Dale Earnhardt

Dale Earnhardt: Ironhead

Dale Earnhardt - NASCAR 1997NASCAR_Photography_By_Darryl_MoranIn a 1997 interview, Dale Earnhardt was asked if he is the greatest driver of all time. Typically, anyone in his position would have responded with yes, but in a surprising act of humbleness he replied, “I just love to race and I don’t claim to be the best” (CBS Dale Earnhardt Interview). When it came to driving, no one could touch Dale Earnhardt. Background: He was born in Kannapolis, North Carolina, on April 29, 1951. From an early age, he had an interest in racing from watching his father participate in the sport. In order to fulfill his dream of racing, Dale dropped out of high school against his father’s wishes. Unknowingly, Dale would go on to become one of the greatest drivers on the planet. In his career, Dale captured 76 career wins, 7 Winston Cup championship wins, 1 epic victory at the Daytona 500, and most importantly, the hearts of the fans. Outside of the track, Dale loved to hunt, relax on his farm, and spend time with his family. From his explosive rookie year in 1979 all the way to his climactic and tragic death in 2001, Dale cemented himself as a fan-favorite and the greatest driver of all time. A hero should be persistent and possess passion. In the face of adversity, the last thing a hero would do is back down. Instead, they should pick themselves up and grow even stronger from struggle. Second, a hero should be vigorous and hard working. A hero should be proud of those who inspire them and what they achieved throughout their years. Finally, A hero should be gutsy. If they encounter a hurdle in life, a hero should attempt to take a leap over it. Dale Earnhardt loved to drive. Throughout his life, Dale grew up around racing, and it was inevitable for him to be on the track. Secondly, Dale is shown to be resilient. Dale had gone through a lot of turmoil in life, whether in or out of the racetrack. Finally, Dale was absolutely fearless. In most cases where people would quit, Dale continued to race, whether he was injured or if his car sustained massive damage.

A hero should be passionate about what they do. Earnhardt developed his strong passion for racing from childhood: "Grew up around my dad, so it just seemed natural that's what I did…” (UXL Biographies). Dale’s biggest inspiration for racing is his dad, Ralph. His interest in racing peaked when he observed his dad fixing up his car. From there, Dale would get more involved in racing by watching his dad compete and repairing his dad’s cars. Thanks to these experiences, Dale had always credited his dad as his biggest inspiration. He would carry this inspiration throughout this career even if it cost him the chances of having a normal life. Dale’s passion wouldn’t be limited to himself. Many people would end up feeling connected to the Kannapolis native. “For once, you’d like to break the rules. You’d like to get a race car and go wherever you wanted… You could watch Dale Earnhardt. He breaks the rules” (Montville, page 8). Dale’s passion had an iron grip on his audience. He was relatable because of his humble background, and his brash racing style enraptured the minds of his fans. When his fans couldn’t escape the mundane, Dale Earnhardt was there to carry them through the slumps.

A hero should be able to grow through struggle and persevere through the deepest slumps. Before Dale’s racing career began, his dad died from a heart attack. “...he was the biggest influence on my life” (Encyclopedia of World Biography Online). Dale’s passion wouldn’t come without interference. In 1967, Dale dropped out of high school to pursue racing. Ralph believed that Dale shouldn’t race. Instead, he preferred if Dale finished high school and worked a safe job. If Ralph had his way, Dale would probably spend his days working at the Cannon Mill. On top of dropping out, Dale married a woman by the name of Latane Brown at age 17. Without a proper education and being married early, Dale had a hard time holding his life together. He barely had any money for groceries, and by the time he was 24, Dale had divorced Latane. As if Dale’s life couldn’t get any harder, it did. Ralph died of a heart attack on September 1973. Ralph’s death hurt Dale and his family emotionally and financially. Dale realized that he would never have the chance to race with his father, and he had to compete in order to stay afloat. Before he knew it, Dale was in debt: “After he [his father] died, I raced in debt a lot" (Encyclopedia of World Biography Online). On top of his father’s death, Dale had to pay off eleven thousand dollars in debt. He devoted most of his time racing in order to pay it off. Sadly, the time he spent on racing would cost him his second marriage with Brenda Jackson. In this horrible low point, Dale spent most of his time maintaining his dad’s race shop, competing on the race track and spending his money on improving his race car. Although his situation looked dire, Dale still had a glimmer of hope shining within him. One day, he could finally escape his current suffering and get his life back on track. Although all seemed lost, Dale’s hard work paid off when he caught the attention of racing sponsor Rod Osterlund after placing seventh in the ‘78 Firecracker 400. In his first year, Dale would win his first Winston cup championship out of seven, $200k in earnings and the prestigious Rookie of the Year award. From here, Dale would shoot into the stars.

