Dale Earnhardt was running in the third position in the 2001 Daytona 500 when unintentional contact from the #40 Coors Dodge of Sterling Marlin sent him nearly head-on into the wall at speeds in excess of 160 miles per hour. He died almost instantly. He finished the race in 12th position, the next to last car on the lead lap.
Dale Jr. finished 2nd in the 2001 Daytona 500. Michael Waltrip his teammate won the race. Three years later Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the 2004 Daytona 500, three years after his dad died and six years after his dad won the 500.
Dale Earnhardt Sr. died on February 18, 2001, on the final lap of the Daytona 500.
2nd
Yes, he did. Dale Sr. won the pole position for the 1996 Daytona 500, he finished the race in second place.
In the 2012 Daytona 500, Dale Earnhardt Jr., earned $1,103,150. for finishing second.
Dale Sr. finished 21st in the 2000 Daytona 500.
Dale Jr. started eighth in the 2000 Daytona 500.
Dale finished 12th, 199 laps and $194,111.00
Dale Sr. raced in 23 Daytona 500's from 1979-2001.
In the 2012 Sprint All-Star Race, Dale Jr. won $141,315.
Probably it was to win the Daytona 500, where his dad died.
Dale Sr. started the Daytona 500 23 times from 1979 to 2001.