Dale Earnhardt Sr. was killed in a car crash at Daytona International Speedway on the last lap between turns 3 and 4. To see the video go to YouTube.
He died on February 18, 2001 on the last lap of the 2001 Daytona 500 when he was bumped and went into the wall. He was 49 years old.
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Beginning in the 2008 season, Dale Jr. made the switch to Hendrick Motorsports and began to race the #88 car. He had previously driven the #8 for Dale Earnhardt Inc. from 1999 to 2007.
Earnhardt changed Nascar by the helmets and, walls around the track oh and fans. The old helmets were open faced and now the new helmets are full faced which covers the head and face. The helmets had HANS devices which were mandated after he died. The old walls were just concrete. The new walls are called "Safety Barriers", "soft walls", and "Safer". The new wall was made of steel and foam energy reduction. The fans said that he was the best one they liked watching, until he died, they said they really miss seeing him on the track racing.
Dale Jr. became famous because when his father died in the 2001 Daytona 500 all of Dale Sr's fans all went to his son.