DVR Alert - The Day: Remembering Dale Earnhardt

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dpkimmel2001

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For those interested.....

February 18, 2001 … a day in NASCAR history that still evokes pain, tragedy and disbelief unlike any other even a decade later …

In honor of the 10th anniversary of Dale Earnhardt, Sr.’s death in the 2001 Daytona 500, SPEED examines NASCAR’s darkest day in an exclusive, one-hour special titled The Day: Remembering Dale Earnhardt, premiering Feb. 11 at 7:30 p.m. ET. SPEED reflects on the tragic Sunday from sunrise to sunset, focusing on the day’s events and emotions for everyone involved, as well as how that catastrophic moment forever changed the sport.

The program marks the first time Michael Waltrip has granted a TV interview regarding the death of his former car owner, friend and mentor. Waltrip won the 2001 Daytona 500, his career-first NASCAR Sprint Cup Series victory in 463 starts, for Dale Earnhardt Inc. (DEI) with then-teammate Dale Earnhardt Jr. pushing him to finish second, and Earnhardt seemingly headed for a third-place finish while blocking for his two cars.

Waltrip relished the long-awaited win in a celebratory and emotional Victory Lane before learning of Earnhardt’s passing. It would be 10 years before Waltrip could speak about that bittersweet day.

“I don’t think human beings are designed to experience quite the range of emotion that I did that day …” Waltrip said on The Day: Remembering Dale Earnhardt. “I just remember sitting in that chair (in the motorhome) trying to deal with what had happened and understand how I was supposed to feel … I started wondering how I was supposed to feel at that moment and I haven’t stopped wondering since.”

Regarding the last meaningful time he spent with Earnhardt:

“… Walking to the grid,” Waltrip added. “We weren’t talking about strategy … we were just being friends.”

The Day: Remembering Dale Earnhardt takes viewers back to Earnhardt’s last day, from the pre-race ceremonies during which he gave wife Teresa and son Earnhardt, Jr. what would be a final hug on the starting grid before climbing into his black No. 3 Chevrolet, to the race, the fatal accident in turn four and the aftermath.

“No driver embodied the heart, spirit and competition of NASCAR like Dale Earnhardt,” said Patti Wheeler, SPEED Executive Vice President of Programming and Production. “When he died, a piece of the sport died with him. But the NASCAR community and race fans worldwide have kept his memory and dreams alive. Earnhardt was a champion in every sense of the word and remains one, even in death. We hope this look back at Feb. 18, 2001, conveys our collective respect for him.”

The special also explores Earnhardt’s history at Daytona, his relationship with car owner Richard Childress, his family, his DEI race team, his close friendship with Neil Bonnett, who died at Daytona in 1994, and other key players and events in Earnhardt’s life and career. Additionally, a variety of NASCAR stars and celebrities recount where they were when they first heard the news of Earnhardt’s death.

The Day: Remembering Dale Earnhardt will replay multiple times throughout Daytona Speedweeks, including Feb. 18 at 10 p.m. ET, immediately following SPEED’s live broadcast of the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series race from Daytona (7:30 p.m. ET; NCWTS Setup with Krista Voda at 7 p.m. ET).
 
An advanced screening of this has been played for the media attending the media tour this week. This is part of what was shown.....

A moment in time: Feb. 18, 2001 -- A behind-the-scenes story of that Daytona 500 finish

Next month marks the 10th anniversary since Dale Earnhardt died from injuries suffered in a last-lap crash of the Daytona 500. Throughout this week's media tour and the next few weeks many stories will be shared about Dale Earnhardt and that day. I'll run a few throughout.



Today is the tale of Ty Norris, who was Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s spotter that day, an executive at Dale Earnhardt Inc, and was there when many of NASCAR officials were informed about Earnhardt's death. This is his story:



(YOUR VANTAGE POINT OF FEB 18, 2001)



I was spotting for Junior and the whole time, Michael’s spotter Chuck (Joyce) and I and Danny Culler, who was spotting for Dale, were coordinating. We were talking and discussing.



“I remember coordinating everything that was going on just a little bit. Dale kept telling Danny to tell us to stay in line. Danny kept telling me that Dale was not trying to pass. Every time he would sneak down, Dale Jr. would get nervous and he was just basically was trying to hold everybody else off and just be those three guys racing for the win. A lot of people say that Dale spent the entire race blocking for Dale Jr. and Michael and it certainly looked that way. I think he just wanted to come down to the last lap where those three guys could compete for the win. I’m not so sure if Dale had the run, he would probably have tried to pass them, but, at the same time, he was trying to do all the right things to make sure that it was just those three (and he was also trying to get air on the front of his car).





“When we were coming down that backstraightaway and Dale was right behind Junior, I think Junior felt that Dale was in a protection mode. I never did ask Dale Jr. if he ever wanted to pass Michael. I never asked him that question. Maybe I should someday. I just remember when it happened, no one in their right mind ever thought about Dale not making it to the finish line. We were watching a lot of stuff happening. We knew that there would be maybe bumping and banging.





