Dale Earnhardt’s dad saw only televised NASCAR win – Sports News
Dale Earnhardt’s father, Ralph Earnhardt, had his lone televised win overshadowed by one other large occasion: The Rose Bowl.
Ralph Earnhardt was a revered driver in his own proper, with the patriarch of the Earnhardt household having notched over 300 wins within the varied ranges of NASCAR. That stage of ability was handed down to his kids and grandchildren, with Dale Earnhardt and Dale Earnhardt Jr. each crafting Hall of Fame careers within the many years that adopted.
And whereas it was the norm to see different members of the Earnhardt household race, it was not as straightforward for Ralph Earnhardt to get the identical publicity, particularly during the time he raced. Notably, Dale Earnhardt Jr. just lately outbid locals to secure a piece of his household’s legacy: his grandfather’s autograph.
In October 1965, Ralph Earnhardt competed within the Charlotte 250 at Charlotte Motor Speedway. At the time, LeeRoy Yarbrough was named the winner of the race; nonetheless, after a post-race inspection, he was disqualified, giving Ralph Earnhardt the win.
What made the odd race totally different was that it was filmed, though it might not be broadcast for an additional three months. When the race lastly aired, it was broadcast on NBC on Jan. 1 on the identical time the Rose Bowl was proven by the community, with UCLA beating Michigan State 14-12.
That could be the only televised win of Ralph Earnhardt’s profession. Dale Earnhardt’s father would only reside for an additional seven years earlier than his death in 1973.
Early in 1973, he was hospitalized with coronary heart points, with Dale Earnhardt stating: “Dad had been in the hospital with heart trouble and he was on blood thinners and pills and a special diet. But he had come home and was doing better. In fact he had even been out in the race shop.”
In September 1973, Ralph Earhardt suffered a deadly coronary heart assault within the kitchen of his home. Dale Earnhardt believed that the stress of being a race car driver finally was what led to his death.
“He had just got the house paid for and he didn’t have no bills on his racing equipment,” he continued. “He was gonna lay back and take it easy. And then he had a heart attack… and was gone. He had worked so hard. I think the racing, all the hard work and the worry, caused the strain and the heart attack.”
Because Ralph Earnhardt had died earlier than Dale Earnhardt Jr. was born, the Earnhardt documentary on Prime Video gave the NASCAR legend one other alternative to see – and listen to – his grandfather.
“So, my father showed me a video many, many years ago. And Dad said that, to his understanding, this was the only video of Ralph talking and walking and moving around, right? So, I’d never seen Ralph speak, never heard his voice, until that day. This was back in the mid-90s,” he recalled in an interview with WCNC.
“And so, it’s not often I see something that I hadn’t seen before, and there’s a lot of that in this documentary.”
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