Dale Earnhardt Remembering a Legend

Before I delve into this post, let me preface it by saying that in no way shape or form do I follow NASCAR, nor do I watch it, however I believe that somebody of this magnitude needs to be written about and remembered. It was 10 years ago at the Daytona International Speedway, on the final lap of NASCAR's super bowl the unthinkable happened. Earnhardt was sitting in third place behind good friend Michael Waltrip who was in the lead, and his son Dale Earnhardt Jr. Earnhardt was blocking other drivers so Waltrip and Jr could finish first and second respectively. As they entered turn 4 Earnhardt's car was bumped and he went careening into the wall in excess of 100 MPH. When the first responders reached Earnhardt's car to rescue him, things looked bleak and their worst fears were confirmed. Earnhardt suffered at fractured skull, eight broken ribs, a broken ankle, and a fractured sternum. Two hours after the accident NASCAR president Mike Helton told the world what they did not want to hear, "Undoubtedly this is one of the toughest announcements I've ever personally had to make. After the accident in Turn 4 at the end of the Daytona 500, we've lost Dale Earnhardt." Dale Earnhardt did more for NASCAR than I will ever know. What a tribute it would be for Dale Sr if Dale Jr can somehow pull of the victory of NASCAR's hallmark race.