I would just like to say that I have never watched Nascar in my life. But, when I heard that Dale Earnhardt died AT the tracks, I thought that was one of the saddest things I heard of that weekend. It wasn't the saddest, but it was close to the top. Just wanted to say that.
He is the owner of his car and the cars driven by his son Dale Jr. and Michael Waltrip. He was in third, Dale Jr. in second and Michael in first. Dale was trying to protect the other two from having their place taken from them when he was bumped by Sterling Marlin. Dale crashed head on into a retaining wall, and died on contact.