Marty Smith: Dale Earnhardt death

Full Episode: • Marty Smith on Dale Ea...
Imagine a national tragedy occurring during your first NASCAR gig. Marty Smith discusses the horrific day the world lost Dale Earnhardt during the Daytona 500.

[@brianearnhart6350]

I was 16 when Dale passed. I'll never forget my dad telling my mom that Dale's passing was really affecting me. He let me stay out of school for two weeks. I watched coverage of the crash and anything remembering Dale from the time i woke up till the time i went to sleep. I was devastated, still am.

[@iankhan4614]

2:57 this quote

[@rgk99]

23 years have passed by and it’s still a moment racing fans never forget.

[@jackchristie4408]

WOW...that is so amazing it has been 23 years! It is crazy to realize it was that long ago. Still sorely missed.

[@allentipton3975]

It is hard to believe how fast time flies. I was 15 when this happened. My grandfather was a Sr fan, I wasn’t, but we both thought nothing of the accident. I went to tell my grandfather before going to church that evening but he already found out. My youth pastor was also there at that 500.

[@kevingallagher6804]

I’ll never forget that day…

[@TarHeelsKenny]

As silly as the seems, Dale Earnhardt dying on the last lap of the Daytona 500 was the most significant event of my life. I was in a group on the internet that chatted about NASCAR and that is where I met the woman of my dreams who has been my wife for 22 years. We have an amazing 19 year old daughter together. This amazing woman reached out to me to check on me because I was a huge Dale Earnhardt fan. That was the beginning of our amazing life together that would not have happened without this tragic event.

[@TwoAcresandaMule]

velvet lining to a lot of traumatic events in life.

[@the_lenny_draper]

That is a cool story! I remember the Yahoo chat groups being a lot of fun and meeting a lot of people through them.

[@stevensmall9398]

​@the_lenny_draper I couldn't remember what those chats were called. I use to go back and forth be people lol. Good ole days.

[@robertbulk7530]

He did it for Dale

[@the_lenny_draper]

@@stevensmall9398 I use to meet people from those groups at the races back in the day. The good days indeed!

[@RyanBird49]

"athletes know" really hits home with DW's commentary

[@CynicalRam]

I literally whispered to myself “I hope dales okay” as he’s taking about victory lane and I read ur comment exactly as I whispered it. That was wild.

[@MikeDuryea32]

Any Nascar fan remembers exactly where they were and what they were doing when they got the news of Earnhardt's death. I for instance, was at a gas station in Baker, California coming home from a camping trip in the sand dunes when the worker at the station told me because I was wearing an Earnhardt shirt. That was the longest 3+ hour drive home and I don't think I said more than 10 words to my wife the whole time. Long live Sr.

[@RH421939]

Yep I watched the race and didn’t think much about it and a few hours later I was at my girlfriend at the time house and her mom ran in the house and said she just heard on the radio that dale died . Tuned in the tv to espn and instantly couldn’t believe what I was seeing

[@dalejr183]

Weird day I do. I was 21 just off deployment and my car broke down stuck at a pep boys when that race was on

[@Alex-dc5mx]

Ur right I do! I was 12 years old I watched the race with my mom and a friend dale was my favorite saw the wreck no doubt in my mind he was gonna be OK we turned it off went to my grandparents house when we got home the phone was ringing it was the friend I watched the race with hours earlier he told me the news I turned on the TV and saw the Mike Helton press conference I was devastated

[@koryestep1801]

Yes I was sitting in the front room watching this new Sunday night post race nascar show on the Speed Channel. I was 13. That was when it was announced. Moment of the crash I was in the family room watching the race with mom and dad and one of dad's car show friend

[@hokiebird71]

I was 29 then. Over at my dad’s house. Afterwards, had a 45 minute drive home. Of course tuned into Sportcenter when I got home…and. Just a terrible feeling

[@mno0624-hv8le]

Lifelong race fan who had seen a lot in racing. I knew from Schrader’s face he had seen something through that window that had messed him up.

[@iankhan4614]

I mean from Kenny's interview with Jeannie Zelasko that he couldn't say it in that moment.

[@haroldrose8056]

I worked at I55 Raceway for Ken Schrader back when this happened. I was told second hand that Kenny said to his friends when he got to Dale's car he saw there was "blood everywhere" and that put him in panic mode. You can tell when they interviewed Kenny shortly after the accident he knew there was a slim chance Dale would survive.

[@matthewhoward5514]

Kenny knew he was dead. I feel bad for Kenny because I bet one day hasn't gone by without him remembering what he saw when he took Dale's window net down. Miss the racers like Kenny.

