1997 Daytona 500 Dale Earnhardt wreck and Interview

[@JuiceJive]

Look at that lead pack. Elliott, Earnhardt, Gordon, Jarrett, Irvan, Terry Labonte. This was at the height of my NASCAR fandom.

[@lawrencewebb3659]

unfortunately I was only 7 years old in 1997 so I grew up watching the height of nascar and didn't even know it

[@wr70beh]

I remember this. “See if it’ll crank”.

[@JohnnyRebWasATexan]

These fans now a days will never understand!

[@REDH89]

I was 8yrs old!! It was the absolute peak for me 😂

[@dathorndike4908]

The golden age of Nascar

[@tazfett7746]

My favorite interview ever. It still had 4 tires on it. He was a true racer.

[@glynisgaston6602]

Facts

[@z-0678]

He never quit and we’ll never forget!

[@bizzy24100]

especially considering what happened one year after his 97 Daytona wreck when he finally got his Daytona 500.

[@keithstengel7749]

I was there!!! Me and the wife sat in the front row near turn 1. I remember the roar of the crowd coming like the wave around turn 4 as DALE came to pit road. His crew was jumping on the trunk lid to get it in shape. ABSOLUTELY AWESOME!!!

[@atvatv8391]

Great memory for you both !

[@evanwilliams6406]

That was Dale Earnhardt. He never quit or gave up. Racing was Dale's life and he always raced like that young man out of Kannapolis trying to make it. Dale made tons of money driving race cars but he liked hunting' fishing and farming and people who were working class men loved him for that. Dale was NASCAR and when he died he took a lot of the sport with him.

[@kramnull8962]

Until it all came to a stop.

[@moparpower0788]

Well said

[@henniebogan1966]

He drove like he had something to prove. Forever, The Intimidator!

[@jasonwiggins]

Until he made it? He was a middle class child and said so himself, and he never accomplished anything on a racetrack until Ralf died and was given his Father's Championship winning cars. FYI: Davey Allison flipped at Daytona and never got out of the car. He put it in gear and drove it back to pit road. Fact.

[@pinchihernandez5629]

Awesome guy sure do miss him !!!

[@warrenp.5916]

I was on the backstretch and watched it happen right in front of me. Watched Ernie’s hood go over the fence. As expected, I watched him get out the ambulance and climb back in! THE MAN! THE LEGEND! Passed the photos I took that day to my son. We watched him win together the next year, hugging through our tears! As we did on that February day in 2001. Different tears though 🥺

[@hockey8784]

Just curious any idea where the hood went did anyone get it

[@warrenp.5916]

@@hockey8784 I saw the wrecker and crews pick things up but have no idea after that 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@gregorygolden1296]

ONLY Dale Earnhardt could do this. 99.99.percent of drivers would of got in that ambulance and their day would be done. But Dale isn't just another racecar driver. He is the Benchmark that we tried to be like. I know as a former stockcar racer, that I always tried a little harder because of him. GOD BLESS DALE. Sure miss that guy.

[@robertdigby4504]

Fortunately he couldn’t pull it off 4 years later

[@gregorygolden1296]

@@robertdigby4504 fortunately??? Digby you have no grace or class.

[@shreddabgofficial]

The fuck you talking about🤡...2001 is a reality check the boys dead he couldn't survive the tiniest Collison

[@kramnull8962]

This was like the story of Pink Floyd. Their last big hit was The Wall.

[@dsz2448]

^^ these 2 trolls shower together

[@juanlopez3644]

Back when we didn't have the generics interviews of drivers mentioning every single sponsor and manufacturer. Just their team and their hard work. The good old days of racing.

[@truckercowboyed2638]

Umm they did when they win its kinda an obligation to recognize the people that are paying you......he didn't here because he didn't win just a post wreck interview

[@Moose6340]

NASCAR would have a breakdown if a driver tried that today. They'd suspend and fine the hell out of him.

[@danfarris135]

Darned shame isnt it. Let them race.

[@ronaldshank7589]

That's what I say! Let 'em race! 🏁🏁🏁

[@albertjewell4302]

I doubt todays driver would be suspended/fined, but the media would slurp him as if it had never been done before.

[@colbranmx]

Golden ERA . The pinnacle of NASCAR . COT can not come close.

[@christophershockey1025]

It's been crap and going downhill since they ruined it by starting the Chase. Nothing but wreckfests at the end cause win and you're in. No consequences for tearing up racecars. Ridiculous....

