Anniversaries don't mark a time to recall Dale Earnhardt; it's a daily thing
Itâs just a number: 20.
This February we mark the 20th anniversary of Dale Earnhardtâs death on the final lap of the 2001 Daytona 500. In five years, 10 years, and so on, weâll mark it again.
It means a lot, of course, given Earnhardtâs place in racing history â especially NASCAR history. But in a way, it means nothing.
You donât have to set aside chronological markers for the memory of a man like Dale Earnhardt, because his legend still drapes heavily across the shoulders of stock-car racing.
Who better to speak for all than Richard Childress? At first, he was the team owner who put Earnhardt behind the wheel of the No. 3 Chevy and ignited not just a racing juggernaut, but a cultural phenomenon. In short time, he and Earnhardt became best friends.
Says Childress: âItâs been tough and not only tough on me and the family ⊠The race fans, I think a lot of them havenât gotten over it yet. And I havenât gotten over the loss. There arenât many days that go by when I donât remember something about Dale.
âIt doesnât seem like itâs been 20 years when we all lost Dale, and wow, what do you say? We all just miss him."
REMEMBER?:Earnhardt's middle-finger salute during 2001 Daytona 500
20 YEARS LATER:Austin Dillon carrying on Dale Earnhardt's legacy
EARNHARDT:From Kannapolis to Daytona, Dale Sr. was destined for greatness
You canât talk about those ensuing 20 years without acknowledging the lone â yet enormous â fallout from Earnhardtâs death that soothes the sense of loss. While Earnhardt was the fourth NASCAR racer to crash and die in just a nine-month period, up to now heâs also the last.
An unprecedented âsafety revolutionâ saw NASCAR turn to outside sources for guidance, resulted in the building of a safety-focused research-and-development center, and brought mandates of âsoftâ walls and head-neck restraints, as well as a dedicated medical team and policies.
The last lap of the Daytona 500 on Feb. 18, 2001, brought about a cultural change, regarding safety, no one couldâve imagined up to Feb. 17, 2001.
You canât help but assume it mightâve taken longer if not for the enormity of the loss, which was due to the enormity of the legend Earnhardt had built.
With half the grandstands booing him and the other half ready to nominate him for sainthood â and all respecting what he could do with that black Chevy â Dale Earhnardt had truly become the face of NASCAR.
In the aftermath of his loss, it was common to hear someone say, âNo one will ever replace Dale Earnhardt.â Weâd nod in agreement, but deep down many assumed someone would eventually come along and fill that void. Thatâs the way the world works, you know.
Well, how long has it been, 20 years? Weâre still waiting.