Dale Earnhardt (1951-2001) was a race car driver who drove on the NASCAR circuit for 22 seasons, won 7 Winston Cups, had 76 career wins, and made more money driving than any other driver in NASCAR history. His life was ended with an automobile crash that occurred during the 2001 Daytona 500.

Racing in the Family

Earnhardt was born in the Kannapolis, North Carolina, a textile mill town. His father, Ralph Earnhardt, was known as "Ironheart" on the short-track racing circuit, and he taught his son how to drive stock cars and work with engines. He had converted a barn behind the family home into a garage, and was well-known for his skill with engines. Earnhardt's earliest memory is of watching his father race.

Earnhardt dropped out of high school after eighth grade; according to Bill Hewitt in People Weekly he later said, "I tried the ninth grade twice and quit. Couldn't hang...