[@cdel4391]

@@christophershockey1025 also no point in conserving tires since they just keep getting cautions nowadays, i miss those long green flag runs from the 90s, conserving fuel and tires were important skill to have and now not so much just drive like crazy, a race driver from today would never won a championship in that era

[@truckercowboyed2638]

​@@christophershockey1025shut up......stop ruining the new nascar just go away

[@blakebarone1809]

He knew his fans would eat it up, gettin back in the car like that. And you know what… you guys did eat it up. It was one cool move.

[@jamesbuck3818]

I miss those days... Miss U DALE!

[@mvela1235]

There will NEVER be another one like him.

[@condorc72]

And quite frankly I'm glad

[@dsz2448]

@@condorc72cry more

[@Steven-b5n]

Hopefully not.

[@bigrezznation]

He grew up in a time when most stock car drivers had 2nd jobs because it was almost impossible to make an actual living from driving around in a circle. In a time where picking up 2 spots by the finish meant your family got to eat that week. Even with all the money, wins, and fame, he never took any of it for granted. He always remembered exactly where he came from.

[@jasonwiggins]

Yeah, a middle class family and he said so himself. Ralf was a highly successful auto mechanic and a Championship winning driver. They had money. He said so himself.

[@ae1586]

So much money his brother worked in a mill and he lived in a single wide trailer into the first years of his career .

[@ricktaylor3748]

Never again will there be another driver. Like Dale Earnhardt. He IS. The Man.

[@joshpitts7256]

AMEN

[@robertdigby4504]

Do you mean dirty or dead. You might be right about dirty but they all are going to die eventually. Thank god 4 years later we were done with this idiot

[@shreddabgofficial]

Jimmie Johnson did better

[@robertdigby4504]

I think you meant WAS he is dead remember? He’s getting eaten by worms

[@kramnull8962]

This was like the story of Pink Floyd. Their last big hit was The Wall.

[@davidm6256]

I remember watching this race and I remember when Dale got back in his car and go to the pits, he is one of the greatest drivers that Nascar ever had to this day, rip Dale

[@jerrychimokosky8246]

Forever the man forever the fan

[@user-Dr.]

A one of a kind, to be considered likely the best driver that ever lived, it takes more than the number of wins or championships, it takes a special kind of person, they broke the mold, I know the 2001 season was going to be number 8 for him, they got the car and the team straightened out, I mean, look what Harvick did that year, being half the driver.

[@willydawg99]

Delusional

[@morningsalute03]

wait wait wait. He flipped his car and got back into it? That's insane. I will be a forever fan.

[@jasonwiggins]

Wait, wait, wait, Davey Allison flipped at Daytona and never got out of the car. He put it in gear and drove back to pit road. Fact.

[@Kcg99]

I wish fox would give us replays like this today

[@user-Dr.]

I don't think NASCAR is allowing it, they are now actively picking and choosing winners and Loosers, it would help expose this activity.

[@leerussel2033]

NASCAR was never better than it was in the ninety's. Never recovered from the loss of Dale.

[@dr.darkroom]

5:35 Sounds like a Tv fiction explanation. What it really looks like is Gordon used up the track for the pass and Earnhardt wasn't about to let that happen and had nowhere else to go - and he said it in the interview, he could have taken Gordon out but he wasn't about to let that happen either.

[@dave131]

Dale was awesome. It's ok to say he wasn't in this clip.

[@Bigpete327]

You can’t compare Dale Earnhardt to any driver these days Dale was and still is at a completely higher level !

[@nitrojunkie9027]

John Force.......enough said!!!!

[@johnwelsh4750]

Gordon & Johnson kept him in check & Jeremy Mayfield adjusted his attitude ! BTW Tim Richmond put Dale in check and Richmond was a Dying man = Nuff said !!!!

[@Bigpete327]

@@johnwelsh4750 lol ! Your delusional ,,, = Nuff said !!!

[@dsz2448]

@@johnwelsh4750Jimmie never raced against him 🤔 lay off the liquor

[@JavierEchavarria-y5l]

Reminder Jimmie Johnson is in front of him in wins in cup and tie with the most championships

[@lifeisgood5288]

Remember this like yesterday

[@CloudStrife8894]

Dale Sr. was one of those never gave up attitude people.

[@AlanpittsS2b]

So many legends in this race

[@roberthendrickson2939]

Dale was hard core.