[@bradsanders407]

You can see that from the pictures of the wreckage

[@iankhan4614]

​@@matthewhoward5514 I watched the "Nascar Now ESPN Dale Earnhardt" episode. Kenny Schrader's emotions were poured out about the accident.

[@paulday5722]

When the telecast went to a commercial just after the finish you could see, in a long shot, they were peeling the roof off the car which meant he was unconscious. A few minutes later, on another channel, they showed the replay of Ken Schrader looking in Dale's car then waving his arms yelling "hurry! hurry! hurry!" at the ambulance. I knew it was really bad right then.

[@hizgrase]

I knew when the ambulance was not rushing. I wasn’t even a big NASCAR fan then but my brother-in-law was and I remember watching that ambulance go out the street and I’m like either he’s not hurt at all or he’s already passed away. Something in my gut I just knew.

[@tripledotter9520]

I grew up 33 miles away from RCR and I was in denial for 10 years. The Dale Jr Podcast was therapy and a road to recovery for understanding it all.

[@scottbrown7497]

😂😂😂😂

[@justinclayton905]

I was 15 that February and I was in complete shock and then immediately thought about Michael Waltrip, having watched a lot of old races from the 80’s on VHS and seeing how good he was and especially loved the 30 Pennzoil Pontiac, to have his first win come under those circumstances broke my heart. As a teenager I seriously didn’t know how Michael or Dale Jr. made it through all that. Then I lost the Man that had raised me since I was 4 and who was essentially my father and a huge Dale Sr. fan, two years later and found out the hard way.

[@jsweizston5410]

I'll also never forget, I was 11 years old and my dad told me what happened when I was about to go to bed. We said a prayer for Dale and his family. Dale was an American hero.

[@darrylturner2611]

Great interview, Marty you are too hard on yourself I still remember your reporting on this that night and you spoke from the heart!! You were unfiltered and it was a really memorable moment that I really appreciate your work!!

[@CPBreezy80]

Marty is a pretty damn good storyteller Great Clip from y’all

[@atlfan48]

Of course southwest VA homeboy right there.

[@DUN1231]

Like Kobe in 2020, Earnhardts untimely death led to one of the worst years ever. Went to the race at ACS a few weeks after Daytona and it would have been Dale's 50th birthday. Great race day but everyone in the crowd was definitely going through some stuff.

[@johnschwindt3049]

I'll never forget that day and then the next day I had to help my dad change a water pump out of an old Chrysler new yorker. I remember being just in dismay that Dale could die, and then the next day the world goes on and we had to do something so trivial like removing a water pump. I ended up ruining my clothes that day, covered in rusty radiator fluid. RIP Dale

[@spencergwin9454]

Over two decades and that Helton announcement still is numbing, possibly always will be

[@dr.darkroom]

He's right....in the end people were side-eyeing JR to see if he would continue - to get a measure for his strength - and he did. He was the warrior.

[@billgoodwin8742]

There was a camera on the turn 4 wall, that footage showed just how violent the crash was. That footage disappeared a few days after it was announced Dale had passed.

[@keenenbenton9843]

There’s a couple mrn KZbin clips that still show that view.. it’s the only view that isn’t in slow motion

[@tripledotter]

If you look at photos of the inside of that 3 Car post wreck and how the engine was forced into the cockpit and that steering wheel broken, you realize how that moment of impact was so deadly.

[@ejherndon127]

I'm 51 years old. I remember that day like yesterday. I'm sitting here with tears in my eyes listening to Marty.

[@AlexTossing]

I’m 36 I was 12 when Dale passed I had been a NASCAR fan for about 5 years at the time I was devastated by his passing I still miss him a lot

[@donniehelmly4920]

It was the 1st missed 500 for me in 25 years. I was at mother in laws funeral. I'm really happy I wasn't there. Such a sad day.

[@kalof3l51]

Wasn’t a nascar fan and only would watch here and there. Picked 3 as my favorite but again, nothing I was overly excited about. Didn’t know the rules or anything. That day still affects me today. I still get emotions over that day. I didn’t see the moment it happened but I remember watching the news about it and man… I was 12 or 13 and it messed me up for a while and still gets me to this day. Since that day I haven’t watched any nascar really at all except when it’s on because someone else is watching. Dale reached far beyond the dedicated fans.

