25 years ago, Dale Earnhardt lost his life in Daytona

"You're going to see something you've probably never seen on FOX before."Dale Earnhardt's last public words, spoken to journalist Matt Yocum moments before the start of the Daytona 500, have unfortunately sounded like a prophecy ever since. At the heart of a new media contract ready to promote the NASCAR In a new era at the beginning of the millennium, the 2001 Daytona 500 will ultimately remain one of the darkest days in the history of the discipline.

After a crazy race, marked in particular by a monstrous pile-up in the last 50 laps, in which Tony Stewart rolled his orange Pontiac No. 20, the Daytona 500, the most prestigious event and which kicks off the NASCAR Cup Series season, was going to turn into a fairy tale for Dale Earnhardt, the most influential man in the history of the sport, with seven championship titles.

Behind the wheel of his now-legendary black Chevrolet No. 3, Earnhardt was in third place as he crossed the white flag signaling the start of the final lap, in front of a record audience (at the time) of over 17 million viewers. For "The Indimidator," third place was never considered an accomplishment, but on February 18, 2001, it was different. "Big E" was, in fact, behind the cars of Michael Waltrip and his son Dale Jr., entered by his own team, Dale Earnhardt Incorporated.

Instead of going all out for a second Daytona 500 victory, Earnhardt had transformed into a protector for his two drivers, doing his best to hold off the attacks of Sterling Marlin, Rusty Wallace, and Ken Schrader. Entering the final corner, the mission seemed accomplished, with Waltrip cruising to his first win in 463 races, ahead of Dale Earnhardt Jr. Behind him, the father was sandwiched between the cars, losing control without making contact with any other drivers, but at over 300 km/h, even the slightest air movement on the rear wing can have significant consequences.

Sliding towards the flat section of the track on the left, Earnhardt corrected by counter-steering; the car regained its grip and sped straight into the wall, hitting it while Schrader made contact with his front right. The impact appeared relatively minor, especially compared to the carnage half an hour earlier on the straight. But inside the cockpit, the damage was immense; Dale Earnhardt died instantly from a basilar skull fracture.

In a fraction of a second, NASCAR changed dramatically, as Michael Waltrip explained ten years later to symbolize his own experience. "From the best day in history to the worst"Mike Helton, President of NASCAR, announced the news less than two hours later: "This is undoubtedly the most difficult announcement I've ever had to make, but after the crash on the last lap of the Daytona 500, we have lost Dale Earnhardt."

The announcement was a bombshell; NASCAR was left without the man who was seen as the face of the sport, one of the two most decorated drivers at the time along with Richard Petty (before Jimmie Johnson joined them in 2016). A true icon in the United States, the announcement of his death sent shockwaves through the country like that of Ayrton Senna in the rest of the world in 1994. As fate would have it, on May 1, 1994, it was Earnhardt who won the NASCAR race at Talladega, paying tribute to his deceased colleague during the post-race interview.

The death of Dale Earnhardt, the fourth major NASCAR fatality since the beginning of 2000, forced the sport to undergo a true revolution focused on safety. Since then, no driver has lost their life in any of NASCAR's three national series. But 25 years later, as evidenced by the silent tribute from the crowd on the third lap of the Daytona 500—three fingers raised to the sky—Dale Earnhardt's aura has never diminished.

ALSO READ > Tyler Reddick wins the Daytona 500 for Michael Jordan's team