Dale Earnhardt died in a last-lap crash during the 2001 Daytona 500.
The race took place on February 18, 2001, at Daytona International Speedway in Florida. Earnhardt was running near the front late in the event when his No. 3 Chevrolet made contact with Sterling Marlin and then Ken Schrader’s car entering the final turn.
The car struck the outside retaining wall. Earnhardt was pronounced dead shortly afterward from a basilar skull fracture. Michael Waltrip won the race, with Dale Earnhardt Jr. finishing second—an emotional result because both drivers were part of Earnhardt’s team.
The tragedy led to major safety changes across NASCAR, including stronger barriers, improved head-and-neck restraint requirements, and eventually the Car of Tomorrow. The race is sometimes remembered simply as the Daytona 500, but the specific event was the 2001 running, the season opener that year.