[@78FullSizeBronco]

I had a feeling that day in Dale's morning interview before startup when he said "you're gonna see something you've never seen on Fox" were the last words he spoke publicly. Wasn't the first or last time that's happened in my life. I'm no longer much of a race fans these days since Jr. hung up the keys. Have always HATED the Chase points system and it ruined NASCAR. That's the reason for the ghost crowd in the stands. A part of racing went with Dale and we'll never get that back or see another driver like him again. Godspeed #3!

[@mikeandrews819]

I was sitting in the Oldfield seating area that afternoon we went from cheering to watching the accident unfold, there was a very loud boom when Dale hit the wall. We knew immediately it was bad. Dale was strict about not cutting his car. When they brought the jaws of life out and cut the car we knew it was not going to be a good evening. Then the tarp was placed over the car. The announcement was not official but internally knew he was in serious trouble. A day I will never forget and it was our 10 year old sons first Nascar race we listened to Dale on the scanner the entire race , watched him flip off Kurt Busch going down the front strecht. I will never forget that day or the events of that day!

[@rogerwile690]

I was in Oldfield too and when they brought out the tarp I looked at the girl beside me who I didn't know and I said you know what that means.When we walked out of that grandstand you could have heard a pin drop.

[@FireManSRTTV]

My mom had just moved us into our new home, down the driveway from my grandpops. I had to record it on my grandpops VCR cause we didn't have satellite yet. I went to get thr tape around 8pm and before I got watch the tape that night, I turned the tv on as I was rewinding it.. and dales face showed up on the tv first thing. My gut quickly dropped to the floor. I had emotions that I didn't know even existed

[@DukeTheRebel]

It’s honestly kind of chilling hearing all of these new stories and perspectives from the day it almost seems like they knew from the get-go that Dale was not OK but it took a while for everyone else to find out

[@TommyToboggan611]

I was on my way home from my dads house we watched the race together like always. I was 11. My mom and dad called me out of school. He was truly my hero as a kid. That black 3 means the world too me

[@taterhead30]

February 18, 2001 is the day Sr met Terry Bradshaw, too.

[@7viewerlogic670]

Thanks for sharing.

[@robertredmon6387]

Worst day in my life when Dale Earnhardt passed away I never met him but he was and still my friend and he made it be ok to never give up on things and work really hard

[@DavistarExperience]

OMG I’ve never heard Marty tell his story… this was healing

[@jasonjackson5493]

Our sport has never recovered! Such a beautiful, hard fought race......to end like that......just never will be the same and that's ok......it's just how it is

[@jeremyfisher8782]

Your ass hurts.

[@bradsanders407]

It recovered but little francy boy killed it off.

[@Michael-mt1zq]

And Marty looked at Kurt Busch and said Kurt I’m not the guy you wanna mess with lol.

[@TracksideViews]

To this day it still seems impossible that it could happen much less the fact that it actually did happen.

[@bradsanders407]

It happened 3 times in the previous year.

[@tacoemall666]

I was 9 years old watching on my living room tv. Racing was never the same after that day

[@watcherofthewest8597]

I first saw this guy pop up this year on some college football stuff. Seems like he tries too hard or something, i dont know. Could be a genuine guy, need to watch him more I guess.

[@ljc1224]

If by "this guy" you mean Marty Smith, then you absolutely need to watch him more. Marty's one of the best there is and NASCAR lost a great reporter when he moved to college football. You should find his one-on-one interview with Dale Jr from a few years back. It's excellent. I've met Marty several times in the media center. He's a great guy and a was a truly excellent NASCAR reporter.

[@Northwoods2878]

I was in the Supper stretch. The last grand stand as they past by. I still remember Richard asking dale if your ok just talk to me He repeat it many times.

[@jasonjgr8580]

There was a pic on the internet a few years ago that showed inside Earnhardts car and it was not pretty the Steering wheel shaft was bent down and there was alot of blood.

[@Zoomer30_]

Dale was not driving like Dale. He was slower and blocking. Had he just ran normal he'd still be alive .

[@joshpitts7256]

He was trying to stay in 3rd.. Period..

[@bryandodd9243]

I agree he wasn't driving the way we knew him too but idk why he did what he did I mean on of those 2 were going to win and nobody w as close enough to challenge them so why not just ride it out that's what I think about when I watch that race

[@aronlewis9835]

I dont know, I wouldn’t say Dale sr was on a championship year in 2001! He was at the end of his career and hadn’t won many races in the last couple years of his life.

[@AnthonyLincoln-sg1py]

Obviously you didn't watch NASCAR the previous season. Dale finished runner up to Bobby LaBonte. Dale had a solid 2000 season and definitely would have been a factor in the championship

[@ericfuller6326]

The only detail i can remember is him telling everyone the Hans device would hang you if you crashed.

