltrip, who had just won NASCARs biggest race for the first time in a car owned by Earnhardt. Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. ", Helton walked into the room packed with cameras, held his microphone and worked up the courage not to cry over the loss of his friend. Earnhardt later told Schrader how Dorothy had been homesick. After the crash, NASCAR did an internal investigation and found that there were some design flaws in the cars that pertained to safety, per the Orlando Sentinel. "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. What can be done to the walls? Since Earnhardts death, and its subsequent safety drive, NASCAR has not suffered a fatality in its major leagues. He took one look and instantly recognized by the body language of the doctors that the battle was over. 'It's not how fast you go, it's how fast you stop.' It's morbid IMO. You can actually see Ken Schrader telling Michael Waltrip about Dale's condition in victory lane at the thirty minute or so mark. How Larson took the long way round to NASCAR Cup glory, How NASCAR is gearing up for its "biggest change" in 2022, How NASCAR is gearing up for its "biggest change" in 2022 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. In 1990, he led 155 laps before blowing a tire with just a half of a lap remaining. For many of us, that day 13 years ago is still clearly etched in our minds. For a fraction of a second, the nose of Earnhardt's Chevy corrected itself, pointed briefly in the right direction to resume 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. The 20th Or do I write about the time he was so gracious in his hauler talking to me and another reporter about Daytona? France Jr. was happy. But that hug never came. 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. Dale was in serious trouble." He made eye contact with Schrader, who was behind a curtain being examined. The 67-year-old race car driver was born in Missouri, United Such was the case that day as Dale Earnhardt Sr., Sterling Marlin, and Ken Schrader went three-wide as turn four approached. It had been there when his crew secured his window net on pit road and he rolled away to take the green flag. Having Dad was like a cheat sheet, like knowing all the answers to everything. Ken Schrader would have the most accurate account. I didn't know for certain (he was dead), but I would have bet. And I was like, 'Man, I'm going to have to do this without that for the rest of my life.'". How could he attract the legions of dedicated, worshipping fans? It happened with 25 laps to go, a multicar crash on the backstretch that involved 20 cars, nearly half the field. In the end, he decided he wouldnt let it. However, the changes have not affected popularity in America, as the sport continues to gain fans, according to Tireball Sports. As Marlin had the inside track, it seemed as if Earnhardt Sr. went to block, which led to his left rear getting bumped by Marlins No. Me? 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. 40 Dodge and was turned to the left and onto the flat apron at the bottom of the track. Detroit GP IndyCar stars to receive Shinola watches, The ex-F1 driver taking on NASCAR with a new team, The ex-F1 driver taking on NASCAR with a new team "She stood on the back wall of the room, and she was very composed. These included the uncommon severity and trajectory of the car's impact with the wall, an immediately prior collision with [Schraders] car that put him out of position and a separation of the left lap belt under load that allowed greater motion within the car.. Theyre good people, and that is a reflection of the influence of their father and others on their lives. "I thought to myself in that very moment, 'I'm gonna have to do this by myself.' I'd be at my car getting in and he wouldn't come up to me, you know? There was some initial confusion about what had happened with the crash. Unfortunately, Dale Sr. collided with driver Ken Schrader and hit the outside wall head-on. In the final 20 minutes of their two-hour podcast, Ken was informed that he has been the most requested guest in their 288 episodes. 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. He knows things can happen in a race car, Ann Schrader said. Earnhardt's death launched a NASCAR safety evolution that continues 20 years later. Earnhardt said to Waltrip two days earlier, in an interview with the rival-turned-retiree-turned-TV analyst. So it was hard for her, she had a lot of questions and a lot of concern for Taylor.. Copyright 2023 Endgame360 Inc. All Rights Reserved. THE RACE ITSELF was a good one, with 49 lead changes swapped among 14 different race leaders. 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. And Tony never really stopped, did he? Dale Earnhardt Jr. remembers back to what the day his father's fatal crash was like. 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 How would Earnhardts death affect him? 3. It was just strictly a racing accident. I never saw him. It's a test of skill, reflexes, and concentration, along with resource management and nerves. 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. And that was it. Our cars weren't fast enough and I'd fix that. Earnhardt Sr. was going 150 miles an hour when he hit the wall at the angle that he did. WebKen Schraders age is 67. If they could drop out of school, accomplish great things, help out friends in need, own businesses, including a race team, and yet also dictate their will on many people, that would be a great life. I didnt know for certain [he was dead], but I would have bet. Hours before the race, Schrader had told Waltrip that if he won, he would go straight to Waltrip's motor home to get the celebration started. "But it sure came back to my mind just about exactly 24 hours later.". "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. In 2000, he was hired by the racetrack as its chief emergency doctor. #DJD pic.twitter.com/yuUtVhuJcB, NASCAR on NBC (@NASCARonNBC) March 11, 2020. There were rumors at the next weeks race that Schrader was going to quit, that what he had seen in Earnhardts car--which he wont discuss in detail--was just too much to overcome. Photo by: F. Peirce Williams / Motorsport Images. (3:04). Then he went to Victory Lane, where Waltrip wasn't expecting him. The hardest part was yet to come. 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. 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. The strong run propelled him to 10th place in the standings prior to Sunday's race in Darlington, S.C., and did wonders for his psyche. Rescue personnel work to free Dale Earnhardt Sr. from his No. It suggested that, had Adam Petty, Kenny Irwin Jr. and Tony Roper worn head and neck restraints, they would likely still be alive. 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