[@jtu6866]

We will never see this sport again. Its over.

[@FIA-F1]

Being old wipl do that to you

[@Scott2510A]

Awesome Bill was passing them on the outside by himself in that race. Bill Elliott should have won that race. Fate lined up all 3 Hendrick cars behind him on the last restart. And Bill was a sitting duck.

[@GatorNick]

A true blue collar racer. A hero to many

[@carrsllccarrillo6507]

In my opinion, all I know is those cars back then are built more tough with those solid axle systems then today's multi-link rear end suspensions. Once those cars get in a accident, even minor ones, seems like a toe link will break off causing the rear end to dogtrack easily. Here you see Earnhardt's car damaged beyond compare and still keep on trucking. TOUGH CAR TOUGH DRIVER! Forever the man, forever a fan!

[@cdel4391]

nah cars today are tougher, they look like bricks lol, that wall ride at martinsville from last year wouldnt be possible in a gen 4 car

[@dsz2448]

@@cdel4391they’re junk. Cheap pieced together pawn shop cars

[@Rewster68]

Kinda ironic him calling Gordon impatient when he was known for wreaking people to win a race!

[@adamaskew8751]

We need a driver like him again. Nascar has become a joke

[@markcatcash4688]

They want NASCAR/IROC..back then if a team made a faster car ( like Bill lapping the field TWICE ) other teams worked twice as hard and didn't wait for a rule change.

[@christopherpatten9388]

Don't call Dale the intimidator for no reason.he was above and beyond

[@ronaldshank7589]

Yup! If you saw him in your rear-view mirror, you ended up gettin' out of his way, or else he'd PUSH you out of the way! Man, oh MAN! He didn't take no guff off of ANYBODY!

[@jimharden4823]

What a stud

[@jamesshipley4985]

I was there for that in the infield on turn 2 !!! Great memories 😱🤓

[@DavidWilliams-tr1yx]

He was such a competitive driver

[@jaredbeasley1246]

Would had loved to see him get out his car and walk to the ems at the 2000 Daytona 😢

[@user-Dr.]

Me too, I think it was 01.

[@timdaland2247]

That would be 2001.

[@joesmith1067]

Your not alone in thinking that friend. NASCAR also died that day. I really miss the old days of the sport.

[@CC-jj7ne]

I watch these videos of a time that has past. I think of that time and the times we currently live. And my heart aches a little. Those times were better to me than the times of today. Society just isn’t the same anymore. It hasn’t improved. It has degraded.

[@midnightfarmer382]

Someone got one hell of a souvenir.

[@Steven-b5n]

Apparently, Earnhardt didn't see the air. Great work by his pit crew.

[@shakeholland9294]

The Man, The Myth, The Legend.

[@MichaelMurray-bt7tw]

He. Is. The. Greatest. Race. Car. Driver. Every.

[@tnwhiskey68]

I know they both have their faults but this is why the old points system was cool. These guys would do anything to not DNF! One position in one race could mean a title! Now if they scratch a car, and have a win already, they just put it on the trailer

[@ThePinkPoodle]

Truly. Jimmie Johnson made a mockery of their absurd chase. In 2007, Jeff Gordon had over 400 more points than Jimmie and Jimmie got the title. The reason the seats are more than half empty is by the time Jimmie got to four in row, the fans had had enough. I gave up. Nowadays these new kiddo drivers just don’t cut it with race fans. NASCAR might go bankrupt down the road betting on all these gimmick changes.

[@StephenBrewer89]

LEGEND

[@ColinDale-m2n]

I've always liked to imagine that it was this act of defiance against Lady Luck in 1997 that allowed Earnhardt to finally win in 1998.

[@crazycountryboy8941]

I was rooting for Terry Labonte

[@nascarman38n88]

Supposably Dale Sr and Ernie visited the injured fan from Irvan's hood at the hospital

[@danernest90]

It's never come back from those days..for this lifetime fan,it's been ruined.

[@RodClinard]

Huge Dale fan, but i was always curious why he ever got out of the car in the first place? Hit the starter button and drive away!

[@jasonwiggins]

Exactly!! That's what Davey Allison did at Daytona when he flipped, put it in gear and drove back to pit road. Strange how nobody talks about that, but this is on replay.

