As Daytona Approaches, So Do Memories of Earnhardt

February 18th, 2001. The 43rd annual Daytona 500. A day that NASCAR fans everywhere will remeber not for the great racing, but for what happened after the checkered flag waved. This race should have been remebered as the day that journeyman driver, Michael Waltrip won his first points paying Winston Cup Series race driving for Dale Earnhardt, Inc. But instead it will go down in history as the day that Dale Earnhardt lost his life in a last lap crash blocking to protect Waltrip's lead and his son, Dale Earnhardt, Jr's, runner up finish.

The day started just as any other race day did. The pre race drivers meeting, driver intros, the invocation and the national anthem. Then it would be "Gentlemen, start your engines" and "Boogity, Boogity, Boogity! Lets go racin' boys!" The races at Daytona and Talladega always produce the best racing of the year, and this race was no exception. With the rules package that included a gurney lip across the rear spoiler and a wicker bill across the roof, the packs were tight and the slingshot pass was back. The cars of Sterling Marlin and Earnhardt were very strong all race long and it appeared they had the cars to beat. Then Dale Jr and Waltrip had their cars where they wanted and shot to the front of the pack.

Waltrip's #15 NAPA Chevy led a lot of the race after halfway, closely followed by teammate Dale Jr and team owner Dale Sr. As the race wound down, it appeared that this would be one of the greatest Daytona 500s in history. Michael Waltrip would win his first race in 462 tries in his first race with Dale Earnhardt, Incorperated, Junior would get second, making it a DEI one-two finish, and the proud owner would finish in third. However, that storybook ending did not go that perfectly. As Waltrip and Jr led the field off turn four for the final time, Rusty Wallace got Earnhardt's car loose while protecting third, sending him down the track. The back of the black #3 car made contact with Marlin's #40 and sent the Intimidator head on into the wall, collecting Kenny Schrader's #36 in the process.

The two cars came to rest near the entrance to pit road, as Michael Waltrip's came to rest in Daytona's famed victory lane. Mikey was celebrating the greatest day of his career, maybe of his entire life, blissfully unaware that the man who had given him the chance to win, the man who had given him the confidence by telling him "you'll win in my cars", the man who made this whole day possible was in the back of an ambulance bound for Halifax Medical Center where he would be pronounced dead a short time later. The best day of Michael Waltrip's life had quickly become his, as well as NASCAR's, darkest.

Even if you are not a Michael Waltrip fan, you have to feel for this guy. To lose his owner, his friend and his mentor in the same race as his first career win? How are you supposed to feel? Where do you go from here? And Dale Jr lost his father. Enough said. On February 20th, the 53rd Daytona 500 will go green and mark the tenth anniversary of that dark day when NASCAR lost one of its greatest drivers and many drivers lost a friend. How fitting it is that Dale Jr won the pole this past Sunday for the event marking a decade since his father's death. Another cool tribute to the "Man in Black" comes from the man that won the 2001 event. Michael Waltrip will start his 25th consecutive Daytona 500 behind the wheel of a black and blue #15 NAPA Toyota. The blue hood, roof and decklid harken back to his inaugural year with NAPA Auto Parts and the anniversary of their first win and the matte black sides pay tribute to the man that gave him the opportunity to win that race ten years ago. Hopefully, the 500 will end the way it is supposed to; with Dale Jr and Michael Waltrip battling for the win on the last lap, one of them crusing to victory in a fitting tribute to "The Intimidator."