[@paulday5722]

Dale Sr was also adamantly opposed to full-face helmets. Almost any safety initiative NASCAR proposed he argued against. Unfortunately his attitude cost him his life.

[@KyleG_Sports]

Was born in 99 and my first memories were well after Dale passed. I just wish I was able to see him. Maybe I’ll be able to see Jr race late models some day, probably never but one can always hope.

[@ssdandp]

Marty Smith is The GOAT

[@keenenbenton9843]

It’s interesting hearing him mention if dale was actually blocking because no one ever mentions that but I believe sr was totally content with finishing 3rd that day…something he never did he’d wreck junior to win if he had to

[@fixxxer3456]

That was the plan he laid out before the race. He predicted it would be Michael, Dale Jr. and himself if everything went right. He was totally blocking to keep that plan in place

[@bobbydevine2154]

23 years later, goosebumps, I had a love hate relationship with Sr. but I openly sobbed when he died

[@TracksideViews]

Dale Jr is now the same is dad was when he had his accident

[@539strt]

I hate when people say the wreck didn’t look that bad. Even veteran NASCAR people continue to say this ignorant line. The wreck absolutely looked as bad as any fatal crash. It gives you a perspective on what Adam Petty, Kenny Irwin jr. and Jerry Nadue’s crashes all looked like. Find a replay of Dale’s crash, and I believe there is only one, from a zoomed out perspective. If you watch that replay, you will see the car go from 170-180mph to a complete dead stop, as far as the direction it was traveling before it instantaneously changes direction because of Schrader’s momentum. Remember this, and you can see it in his in-car shot, Dale never lifted because he had the car saved until Schrader hits him, not Kenny’s fault. So this narrative of his car only going 150 at impact is ridiculous. The only speed scrubbed off was from the friction of being sideways. So he was traveling, still, about 170-180.

[@jasonjgr8580]

@539strt, was that bad of a wreck ,most likely because the lap belt broke and no Hans device.

[@Oldplace-xc7pb]

Earnhardt died doing what he loved. RIP champ!

[@peterrukavena4955]

I think Dale’s death at the end of the 2001 Daytona 500 is arguably the worst/saddest moment in sports HISTORY. If anyone can think of something worse please tell me.

[@godisgood1359]

Russell Phillips

[@KidLatin27]

Kobe Bryant in 2020.

[@mikefeltner4216]

​@@KidLatin27that's Definitely 2nd to Dale

[@KidLatin27]

@@mikefeltner4216 true.

[@klarson84]

Enjoy Marty reporting on anything! And yes had Dale lived, he would have gotten #8

[@Joepacalypse1107]

I was running boats in the infield lake, Lake Lloyd for my employer at the time. We ran people around all day long. Wont forget that day.

[@boricuatodabone]

NASCAR Died along with Dale Sr.

[@davidnorman2247]

Love Marty!

[@harleylif1929]

I remember right before Dale got into his car he kissed his wife turned and looked right at the camera and said (you are going to see something you have never seen on TV)

[@MarkWilliams-vp7xw]

That was an interview he did earlier in the day. But still damn ironic and wierd

[@justingriffith735]

Love Marty Smith!

[@jeremymanuel8041]

This off subject from Dale but what do y’all think about NASCAR and the electric car they unveiled today? I believe if they go electric it will literally be the nail in the coffin. Yes a lot of great safety changes have been made since Dale passed but I believe they need to take stage racing away let them work on the damn car like the did back in the day. I remember if you crashed go to the garage and the team would try to fix even if 50 laps down just get back out a log some laps. NASCAR is killing the sport.

[@DeniseMcClellan-d1u]

😢sad day for everyone

[@giafoneozu9998]

i do not think junior decided to or wanted to race, but he knew his father wanted them to be at the track 4 days later!

[@matthewhoward5514]

Dale Sr came up into Sterling. The wreck didn't seem bad at all. That was not gonna be Dale Sr year. Jeff Gordon set the record for laps led in a season. Its still the record for a 34 race season plus Jeff Gordon drove a back up var to win The ALL Star Race.

[@AlexTossing]

Dale may have won u don’t know

[@nohbody85]

If only the left lap belt didn't tear.