[@RodClinard]

@@jasonwiggins I mean, it was one hellacious flip, crash. Probably assumed car was toast. He eventually realized it was drivable though. Like Prost and senna at suzuka when they crashed at the last chicane. Prost got out of a perfectly good car. Senna drove off

[@jasonwiggins]

@@RodClinard Nice Prost and Senna reference!

[@cdel4391]

he thought a wheel or two were missing, didn't see the full video didn't you?

[@RodClinard]

@@cdel4391 I saw the race live... I'm not exactly sure what your questions is..?

[@tommystrickland2861]

Man I miss these days racing was so good

[@FIA-F1]

Nostalgia much?

[@WillHendersonTX]

it's weird that the Ford Quality Care sponsored car wrecked out the car sponsored by it's GM counterpart Goodwrench and the awful version of the Dale & Dale show, which unlike 1993 & it's 1996 sequel which was Dale Jarrett holding off Dale Earnhardt.

[@RVAMotorsports]

Sorry, but I just can't see Joey Logano or Bubba Wallace doing this...

[@jimharden4823]

Wonder who got the 28hood

[@greenie43]

Sweet video of the intimidater gigglin a little about he could've taken Gordon out, priceless!! 🤟😎 #3

[@user-Dr.]

He should have, Gordon took him out many times.

[@paulterry1232]

This Wreck Alone was Enough to Strap Tha Neck Down.. he would of still been here. Missed

[@darrellanderson3190]

The greatest year's of nascar. Not the vanilla crap corporations crap today.

[@TomasJ.Brenes-bo4kh]

The announcer said it The air around the rainbow king forced Dale into the wall Its in the video The king of the rainbows should have been DQ fined Not to race next 3 events Forfit of driver points

[@cdel4391]

lol

[@dsz2448]

Cry a river

[@TomasJ.Brenes-bo4kh]

@@dsz2448 looks like little boy never built anything, never raced, never took a lap, never even beat his own time So stop crying

[@robsmith7681]

King of the Jungle.

[@zbee-nah-lah]

“I didn’t hear no bell”

[@Kevin-p2g4g]

Did anybody get hurt with the hood going over the fence?

[@jdmforever5583]

And one day it all caught up to him and he did not get out of the race car by himself

[@fredbailey363]

24 ran him into the wall and 88 didn't let up and flat out hooked and wrecked 3.

[@timj3590]

I todays nascar once he was out of the car he wouldn't be allowed to get back in and continue,,,,and don't get me started about the crash clock

[@Thomas-dv1qp]

Just for the ones that don’t know this, Dale Sr had mad respect for Jeff Gordon.

[@jacasoasheland6815]

That hood flew into the stands. crazy

[@deidrafontenot3768]

No restrictor plates back then wide-open pedal-to-the-metal

[@dsz2448]

They did have plates

[@ytsn_THE_OG]

I'm sorry but if someone doesn't rest their life to save others, or lay down their life to save others, they aren't a hero. Quit throwing that word around and spitting on the faces of true American heroes who fought and died.

[@pashedmotatos]

shut the hell up

[@chrisrhoads8256]

Nascar 🏁🏎 hello wake up 👆 go back like ole days / these was the days 🤙💪🤛👊🤜👍

[@FIA-F1]

Old days would make it very boring in the modern time.

[@Backwoods_870]

I still believe that restrictor plate racing slowly started the downfall of real Nascar racing... like, how do you even conceive to restrict a race car? ... makes about as much sense as having screen doors on a submarine.

[@brandanhall9943]

You can't defi physics, I'm not here to argue if it's safer or not but the cars get up in the air easier the faster they go, we don't need another incident like Talladega 1987, 2009 and Daytona 2015. Luckily the catch fencing does its job

[@racegrubb2152]

No it had nothing to do with it, they only had 4 plate races, not every race had restrictor plates and plates started in 1988 or 1989

[@christophershockey1025]

Nope. The Chase did it. No consequences for tearing up racecars cause it's win and you're in. Totally ridiculous. Guarantee you that Earnhardt Sr. wouldn't like it. Very seldom did he win the most races in a season but he was the most consistent and never broke. Consistency doesn't even really matter anymore...