“All I remember saying to Dale Jr. (just as his dad crashed) was that “You lost your drafting partner. You lost your partner.’ He was right behind him when he got hooked. You lost your drafting partner, which meant you’re going to have to stay in line and he was going to finish second and not have a shot to win. I didn’t mean it that he lost his partner because none of us really knew.’’





(HOW TY LEARNED WHAT HAPPENED TO DALE)





“John Graham, president of Daytona at the time, he was emceeing the Victory Lane and he came over to me and said,





“Can you accept the owner’s trophy?’





“Why would I do that?’ Norris said.





“Well, you need to take the owner’s trophy because Dale is not going to be here.’





“How come Dale isn’t going to be here?’ Norris asked





“Well, they’re taking him over to the hospital.’





“What did he do? Did he hurt his leg or something?’





John just looked away and said, “I don’t know, they haven’t told me.’





I knew that something was wrong. There was no Earnhardt in Victory Lane. There was no Dale Jr. There was no Teresa. There was no Dale. There was no Danny. They were all there. I couldn’t understand why they were there in Victory Lane and so I kind of turned away and got the champion’s trophy and we had our picture taken with that, and I remember being interviewed there saying, “This isn’t right. This is Dale’s trophy, but I’ll hold it up.’





I turned around and I saw (Ken) Schrader walk into Victory Lane, and I could see Michael’s face change. I remember it vividly. I asked him what Schrader said and he said, “It’s not good.’’





I still didn’t know. Nobody ever said fatal. Not good is he’s mad because he broke his leg or something. I remember walking into the garage area carrying the trophy and Steve Peterson, a NASCAR inspector, said they need you at the trailer and I walked in the trailer, Brian France, Jim France, Mike Helton, Jim Hunter and Danielle Humphrey and John Griffin were all sitting in there and … they closed the door. Brian said, “My dad is over at the hospital.’ I said, “Why would Mr. France be at the hospital?” The phone rang and Brian picked it up. He just hung up and he looked at me and said, “It’s the worse.’’





“That was the first time that I knew what he meant.’’
 
I'll skip it, I know how the story ends.
No idea why these people want to keep regurgitating such a low point in motorsports history.:confused:
MoMike
 
MoMike said:
I'll skip it, I know how the story ends.
No idea why these people want to keep regurgitating such a low point in motorsports history.:confused:
MoMike
Click to expand...

Because it's Dale Earnhardt Sr. I'll pass on this as well, I mean it's alittle too morbid to watch the same scene over and over again of a man dying. Which is what I hated about the media's coverage of 9/11. "Hey, let's watch 3,000 people die over and over and over and over until everyone watching this channel will want to swallow a bullet."
 
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Michael Waltrip will run a No. 15 car in this year's Daytona 500 to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of his first Daytona victory — and the death of his late boss and friend, Dale Earnhardt.

Waltrip was driving the No. 15 car for Earnhardt's team when he broke a 0-for-462 winless streak in the 2001 Daytona 500 driving for Earnhardt's team. That day was anything but a celebration for Waltrip, as Earnhardt died in an accident on the final lap of the race.

Waltrip and sponsor Napa unveiled the commemorative car Tuesday.

Waltrip, a two-time Daytona 500 winner, owns a NASCAR team and has cut back his racing schedule. It will be his 25th consecutive Daytona 500
 
I got depressed just reading that article:(
 
Very interesting to me. I was there at the time and having the scanner on all the time, even after the race, it was a different scenario for those of us who saw what happened, yet were so far away that it didn't appear to be as bad as it was. I recall before the wreck that Sr. told his spotter to tell Waltrip and Jr. that he was making sure they would win, meaning that he would be blocking the rest of the bunch. Still, it wasn't until hours later that we learned officially of his death. But those of us who listened to FOX's live feed could hear the emotions of those in the booth, especially DW. Before they went off the air, the director told them (the guys in the booth) to get their stuff in order so we can go off the air. As can imagine, especially if you have seen any of the footage by FOX, that DW was quite emotional at the time. What happened behind the scenes have always been of interest to me.
 
This should be titled "The Day Nascar Died", it was all down hill after he went. He was the DH of Nascar, but even more than that he was the "Voice". He had a lot of influence in what went on....rules changes, testing, how the cars should be tweeaked. I'm not saying Nascar did everything to the T that Sr. told them to do, but he did have quite a bit of influence and I think Nascar needed it and desperately needs it today. Yep when Sr. died I feel Nascar as we had known it died too. Now we have this watered down crap for racing, but at least they are still going left most of the time and at 180mph! Live on Sr, I know I'll miss the guy even though I always rooted against him, being a Bill Elliot fan it was great to watch those guys go at it.
 
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