[@ELVISKL]

the lap belt broke because it was improperly installed and they knew it. subsequint investigation reveled the crew installed the belts to earnhardts liking to make him more comfortable in the seat. true story

[@nohbody85]

@@ELVISKL I know that. The fact is the belt broke and that is what killed him. Had it not, he would have walked away as always. It also proves, with a broken lap belt, no other safety device or innovation will save you when you body is partially flying around inside the racecar during a crash.

[@christopherlucas4620]

Had Jimmie Johnson ever met Dale? I know Harvick did obviously but Jimmie was a nascar fledgling....

[@yancyjenkinssr1824]

My daughter was born 2-28-01. Her middle names Dale

[@mrsteve4313]

He was most definitely blocking! Sterling had the run to take the win.

[@peterrukavena4955]

Idiot, Sterling had nothing, he was going to pass Dale and both DEI cars in one turn without any help? GTFO.

[@davidrice3337]

I still cannot believe NASCAR permitted the 3 to drive for one team and own another - it was not fair to Richard , his sponsor or his team - Dale didnt have any self awareness as far as how dangerous this vocation is - He had no will pertaining to DEI - This certainly wasnt fair to Teresa and Taylor much less Kerry , Kelly and jr - The 3 caused this -& it should not have been allowed to happen

[@jeremyfisher8782]

Fair? This has happened for years ... this certainly wasn't the first time. It certainly doesn't have anything to do with what happened that day. What are you even talking about? Fair? What are you even talking about? Fair? He was a race car driver ...should he have sat back and watched? What an insult to him, his family and friends.

[@bradleynelson5915]

When you say the 3 shouldn't have done this and that, are you saying Dale or the actual car? Or the actual "3" such as the "8" Junior just applied for the rights to the font used on the "8"?

[@jeremyfisher8782]

​@@bradleynelson5915Whoever that is was talking about driving the 3 for RCR while owning DEI. Still cant get my head past how dumb the comment is/was

[@peterrukavena4955]

What are you talking about? You clearly dont know Dale, he was COMPLETELY blinded by love for Teresa, he left her everything. Thinking she would take care of Junior and the other kids. Wreck or no wreck he had self awareness just not smarts when it came to bestowing his assets. He felt as if his kids hadn’t proved themselves yet, time might of changed that but it pure speculation.

[@stewpuddy4161]

I can't explain it, but I always feel like Marty is full of it. Even when I know that he's telling the truth. It's weird.

[@jmj120]

Marty is such a drama queen

[@theoriginalrabbithole]

No one will admit it in the press but Dale Earnhardt intentionally caused that crash so Earnhardt's own D.E.I. (Dale Earthardt Incorporated) Team cars driven by his son Dale Jr. and Michael Waltrip would definitely finish 1st and 2nd without the pack being able to get a run at them coming off Turn 4 because of a last lap pile-up he was causing on purpose! Out of respect, no one points that out but everyone who followed the sport back then who knew The Intimidator's reputation for taking no prisoners, knows that's the truth! Even if they don't dare say it out loud. 😏

[@Pfefferkuchenman]

Solid bait, I give it a 7.5/10

[@jeremyfisher8782]

Are you on drugs Or are you the worlds biggest troll?

[@joshpitts7256]

🤦🏻‍♂️

[@KevinGentry-o6k]

Marty smith sucks.

[@jeremyfisher8782]

Someone finally says it ...complete poser and self important tool.

[@jackharle1251]

Sterling did the deed, it's that simple

[@JayMac]

Smh people like you are ridiculous.

[@rcr-zt4of]

Sterling was just racing like everyone else. Jr put that to rest after Sterling started getting death threats.

[@fixxxer3456]

@@rcr-zt4of Yes he was. Just wrong place, wrong time

[@Ultimate23Dragon]

Really? Sterling is the one who improperly installed Earnhardt's seatbelt? 🤔

[@mastercarpenter1970]

I agree with Marty! If Junior had of decided to walk away I don't think NASCAR would have made it! Y'all might think I'm crazy but I believe that

[@justonsullivan3807]

I was watching that race. I could not believe it, when they announced that Sr was gone. If I remember I actually forgot to breath for a second. I had a knott in my stomach for a week after that. R I.P Dale, u may be gone but u definitely are not Forgotten. Dale is the real King of NASCAR. 🙏🇺🇸🗽🇺🇸🙏

[@MrPaultiwanger]

As a full grown man they all cried

[@nevadadan4113]

We can all probably count less than 5 times in our life, where something happened and you remember exactly where you were and who you were with. For me, it was the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion, the World Trade Center collapse and the death of Dale Earnhardt. By far, three of the worst memories in my life....

[@jeremyfisher8782]

Marty Smith is such a freaking poser