A hero should be brave enough to take risks, and Dale Earnhardt was no exception. In his first year racing at NASCAR, Dale had to claw his way to victory. “Earnhardt drove with his characteristic fearlessness, refusing to be intimidated by the experienced drivers he was competing against” (Encyclopedia of World Biography Online). Dale immediately made a name for himself using his aggressive style. He made use of the “Bump and Run” maneuver in which he bumped into the backs’ of his opponents cars. The opponent would have to slow down in order to gain control or risk getting into a crash. Even though the maneuver wasn’t banned, it was seen as highly controversial, and he was shunned for using it. Despite the criticism, Dale held his head high and raced anyway. Dale also had to compete with other drivers with way more experience. His most heated as with another driver by the name of Darrell Waltrip. Both men competed against each other because they were opposites (FOX). Dale was brash and loud but Darrell was soft spoken and well mannered (FOX). Because of this rivalry, Dale pushed himself to outdo Darrell. From this rivalry, the two would form a strong friendship lasting over 30+ years. Dale refused to back down even if the odds were stacked against him.

Eventually, Dale would capture the respect of his peers and the fans and become a decorated driver. However, his biggest challenge came in the form of the Daytona 500. "I've won [30] races at the Daytona Speedway. More races there than anybody else, ever. But I've never won the Daytona 500” (UXL Biographies). Out of any race, the Daytona 500 is easily the most important. Firstly, it takes place in the heart of racing, Daytona, Florida. It has been compared to the Super Bowl in terms of importance. To truly solidify his career, Dale would have to win the Daytona 500. Unfortunately, that chance would take an agonizingly long time. Dale’s skirmish with the Daytona 500 was like a curse. For example, in the 1990 Daytona 500, Dale had the lead on lap 199 out of 200 (UXL Biographies). However, a cut on one of his tires stopped him dead in his tracks (UXL Biographies). Misfortunes like these held back Dale from victory for 20 years! However, his day would finally come in the 1998 Daytona 500. On a one lap sprint, Dale swooped in and claimed his first place prize before the pole winner, Bobby Labonte (UXL Biographies). Dale’s victory was so tremendous, the other competitors congratulate him on the way down.

Even though it would take him 20 whole years, Dale was brave enough to keep on pushing himself to win it. Dale Earnhardt is easily one of the best racers of all time because of his cathartic success story. Dale started from nothing and he managed to make a name for himself by fighting against all odds. He fought those odds head first. Dale never backed down from any challenge. He also raced every race like it was his last. His godlike records reflect his intense work ethic and grit. Finally and most importantly, Dale raced because he enjoyed to compete. He just wanted to fulfill his dream of being a driver just like his dad. Dale is an inspiration to me not because of his accolades or how many times he won. He’s an inspiration to me because persevered through the absolute worst of situations. Before his first official year with NASCAR, Dale had to deal with debt, the death of his father and two divorces. Despite the dire situation, Dale managed to pull through and begin racing. Furthermore, Dale won the Daytona 500 after 20 years of trying. Dale could’ve easily quit after 5 or 10 years, but he was never the kind to back down from a challenge. Dale put his body and car on the line to claim his victory at the Daytona 500. After winning the Daytona 500, Dale thanked everyone who had supported him in his life. "I thank everybody that touched my life in racing and helped me get where I am" (UXL Biographies). He was at his absolute peak. Dale Earnhardt was untouchable, but he would quickly lose his life after a horrific crash on the same track three years later. Even though his death was tragic, Dale went out by what he loved to do. Racing.

                                                                                          Works Consulted

battalionfan888. “CBS Dale Earnhardt Interview.” YouTube, YouTube, 13 Aug. 2007, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXb3Zcxg4a0.

“Dale Earnhardt.” Biography.com, A&E Networks Television, 15 Apr. 2019, www.biography.com/athlete/dale-earnhardt.

“Dale Earnhardt.” Encyclopedia of World Biography Online, vol. 22, Gale, 2002. Biography In Context, https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/K1631007941/BIC?u=powa9245&sid=BIC&xid=57ec21a1. Accessed 30 Apr. 2019.

“Dale Earnhardt.” UXL Biographies, UXL, 2011. Student Resources In Context, https://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ2108100697/SUIC?u=powa9245&sid=SUIC&xid=38aff4f1. Accessed 30 Apr. 2019.

Sports, FOX. “NASCAR RaceDay's Top 10 Rivalries: 4 – Dale Earnhardt vs. Darrell Waltrip.” FOX Sports, FOX Sports, 2 Sept. 2018, www.foxsports.com/nascar/video/1311658051710.

Montville, Leigh. At the Altar of Speed. Doubleday, 2001.

Website design and web development by Mango Web Design https://mangowebdesign.com. “Dale Earnhardt (1951 - 2001).” North Carolina History Project, northcarolinahistory.org/encyclopedia/dale-earnhardt-1951-2001/.