All translations are provided for your convenience by the Google Translate Tool. The publishers, authors, and digital providers of this publication are not responsible for any errors that may occur during the translation process. If you intend on relying upon the translation for any purpose other than your own casual enjoyment, you should have this publication professionally translated at your own expense.
Remembering 2001
The 43rd annual Daytona 500 would not be remembered for Michael Waltrip's stunning victory, 49 lead changes or an 18-car pileup that left Tony Stewart momentarily airborne.
Instead, the race was overshadowed by the death of Dale Earnhardt, who was fatally injured at nearly the same time the two cars he owned -- driven by Waltrip and Dale Earnhardt Jr. -- were crossing the finish line 1-2.
"Undoubtedly this is one of the toughest announcements I've personally had to make," NASCAR president Mike Helton said later, once the news was official. "After the accident in Turn 4 at the end of the Daytona 500, we've lost Dale Earnhardt."
For Waltrip, the victory was bittersweet. Ready to celebrate ending a personal 463-race winless streak, Waltrip's first task in Victory Lane was to search out his new boss -- Earnhardt -- and thank him for resuscitating his career.
Instead of a receiving a slap on the back for a job well done, Waltrip's joy quickly turned to sorrow once he heard the news.
"This is not anything personal to you all," he said, "but the only person who won this race was Dale Earnhardt. I was just so looking forward to doing well for him and then he wasn't there ... and I didn't know that he was hurt."
At first glance, Earnhardt's last-lap wreck didn't appear that serious. Coming out of Turn 3, Rusty Wallace sneaked between Sterling Marlin and Kenny Schrader to Earnhardt's rear bumper.
Marlin got a bit loose and subsequently tapped Earnhardt in the left rear quarter panel, sending him up the track and into the Turn 4 wall at approximately a 45-degree angle.
Schrader, unable to maneuver around Earnhardt, plowed into the side of his Chevrolet.
The two slid down the track and into the infield grass. Schrader quickly jumped out. Earnhardt did not.
"I don't know for sure what happened," Schrader said. "We all spread out going down the back straightaway. I knew that was going to happen. I was just hoping we'd get someone to go with us.
"They spread out, so I just hung with the guys on the outside. I guess someone got into Dale because Dale got into me and then we went up [the track]. We hit pretty hard, and Dale hit harder."
|