[@racegrubb2152]

@@christophershockey1025 yeah 2 of his championship seasons he won the most races, I believe 1987 and 1990. All they should have done to the points were increase points for the race winner and maybe knock the amount of points scaled down some. That's all they should have changed, but it's not just one thing. Even with that though nascar is still the most popular racing in the US. Even though f1 is gaining fans it's still not to where nascar is. I watch a lot of different motorsports and by far f1 is the most boring motorsport. People complain about passing in nascar, wow, after watching f1 it's still way better. Indy car is pretty good though

[@ImmaWright]

Great pass and great win by Gordon, greatest of all time

[@scoot9316]

Those were the days

[@maddad78]

So, Gordon used the force between the two to put Dale into the wall. Watch in slow motion. The draft coming off Dale's car the forces provided by Gordon running along side of Dale, that pushed Dale's car into the wall. Also, Gordon slides over closer to Dale. Gordon put him into the wall and driver behind Dale positioned to clip (pit) the backend of Dale. Grudge? A form of Forced retirement?

[@truspirit1925]

He got loose stop the blaming

[@williamworden3597]

A Great American Hero. 😊

[@dathorndike4908]

Normally I would be all over Gordon, but in this case I don't think he did anything wrong. It seems to me that it was strictly one of those "racing deals". To Dale's amazing talent and credit he never stopped driving that car - even after he flipped. Every other driver would have taken thier hands off the wheel and called it a day after that, but not Dale.

[@SpreadAU]

This race could’ve won Jarrett the ship

[@mikewitcombe6507]

Ammbuulance. ❤😂👏👏

[@mackydog99]

Those were the days!

[@FIA-F1]

Nostalgia much?

[@jimbo-d2o]

I was there!

[@D1m3bagd]

He kept going for points that's it

[@tgafire87]

Dale is the GOAT.

[@tieyounward8766]

Mostly just hard racin Gordon didn’t leave Earnhardt any room off the turn, and slowed earnhardts momentum irvan gave jarret uh shot which turned Earnhardt.

[@billkraemer4710]

Put that much damage on the Volvos they drive today and they’d be using bag and broom to scoop up the pats.

[@chrissnipes4161]

Dale,Davey, Martin, petty best drivers ever nothing like those 4

[@markcatcash4688]

Mark Martin was one of the first drivers to say " we finished 5 but had a 5th car so good day"

[@lordfarquad444]

King DALE!

[@johnwelsh4750]

Not even Close, a " Piss Ant in a Snowdrift " NO legacy Whatsoever, Only One True King and that is Richard Petty, the One and only Legend of Stock Car racing, everyone else is a " Also Ran " = Fabulous Nobody's " FACT as be True !

[@kramnull8962]

Dale told himself, self, yeah; plenty of room up near the: All in all Dale put the #3 in the wall....

[@buckbuck9225]

Wow, #3 broke a few bones. Made a fortune. And actually.. Actually waved to the peasants...how magnanimous.

[@c.d.8975]

Preece is better than earnhardt AND ned Jarrett

[@garybrown7047]

That guy that the hood hit wasn't hurt he was hurt after thinking about the money he could get out of it hit him if it did

[@EdwardGriffin]

No Intimidation when it mattered.

[@johnoxenreider9094]

"What a pile of grit"

[@zaxpage9003]

Could possibly be the worst wreck footage on earth. This video doesn't even show the wreck.

[@jamesmcintire3800]

Jeff had plenty of room to get by him without causing a wreck. But he knew he couldn’t beat Dale fairly

[@lawrencejohnson6797]

Wrong

[@kramnull8962]

Dale told himself, self, yeah; plenty of room up near the: All in all Dale put the #3 in the wall....

[@gregstewart4211]

Gordon never touched him!

[@user-Dr.]

True, Gordon admitted he took him to the wall on purpose, I think Kyle Bush has recently surpassed Gordon on the driver that has destroyed the highest number of cars in NASCAR history, look how many he took out here, he just drives off again.

[@gregstewart4211]

@Dr. Smith Gordon never said he took him to the wall. Watch the video Earnhardt took himself out.

[@davidvenesky9053]

Elliots transmission was messed up. That's why he didn't win.

[@SpreadAU]

They were single file, this was so dumb

[@dsz2448]

All racing has moments of being single file 🙄

[@talltimbot]

nascar died after the FirstOnRaceDay total domination 1992 season

[@kramnull8962]

There was a lot to be gained by 2 drivers dying in aircraft accidents the following year. Kinda like when Tim Richmond dominated and the shirts of NASCAR were choking on his partying. Yet known fact there were many many others doing it for years.

[@scottawes921]

That's why there's hood tethers now

[@coleneville3073]

Back when nascar was awesome.

[@frankvarro4451]

He is the goat