Earnhardt, "Dale" (Ralph Dale)
Auto racing
b. April 29, 1952, Kannapolis, NC
d. Feb. 8, 2001
The son of Ralph Earnhardt, who won NASCAR's late model sportsman championship in 1956, Earnhardt was named rookie of the year on the Winston Cup circuit in 1979 and won the circuit championship the following year.
In the process, he became only the third driver in history to win more than $500,000 in a single season. He was also the first driver to win the rookie of the year award and the Winston Cup championship in consecutive seasons.
Nicknamed "the Intimidator" because he was a relentless, hard-charging driver who never lets up, Earnhardt joined the newly-formed Richard Childress racing team in 1981. With that team, he won Winston Cup championships in 1986, 1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, and 1994. His seven titles ties him with Richard Petty for the all-time lead.
Among major super-speedway races, Earnhardt won the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte, NC, in 1986, 1992, and 1993; the Southern 500 at Darlington, SC, in 1987, 1989, and 1990; and the Winston 500 at Talladega, AL, in 1990.
Despite all his other successes, the Daytona 500 continually thwarted him for a variety of reason. But in 1998, at the age of 46, Earnhardt finally won that race. Earnhardt also won the International Race of Champions title in 1990, 1995, and 1999.
He died of head injuries suffered on the last lap of the Daytona 500 in 2001. His sons, Ralph Dale Jr. and Kerry Dale Earnhardt, are both NASCAR drivers.